[MacPorts] #68043: MacPorts 2.8.0 in non-sudo mode, creates source files as `root` and work files as `macports` on M1 Mac

[MacPorts]

#68043: MacPorts 2.8.0 in non-sudo mode, creates source files as `root` and work
files as `macports` on M1 Mac
---------------------+--------------------
  Reporter:  lukaso  |      Owner:  (none)
      Type:  defect  |     Status:  new
  Priority:  Normal  |  Milestone:
 Component:  base    |    Version:  2.8.0
Resolution:          |   Keywords:
      Port:          |
---------------------+--------------------

Comment (by ryandesign):

 MacPorts base doesn't use `sudo`. Instead, it uses the opposite approach
 of privilege dropping and elevation.

 If you start MacPorts with `sudo` or as root, it immediately drops
 privileges to those of the macports user so that most operations have no
 more access than they need. Then, only for those steps that actually need
 root access (like `install` or `sync` or `selfupdate`), it elevates
 privileges back to the root user.

 If you start MacPorts as a regular user, MacPorts only has the abilities
 of the regular user so it's impossible for it to change the owner of
 anything to any other user, including root.

 Trying it myself:

 {{{
 % cd /tmp
 % mv ~/Downloads/MacPorts-2.8.1.tar.bz2 .
 % tar xjf MacPorts-2.8.1.tar.bz2
 % cd MacPorts-2.8.1
 % export PATH=/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin
 % PREFIX=/tmp/prefix
 % ./configure --prefix=$PREFIX --with-applications-
 dir=$PREFIX/Applications --without-startupitems --with-install-
 user=${USER} --with-install-group=staff --with-no-root-privileges
 ...
 % make -j8
 ...
 % make install
 ...
 % ls -l $PREFIX/var/macports/
 total 0
 drwxr-xr-x  2 rschmidt  staff   64 Aug 26 22:26 build
 drwxr-xr-x  2 rschmidt  staff   64 Aug 26 22:26 distfiles
 drwxr-xr-x  3 rschmidt  staff   96 Aug 26 22:26 home
 drwxr-xr-x  2 rschmidt  staff   64 Aug 26 22:26 logs
 drwxr-xr-x  5 rschmidt  staff  160 Aug 26 22:26 registry
 drwxrwxrwt  2 rschmidt  staff   64 Aug 26 22:26 sip-workaround
 drwxr-xr-x  2 rschmidt  staff   64 Aug 26 22:26 software
 % $PREFIX/bin/port sync
 --->  Updating the ports tree
 % ls -l $PREFIX/var/macports/
 total 0
 drwxr-xr-x  2 rschmidt  staff   64 Aug 26 22:26 build
 drwxr-xr-x  2 rschmidt  staff   64 Aug 26 22:26 distfiles
 drwxr-xr-x  3 rschmidt  staff   96 Aug 26 22:26 home
 drwxr-xr-x  2 rschmidt  staff   64 Aug 26 22:26 logs
 -rw-r--r--  1 rschmidt  staff    0 Aug 26 22:27 pingtimes
 drwxr-xr-x  5 rschmidt  staff  160 Aug 26 22:26 registry
 drwxrwxrwt  2 rschmidt  staff   64 Aug 26 22:26 sip-workaround
 drwxr-xr-x  2 rschmidt  staff   64 Aug 26 22:26 software
 drwxr-xr-x  3 rschmidt  staff   96 Aug 26 22:27 sources
 }}}

 Note that a source install of MacPorts does not create the sources
 directory; it's created when you first `sync` or `selfupdate`. Are you
 inadvertently using `sudo` when you're running `port sync`?

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://trac.macports.org/ticket/68043#comment:6>
MacPorts <https://www.macports.org/>
Ports system for macOS