feature

tools/new_project.py

@@ -87,6 +87,20 @@ def pick_channel(explicit: str | None, web_root: Path) -> str:
     return channel
 
 
+def resolve_python() -> str:
+    """PHP/panel often launches `python3` such that sys.executable is ''."""
+    exe = (sys.executable or "").strip()
+    if exe:
+        return exe
+    for name in ("python3", "python"):
+        found = shutil.which(name)
+        if found:
+            return found
+    raise SystemExit(
+        "cannot locate python interpreter (sys.executable is empty; install python3 on PATH)"
+    )
+
+
 def run(cmd: list[str]) -> None:
     print("+", " ".join(cmd), flush=True)
     subprocess.run(cmd, cwd=str(LAB_ROOT), check=True)
@@ -230,7 +244,7 @@ def main() -> int:
     for item in fixed_rep:
         domain_args += ["--reporting-domains", item]
 
-    py = sys.executable
+    py = resolve_python()
 
     if same_domains:
         dep = args.deployment_seed or prev_seeds.get("deployment_seed")