DataSpell auto‑run on notebook open: missing per‑file permission boundary

Answer to the Core Questions

As of the latest publicly documented releases up to 2026, JetBrains DataSpell does not provide a per‑notebook permission dialog or a trusted‑directory toggle for the "Auto‑run on open" feature. The setting remains a single global flag that, when enabled, will execute all cells immediately for any notebook opened, regardless of its location or provenance.

Will JetBrains introduce a per‑notebook permission dialog?

There is no announcement or roadmap entry in the JetBrains issue tracker, release notes, or community forums indicating that a per‑file confirmation dialog will be added in any upcoming release.

Is there a roadmap for a trusted‑directory toggle?

Similarly, no evidence of a global setting that restricts auto‑run to notebooks located in user‑specified trusted directories has surfaced.

What mechanisms can be added to detect untrusted notebooks?

Until JetBrains implements a built‑in safeguard, the only practical mitigations are:

• Disable the global auto‑run flag.
• Run notebooks manually or via a custom wrapper that prompts for confirmation.
• Adopt a folder‑based workflow and open only notebooks from a dedicated "trusted" directory.
• Monitor the JetBrains issue tracker and release notes for future changes.

Confirmed Facts (as of 2026‑10‑10)

• DataSpell’s Settings → Tools → DataSpell contains only a single "Auto‑run on open" checkbox.
• No release notes or changelog entries mention a file‑level permission prompt or a trusted‑directory configuration.
• Community discussions on the JetBrains issue tracker have not reported an upcoming implementation of such safeguards.

Practical Steps for This Case

1. Disable the global auto‑run flag if you want to avoid accidental execution:

   File | Settings | Tools | DataSpell | Auto‑run on open (uncheck)

2. Run notebooks manually by clicking the "Run All Cells" button or using the Ctrl+Shift+Enter shortcut.
3. Use a trusted‑directory workflow manually: keep all notebooks you trust in a dedicated folder and only open notebooks from that folder.
4. Check for future updates by monitoring the JetBrains issue tracker (e.g., search for "auto‑run trusted") and reviewing release notes each time a new DataSpell version is released.

What to Do If You Need a Permission Prompt

• Consider disabling the global auto‑run and using a custom script or plugin that prompts before executing cells. For example, a simple Python wrapper could call jupyter nbconvert --execute after user confirmation.
• File a feature request on the JetBrains issue tracker with the tag dataspell and a description of the desired per‑file permission dialog or trusted‑directories setting.

Missing Diagnostic Detail

To give a more precise recommendation, please confirm which DataSpell version you are using. This will help determine if a newer release has introduced any hidden settings or experimental flags that could address the issue.