feat(cli): introduce --directory to actually switch the directory

src/poetry/console/application.py

@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import contextlib
 import logging
+import os
 import re
 
 from contextlib import suppress
@@ -25,6 +27,7 @@
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from collections.abc import Callable
+    from collections.abc import Iterator
 
     from cleo.events.event import Event
     from cleo.io.inputs.argv_input import ArgvInput
@@ -48,6 +51,17 @@ def _load() -> Command:
     return _load
 
 
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def switch_working_directory(path: Path) -> Iterator[Path]:
+    original_cwd = Path.cwd()
+    os.chdir(path)
+
+    try:
+        yield path
+    finally:
+        os.chdir(original_cwd)
+
+
 COMMANDS = [
     "about",
     "add",
@@ -172,7 +186,9 @@ def _run(self, io: IO) -> int:
 
         self._load_plugins(io)
 
-        exit_code: int = super()._run(io)
+        with switch_working_directory(self._directory):
+            exit_code: int = super()._run(io)
+
         return exit_code
 
     def _configure_io(self, io: IO) -> None:
@@ -367,12 +383,27 @@ def _default_definition(self) -> Definition:
             )
         )
 
+        definition.add_option(
+            Option(
+                "--directory",
+                "-C",
+                flag=False,
+                description=(
+                    "The working directory for the Poetry command (defaults to the"
+                    " current working directory)."
+                ),
+            )
+        )
+
         return definition
 
     @cached_property
     def _directory(self) -> Path:
         if self._io and self._io.input.option("project"):
             return Path(self._io.input.option("project")).absolute()
+        elif self._io and self._io.input.option("directory"):
+            return Path(self._io.input.option("directory")).absolute()
+
         return Path.cwd()