feat(flagd): add FILE resolver type for local flag definition files

Add support for reading flagd feature flag definitions directly from a local file, with automatic change detection and live reload.

New resolver:

- FileBasedResolver: reads a flagd flag definition JSON file from disk, validates it against the JSON schema, and evaluates flags locally via JsonEvaluator. Supports waiting for the file to appear (configurable timeout, default 5 min) and reloading on changes.

- FileSystemHashWatcher: polls file content using MurmurHash-128 to detect changes. Designed for environments where filesystem events are unreliable (e.g., NFS, container-mounted volumes). Configurable polling interval (default 1 min). Baseline hash is computed synchronously on Start() to prevent race conditions.

- When hash-based detection is not enabled, a standard FileSystemWatcher with 500ms debounce is used instead.

Configuration via FLAGD_RESOLVER=file, FLAGD_SOURCE_FILE_PATH, and FLAGD_HASH_FILE_CHANGE env vars. Builder API: WithSourceFilePath(), WithUseHashFileChangeDetection(). DI options: FlagdProviderOptions.SourceFilePath, FlagdProviderOptions.UseHashFileChangeDetection.

Error handling: FileShare.ReadWrite|Delete for safe concurrent access, schema validation on Init, ProviderError events on parse failures without crashing, ReaderWriterLockSlim protects evaluator during reloads.

Tests: 31 new tests (201 total pass) covering FileBasedResolver lifecycle and resolution, FileSystemHashWatcher polling, FlagdConfig env var parsing, FlagdProvider instantiation, and DI option mapping.

Documentation: Updated README with FILE resolver config table entries, usage examples, and hash-based detection docs.

Author: Eden Yefet

src/OpenFeature.Providers.Flagd/DependencyInjection/FlagdProviderOptions.cs

@@ -61,4 +61,21 @@ public record FlagdProviderOptions
     /// Source selector for the in-process provider. Defaults to empty string.
     /// </summary>
     public string SourceSelector { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Path to the flag definition JSON file for file-based in-memory resolution.
+    /// Used when <see cref="ResolverType"/> is <see cref="ResolverType.FILE"/>.
+    /// Defaults to empty string.
+    /// </summary>
+    public string SourceFilePath { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// When true, the file watcher uses content hashing (MurmurHash) to detect changes.
+    /// When false, the file watcher relies on file system events from the OS.
+    /// File system events can be unreliable in certain containerized environments or mount types;
+    /// hashing always works reliably but has a higher I/O cost.
+    /// Used when <see cref="ResolverType"/> is <see cref="ResolverType.FILE"/>.
+    /// Defaults to false.
+    /// </summary>
+    public bool UseHashFileChangeDetection { get; set; } = false;
 }

src/OpenFeature.Providers.Flagd/DependencyInjection/FlagdProviderOptionsExtensions.cs

@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ public static FlagdConfig ToFlagdConfig(this FlagdProviderOptions options)
             .WithMaxEventStreamRetries(options.MaxEventStreamRetries)
             .WithResolverType(options.ResolverType)
             .WithSourceSelector(options.SourceSelector)
+            .WithSourceFilePath(options.SourceFilePath)
+            .WithUseHashFileChangeDetection(options.UseHashFileChangeDetection)
             .Build();
 
         return config;

src/OpenFeature.Providers.Flagd/FlagdConfig.cs

@@ -20,7 +20,13 @@ public enum ResolverType
     ///     locally for in-process evaluation.
     ///     Evaluations are preformed in-process.
     /// </summary>
-    IN_PROCESS
+    IN_PROCESS,
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     This is the file-based resolving type, where flags are loaded from a local JSON file
+    ///     and evaluated in-process without creating any gRPC streams.
+    ///     Evaluations are preformed in-process.
+    /// </summary>
+    FILE
 }
 
 /// <summary>
@@ -38,9 +44,13 @@ public class FlagdConfig
     internal const string EnvVarMaxEventStreamRetries = "FLAGD_MAX_EVENT_STREAM_RETRIES";
     internal const string EnvVarResolverType = "FLAGD_RESOLVER";
     internal const string EnvVarSourceSelector = "FLAGD_SOURCE_SELECTOR";
+    internal const string EnvVarSourceFilePath = "FLAGD_SOURCE_FILE_PATH";
+    internal const string EnvVarHashFileChange = "FLAGD_HASH_FILE_CHANGE";
     internal const string FlagdSelectorHeaderName = "flagd-selector";
     internal static int CacheSizeDefault = 10;
     internal static string InProcessResolverValue = "in-process";
+    internal static string RpcResolverValue = "rpc";
+    internal static string FileResolverValue = "file";
     internal static string LruCacheValue = "lru";
 
     /// <summary>
@@ -173,6 +183,28 @@ public ILogger Logger
         set => _logger = value;
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Path to the flag definition JSON file. Used when ResolverType is FILE.
+    /// </summary>
+    public string SourceFilePath
+    {
+        get => _sourceFilePath;
+        set => _sourceFilePath = value;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     When true, the file watcher uses content hashing (MurmurHash) to detect changes.
+    ///     When false, the file watcher relies on file system events from the OS.
+    ///     File system events can be unreliable in certain containerized environments or mount types;
+    ///     hashing always works reliably but has a higher I/O cost.
+    ///     Defaults to false. Used when ResolverType is FILE.
+    /// </summary>
+    public bool UseHashFileChangeDetection
+    {
+        get => _useHashFileChangeDetection;
+        set => _useHashFileChangeDetection = value;
+    }
+
     internal bool UseCertificate => _cert.Length > 0;
 
     private string _host;
@@ -186,6 +218,8 @@ public ILogger Logger
     private string _sourceSelector;
     private ILogger _logger;
     private ResolverType _resolverType;
+    private string _sourceFilePath;
+    private bool _useHashFileChangeDetection;
 
     internal FlagdConfig()
     {
@@ -205,8 +239,9 @@ internal FlagdConfig()
             _maxEventStreamRetries = int.TryParse(Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable(EnvVarMaxEventStreamRetries), out var maxEventStreamRetries) ? maxEventStreamRetries : 3;
         }
 
-        var resolverTypeStr = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable(EnvVarResolverType) ?? "RPC";
-        _resolverType = string.Equals(resolverTypeStr, InProcessResolverValue, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) ? ResolverType.IN_PROCESS : ResolverType.RPC;
+        _resolverType = GetResolverTypeFromEnvironment();
+        _sourceFilePath = GetSourceFilePathFromEnvironment();
+        _useHashFileChangeDetection = GetUseHashFileChangeDetectionFromEnvironment();
     }
 
     internal Uri GetUri()
@@ -229,6 +264,35 @@ internal Uri GetUri()
         }
         return uri;
     }
+
+    private static ResolverType GetResolverTypeFromEnvironment()
+    {
+        var resolverTypeStr = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable(EnvVarResolverType);
+
+        if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(resolverTypeStr))
+        {
+            return ResolverType.RPC;
+        }
+
+        if (string.Equals(resolverTypeStr, InProcessResolverValue, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+            return ResolverType.IN_PROCESS;
+        if (string.Equals(resolverTypeStr, FileResolverValue, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+            return ResolverType.FILE;
+
+        return ResolverType.RPC;
+    }
+
+    private static string GetSourceFilePathFromEnvironment()
+    {
+        var sourceFilePathStr = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable(EnvVarSourceFilePath);
+        return string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(sourceFilePathStr) ? string.Empty : sourceFilePathStr;
+    }
+
+    private static bool GetUseHashFileChangeDetectionFromEnvironment()
+    {
+        var value = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable(EnvVarHashFileChange);
+        return !string.IsNullOrEmpty(value) && bool.TryParse(value, out var parsed) && parsed;
+    }
 }
 
 /// <summary>
@@ -328,6 +392,26 @@ public FlagdConfigBuilder WithSourceSelector(string sourceSelector)
         return this;
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Path to the flag definition JSON file for file-based in-memory resolution.
+    /// </summary>
+    public FlagdConfigBuilder WithSourceFilePath(string sourceFilePath)
+    {
+        _config.SourceFilePath = sourceFilePath;
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Enable or disable content hashing for file change detection.
+    ///     When true, the file watcher uses content hashing (MurmurHash) to detect changes.
+    ///     When false, the file watcher relies on file system events from the OS.
+    /// </summary>
+    public FlagdConfigBuilder WithUseHashFileChangeDetection(bool useHash)
+    {
+        _config.UseHashFileChangeDetection = useHash;
+        return this;
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     ///     Provide a <see cref="ILogger"/> to be used by the Flagd provider.
     /// </summary>
@@ -351,13 +435,18 @@ public FlagdConfig Build()
 
     private void PreBuild()
     {
+        if (this._config.ResolverType == ResolverType.FILE)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
         if (this._config.Port == 0)
         {
             var defaultPortForResolver = this._config.ResolverType switch
             {
                 ResolverType.RPC => 8013,
                 ResolverType.IN_PROCESS => 8015,
-                _ => throw new NotImplementedException("ResolverType does not use Ports.")
+                _ => 8013
             };
 
             this._config.Port = defaultPortForResolver;

src/OpenFeature.Providers.Flagd/FlagdProvider.cs

@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@ public sealed class FlagdProvider : FeatureProvider
     ///     FLAGD_CACHE                    - Enable or disable the cache (default="false")
     ///     FLAGD_MAX_CACHE_SIZE           - The maximum size of the cache (default="10")
     ///     FLAGD_MAX_EVENT_STREAM_RETRIES - The maximum amount of retries for establishing the EventStream
-    ///     FLAGD_RESOLVER                 - The type of resolver (in-process or rpc) to be used for the provider
+    ///     FLAGD_RESOLVER                 - The type of resolver (in-process, file or rpc) to be used for the provider
+    ///     FLAGD_SOURCE_FILE_PATH         - The path to the flag definition JSON file (used when FLAGD_RESOLVER="file")
+    ///     FLAGD_HASH_FILE_CHANGE         - Use content hashing for file change detection (default="false", used when FLAGD_RESOLVER="file")
     /// </summary>
     public FlagdProvider() : this(FlagdConfig.Builder().Build())
     {
@@ -47,7 +49,9 @@ public FlagdProvider() : this(FlagdConfig.Builder().Build())
     ///     FLAGD_CACHE                    - Enable or disable the cache (default="false")
     ///     FLAGD_MAX_CACHE_SIZE           - The maximum size of the cache (default="10")
     ///     FLAGD_MAX_EVENT_STREAM_RETRIES - The maximum amount of retries for establishing the EventStream
-    ///     FLAGD_RESOLVER            - The type of resolver (in-process or rpc) to be used for the provider
+    ///     FLAGD_RESOLVER                 - The type of resolver (in-process, file or rpc) to be used for the provider
+    ///     FLAGD_SOURCE_FILE_PATH         - The path to the flag definition JSON file (used when FLAGD_RESOLVER="file")
+    ///     FLAGD_HASH_FILE_CHANGE         - Use content hashing for file change detection (default="false", used when FLAGD_RESOLVER="file")
     ///     <param name="url">The URL of the flagd server</param>
     ///     <exception cref="ArgumentNullException">if no url is provided.</exception>
     /// </summary>
@@ -74,6 +78,19 @@ public FlagdProvider(FlagdConfig config)
             var jsonSchemaValidator = new JsonSchemaValidator(_config.Logger);
             _resolver = new InProcessResolver(_config, jsonSchemaValidator);
         }
+        else if (_config.ResolverType == ResolverType.FILE)
+        {
+            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(_config.SourceFilePath))
+                throw new ArgumentException("SourceFilePath must be set when using ResolverType.FILE");
+
+            var jsonSchemaValidator = new JsonSchemaValidator(_config.Logger);
+            _resolver = new FileBasedResolver(
+                _config.Logger,
+                _config.SourceFilePath,
+                jsonSchemaValidator,
+                _config.SourceSelector,
+                _config.UseHashFileChangeDetection);
+        }
         else
         {
             _resolver = new RpcResolver(config);
@@ -220,7 +237,6 @@ public override async Task<ResolutionDetails<string>> ResolveStringValueAsync(st
     /// <inheritdoc/>
     public override async Task<ResolutionDetails<int>> ResolveIntegerValueAsync(string flagKey, int defaultValue, EvaluationContext context = null, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
     {
-
         return await _resolver.ResolveIntegerValueAsync(flagKey, defaultValue, context).ConfigureAwait(false);
     }
 

src/OpenFeature.Providers.Flagd/README.md

@@ -156,19 +156,21 @@ namespace OpenFeatureTestApp
 
 The URI of the flagd server to which the `flagd Provider` connects to can either be passed directly to the constructor, or be configured using the following environment variables:
 
-| Option name                  | Environment variable name      | Type    | Default   | Values          |
-| ---------------------------- | ------------------------------ | ------- | --------- | --------------- |
-| host                         | FLAGD_HOST                     | string  | localhost |                 |
-| port                         | FLAGD_PORT                     | number  | 8013      |                 |
-| tls                          | FLAGD_TLS                      | boolean | false     |                 |
-| tls certPath                 | FLAGD_SERVER_CERT_PATH         | string  |           |                 |
-| unix socket path             | FLAGD_SOCKET_PATH              | string  |           |                 |
-| Caching                      | FLAGD_CACHE                    | string  |           | lru             |
-| Maximum cache size           | FLAGD_MAX_CACHE_SIZE           | number  | 10        |                 |
-| Maximum event stream retries | FLAGD_MAX_EVENT_STREAM_RETRIES | number  | 3         |                 |
-| Resolver type                | FLAGD_RESOLVER                 | string  | rpc       | rpc, in-process |
-| Source selector              | FLAGD_SOURCE_SELECTOR          | string  |           |                 |
-| Logger                       | n/a                            | n/a     |           |                 |
+| Option name                  | Environment variable name      | Type    | Default   | Values                  |
+| ---------------------------- | ------------------------------ | ------- | --------- | ----------------------- |
+| host                         | FLAGD_HOST                     | string  | localhost |                         |
+| port                         | FLAGD_PORT                     | number  | 8013      |                         |
+| tls                          | FLAGD_TLS                      | boolean | false     |                         |
+| tls certPath                 | FLAGD_SERVER_CERT_PATH         | string  |           |                         |
+| unix socket path             | FLAGD_SOCKET_PATH              | string  |           |                         |
+| Caching                      | FLAGD_CACHE                    | string  |           | lru                     |
+| Maximum cache size           | FLAGD_MAX_CACHE_SIZE           | number  | 10        |                         |
+| Maximum event stream retries | FLAGD_MAX_EVENT_STREAM_RETRIES | number  | 3         |                         |
+| Resolver type                | FLAGD_RESOLVER                 | string  | rpc       | rpc, in-process, file   |
+| Source selector              | FLAGD_SOURCE_SELECTOR          | string  |           |                         |
+| Source file path              | FLAGD_SOURCE_FILE_PATH         | string  |           |                         |
+| Hash file change detection   | FLAGD_HASH_FILE_CHANGE         | boolean | false     |                         |
+| Logger                       | n/a                            | n/a     |           |                         |
 
 Note that if `FLAGD_SOCKET_PATH` is set, this value takes precedence, and the other variables (`FLAGD_HOST`, `FLAGD_PORT`, `FLAGD_TLS`, `FLAGD_SERVER_CERT_PATH`) are disregarded.
 
@@ -245,3 +247,56 @@ var flagdConfig = new FlagdConfigBuilder()
     .WithLogger(logger)
     .Build();
 ```
+
+## File resolver type
+
+The flagd provider supports a **file-based resolver mode**, which reads flag definitions from a local JSON file.
+This is useful for local development, testing, or air-gapped environments where flags are distributed as files
+(e.g., via ConfigMaps, volume mounts, or file sync).
+
+The file resolver is activated by setting the `FLAGD_RESOLVER` environment variable to `file` and providing the
+path to the flag definition file via `FLAGD_SOURCE_FILE_PATH`:
+
+```shell
+export FLAGD_RESOLVER=file
+export FLAGD_SOURCE_FILE_PATH=/etc/flags/my-flags.json
+```
+
+Or by configuring the provider programmatically:
+
+```csharp
+using OpenFeature.Providers.Flagd;
+
+var flagdConfig = new FlagdConfigBuilder()
+    .WithResolverType(ResolverType.FILE)
+    .WithSourceFilePath("/etc/flags/my-flags.json")
+    .Build();
+
+var flagdProvider = new FlagdProvider(flagdConfig);
+OpenFeature.Api.Instance.SetProvider(flagdProvider);
+```
+
+The file resolver watches for changes to the flag file and automatically reloads the configuration when changes are
+detected. By default, it uses the operating system's `FileSystemWatcher` for change notification.
+
+### Hash-based file change detection
+
+In some environments (e.g., NFS mounts, certain container runtimes, or network file systems), native file system
+events may not be reliable. For these cases, you can enable content-based change detection using MurmurHash:
+
+```csharp
+var flagdConfig = new FlagdConfigBuilder()
+    .WithResolverType(ResolverType.FILE)
+    .WithSourceFilePath("/etc/flags/my-flags.json")
+    .WithUseHashFileChangeDetection(true)
+    .Build();
+```
+
+Or via environment variable:
+
+```shell
+export FLAGD_HASH_FILE_CHANGE=true
+```
+
+When enabled, the provider polls the file at a regular interval and compares content hashes rather than relying on
+OS-level file change notifications. This is more reliable but has a slightly higher I/O cost due to periodic file reads.