|
| 1 | +# Onboarding a Component to Kargo Promotion |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +This guide explains how to add a new component to the `kargo-infra-common` |
| 4 | +automated promotion pipeline. Kargo watches container registries and Helm chart |
| 5 | +repositories for new versions, then opens PRs to promote those versions through |
| 6 | +staging and production. |
| 7 | + |
| 8 | +## How Promotion Works |
| 9 | + |
| 10 | +``` |
| 11 | +Warehouse Stage: staging Stage: production |
| 12 | +(watches registries) ──freight──> (auto-promotes) ──soak──> (manual approval) |
| 13 | + │ │ |
| 14 | + PromotionTask PromotionTask |
| 15 | + updates staging updates production |
| 16 | + config files config files |
| 17 | + │ │ |
| 18 | + Opens PR to main Opens PR to main |
| 19 | + Waits for merge Waits for merge |
| 20 | +``` |
| 21 | + |
| 22 | +**Key concepts:** |
| 23 | + |
| 24 | +- **Warehouse** — watches image registries / Helm repos and creates "freight" |
| 25 | + (a versioned bundle of artifacts) when new versions appear. |
| 26 | +- **Stage** — represents an environment (staging, production). Each stage |
| 27 | + consumes freight and runs a promotion template. |
| 28 | +- **PromotionTask** — the reusable logic that updates files in this GitOps |
| 29 | + repo. Each component has its own task. |
| 30 | +- **Freight origin guard** — each PromotionTask uses |
| 31 | + `if: ${{ ctx.targetFreight.origin.name == "<warehouse>" }}` so it only |
| 32 | + executes when its own warehouse produces new freight. |
| 33 | + |
| 34 | +## Directory Layout |
| 35 | + |
| 36 | +``` |
| 37 | +kargo-infra-common/ |
| 38 | +├── base/ # shared project resources |
| 39 | +│ ├── namespace.yaml # namespace with kargo.akuity.io/project label |
| 40 | +│ ├── project.yaml # Kargo Project |
| 41 | +│ ├── project-config.yaml # promotion policies (auto/manual per stage) |
| 42 | +│ ├── rbac/ # RBAC for the konflux-devprod group |
| 43 | +│ ├── external-secrets/ # git credentials from Vault |
| 44 | +│ ├── stage-ring-1-staging.yaml # staging stage (calls all component tasks) |
| 45 | +│ └── stage-ring-2-production.yaml # production stage (calls component tasks) |
| 46 | +│ |
| 47 | +├── kargo/ # kargo component |
| 48 | +│ ├── kustomization.yaml |
| 49 | +│ ├── warehouse.yaml # watches kargo + dex images, kargo helm chart |
| 50 | +│ └── promotiontasks/ |
| 51 | +│ ├── kargo-promote-ring-1.yaml # updates staging config |
| 52 | +│ └── kargo-promote-ring-2.yaml # updates production config |
| 53 | +│ |
| 54 | +├── <your-component>/ # add your component here |
| 55 | +│ ├── kustomization.yaml |
| 56 | +│ ├── warehouse.yaml |
| 57 | +│ └── promotiontasks/ |
| 58 | +│ └── <component>-promote-ring-1.yaml # at minimum, staging |
| 59 | +│ |
| 60 | +└── kustomization.yaml # references: base, kargo, <your-component> |
| 61 | +``` |
| 62 | + |
| 63 | +Each component owns its **warehouse** (what to watch) and **promotion tasks** |
| 64 | +(what to update). The **stages** in `base/` are shared — they call every |
| 65 | +component's promotion task in sequence within a single promotion, which |
| 66 | +preserves soak time gating between staging and production. |
| 67 | + |
| 68 | +## Step-by-Step: Onboard a New Component |
| 69 | + |
| 70 | +### 1. Create Your Component Directory |
| 71 | + |
| 72 | +``` |
| 73 | +kargo-infra-common/<component>/ |
| 74 | +├── kustomization.yaml |
| 75 | +├── warehouse.yaml |
| 76 | +└── promotiontasks/ |
| 77 | + ├── kustomization.yaml |
| 78 | + └── <component>-promote-ring-1.yaml |
| 79 | +``` |
| 80 | + |
| 81 | +### 2. Define Your Warehouse |
| 82 | + |
| 83 | +The warehouse tells Kargo what artifacts to watch. It polls every 5 minutes |
| 84 | +and creates freight when new versions appear. |
| 85 | + |
| 86 | +```yaml |
| 87 | +# <component>/warehouse.yaml |
| 88 | +--- |
| 89 | +apiVersion: kargo.akuity.io/v1alpha1 |
| 90 | +kind: Warehouse |
| 91 | +metadata: |
| 92 | + name: <component> |
| 93 | +spec: |
| 94 | + freightCreationPolicy: Automatic |
| 95 | + interval: 5m0s |
| 96 | + subscriptions: |
| 97 | + # Helm chart (if your component deploys via Helm) |
| 98 | + - chart: |
| 99 | + repoURL: https://charts.example.com |
| 100 | + name: <chart-name> |
| 101 | + semverConstraint: ^1.0.0 |
| 102 | + discoveryLimit: 5 |
| 103 | + # Container images |
| 104 | + - image: |
| 105 | + repoURL: quay.io/konflux-ci/<image> |
| 106 | + imageSelectionStrategy: NewestBuild |
| 107 | + discoveryLimit: 5 |
| 108 | + allowTags: ^[0-9a-f]{40}$ # SHA tags |
| 109 | + # Add more images as needed |
| 110 | +``` |
| 111 | + |
| 112 | +**`allowTags`** — regex filter for image tags. Common patterns: |
| 113 | +- `^[0-9a-f]{40}$` — full 40-char git SHA |
| 114 | +- `^1\.10-[0-9a-f]{7}$` — semver prefix + short SHA |
| 115 | +- `^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$` — semver tags |
| 116 | + |
| 117 | +**`imageSelectionStrategy`** — use `NewestBuild` for SHA-tagged images, |
| 118 | +`SemVer` for semver-tagged images. |
| 119 | + |
| 120 | +### 3. Create Your Promotion Task |
| 121 | + |
| 122 | +The promotion task defines which files to update and how. It uses |
| 123 | +`yaml-update` to patch specific keys in your component's config files. |
| 124 | + |
| 125 | +```yaml |
| 126 | +# <component>/promotiontasks/<component>-promote-ring-1.yaml |
| 127 | +--- |
| 128 | +apiVersion: kargo.akuity.io/v1alpha1 |
| 129 | +kind: PromotionTask |
| 130 | +metadata: |
| 131 | + name: <component>-promote-ring-1 |
| 132 | +spec: |
| 133 | + vars: |
| 134 | + - name: srcPath |
| 135 | + steps: |
| 136 | + - uses: yaml-update |
| 137 | + as: update-<component> |
| 138 | + if: ${{ ctx.targetFreight.origin.name == "<component>" }} |
| 139 | + config: |
| 140 | + path: ${{ vars.srcPath }}/components/<component>/internal-staging/<target-file> |
| 141 | + updates: |
| 142 | + - key: <yaml.key.to.update> |
| 143 | + value: ${{ imageFrom("quay.io/konflux-ci/<image>").Tag }} |
| 144 | +``` |
| 145 | +
|
| 146 | +**What goes in `updates`** depends on how your component is deployed: |
| 147 | + |
| 148 | +| Deployment Method | Target File | Key to Update | |
| 149 | +|---|---|---| |
| 150 | +| HelmChartInflationGenerator | `kargo-helm-generator.yaml` | `valuesInline.image.tag` | |
| 151 | +| Kustomize `helmCharts:` | `helm-values.yaml` | `<image-key>.tag` | |
| 152 | +| Kustomize `images:` | `kustomization.yaml` | `images.0.newTag` | |
| 153 | +| Helm chart version | generator or kustomization | `version` (use `chartFrom()`) | |
| 154 | +| Git resource ref | `kustomization.yaml` | `resources.<index>` | |
| 155 | + |
| 156 | +**Expression functions:** |
| 157 | +- `imageFrom("quay.io/repo").Tag` — resolves image tag from freight |
| 158 | +- `chartFrom("oci://registry/chart").Version` — resolves chart version from freight |
| 159 | + |
| 160 | +**If your component also deploys to production**, create `<component>-promote-ring-2.yaml` |
| 161 | +with the same structure but pointing to the production config path |
| 162 | +(`internal-production/` instead of `internal-staging/`). |
| 163 | + |
| 164 | +### 4. Wire Up the Kustomizations |
| 165 | + |
| 166 | +```yaml |
| 167 | +# <component>/kustomization.yaml |
| 168 | +--- |
| 169 | +apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1 |
| 170 | +kind: Kustomization |
| 171 | +resources: |
| 172 | + - warehouse.yaml |
| 173 | + - promotiontasks |
| 174 | +``` |
| 175 | + |
| 176 | +```yaml |
| 177 | +# <component>/promotiontasks/kustomization.yaml |
| 178 | +--- |
| 179 | +apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1 |
| 180 | +kind: Kustomization |
| 181 | +resources: |
| 182 | + - <component>-promote-ring-1.yaml |
| 183 | + # - <component>-promote-ring-2.yaml # if you have production |
| 184 | +``` |
| 185 | + |
| 186 | +### 5. Register Your Component in the Top-Level Kustomization |
| 187 | + |
| 188 | +```yaml |
| 189 | +# kustomization.yaml |
| 190 | +--- |
| 191 | +apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1 |
| 192 | +kind: Kustomization |
| 193 | +namespace: kargo-infra-common |
| 194 | +resources: |
| 195 | + - base |
| 196 | + - kargo |
| 197 | + - <component> # <-- add this line |
| 198 | +commonAnnotations: |
| 199 | + argocd.argoproj.io/sync-options: SkipDryRunOnMissingResource=true |
| 200 | +``` |
| 201 | + |
| 202 | +### 6. Add Your Warehouse as a Freight Origin in the Stage |
| 203 | + |
| 204 | +Edit `base/stage-ring-1-staging.yaml` — add your warehouse under |
| 205 | +`requestedFreight`: |
| 206 | + |
| 207 | +```yaml |
| 208 | +spec: |
| 209 | + requestedFreight: |
| 210 | + - origin: |
| 211 | + kind: Warehouse |
| 212 | + name: kargo |
| 213 | + sources: |
| 214 | + direct: true |
| 215 | + - origin: # <-- add this block |
| 216 | + kind: Warehouse |
| 217 | + name: <component> |
| 218 | + sources: |
| 219 | + direct: true |
| 220 | +``` |
| 221 | + |
| 222 | +Then add your promotion task call in the `steps` section, after the existing |
| 223 | +task calls: |
| 224 | + |
| 225 | +```yaml |
| 226 | + steps: |
| 227 | + - uses: git-clone |
| 228 | + ... |
| 229 | + # --- kargo --- |
| 230 | + - task: |
| 231 | + name: kargo-promote-ring-1 |
| 232 | + as: kargo-promote |
| 233 | + vars: |
| 234 | + - name: srcPath |
| 235 | + value: ./src |
| 236 | + # --- <component> --- # <-- add this block |
| 237 | + - task: |
| 238 | + name: <component>-promote-ring-1 |
| 239 | + as: <component>-promote |
| 240 | + vars: |
| 241 | + - name: srcPath |
| 242 | + value: ./src |
| 243 | + - uses: git-commit |
| 244 | + ... |
| 245 | +``` |
| 246 | + |
| 247 | +If your component also promotes to production, make the same changes in |
| 248 | +`base/stage-ring-2-production.yaml`. |
| 249 | + |
| 250 | +### 7. Update the Project Config (if needed) |
| 251 | + |
| 252 | +The project config in `base/project-config.yaml` controls auto-promotion. |
| 253 | +The current stages already have policies defined — you only need to edit this |
| 254 | +if you add new stages: |
| 255 | + |
| 256 | +```yaml |
| 257 | +spec: |
| 258 | + promotionPolicies: |
| 259 | + - stage: ring-1-staging |
| 260 | + autoPromotionEnabled: true # staging auto-promotes |
| 261 | + - stage: ring-2-production |
| 262 | + autoPromotionEnabled: false # production requires manual approval |
| 263 | +``` |
| 264 | + |
| 265 | +### 8. Validate |
| 266 | + |
| 267 | +```sh |
| 268 | +# build the kargo-infra-common project |
| 269 | +kustomize build components/kargo/internal-production/projects/kargo-infra-common/ |
| 270 | +
|
| 271 | +# build the full overlays |
| 272 | +kustomize build --enable-helm components/kargo/internal-staging/ |
| 273 | +kustomize build --enable-helm components/kargo/internal-production/ |
| 274 | +
|
| 275 | +# apply to a local kind cluster for testing (if available) |
| 276 | +kustomize build components/kargo/internal-production/projects/kargo-infra-common/ \ |
| 277 | + | kubectl apply -f - |
| 278 | +``` |
| 279 | + |
| 280 | +## Environments |
| 281 | + |
| 282 | +This repo supports four environments across two cluster types: |
| 283 | + |
| 284 | +| Environment | Cluster Type | Kargo Stage | ArgoCD Source Path | |
| 285 | +|---|---|---|---| |
| 286 | +| `internal-staging` | Internal | `ring-1-staging` | `components/<name>/internal-staging` | |
| 287 | +| `internal-production` | Internal | `ring-2-production` | `components/<name>/internal-production` | |
| 288 | +| `external-staging` | External | `ring-1-staging` | `components/<name>/external-staging` | |
| 289 | +| `external-production` | External | `ring-2-production` | `components/<name>/external-production` | |
| 290 | + |
| 291 | +ArgoCD ApplicationSets use `{{values.environment}}` which is patched per |
| 292 | +overlay to the correct environment name. Your component needs a directory |
| 293 | +matching each environment it deploys to (e.g., `internal-staging/`, |
| 294 | +`internal-production/`). |
| 295 | + |
| 296 | +If your component deploys to **external** clusters, your promotion task must |
| 297 | +also update the external config files. |
| 298 | + |
| 299 | +## Example: Kargo Component (Reference) |
| 300 | + |
| 301 | +The [`kargo/`](../kargo/) directory is the reference implementation: |
| 302 | + |
| 303 | +- **Warehouse** — watches the Kargo Helm chart (OCI), Kargo image, and Dex |
| 304 | + image: [`kargo/warehouse.yaml`](../kargo/warehouse.yaml) |
| 305 | +- **Promotion Task (staging)** — updates the Helm generator with chart version |
| 306 | + and image tags: [`kargo/promotiontasks/kargo-promote-ring-1.yaml`](../kargo/promotiontasks/kargo-promote-ring-1.yaml) |
| 307 | +- **Promotion Task (production)** — same pattern targeting production config: |
| 308 | + [`kargo/promotiontasks/kargo-promote-ring-2.yaml`](../kargo/promotiontasks/kargo-promote-ring-2.yaml) |
| 309 | + |
| 310 | +## Checklist |
| 311 | + |
| 312 | +Before opening your PR: |
| 313 | + |
| 314 | +- [ ] Warehouse created with correct image repos, tag filters, and chart refs |
| 315 | +- [ ] PromotionTask created with `if` guard on `ctx.targetFreight.origin.name` |
| 316 | +- [ ] PromotionTask `path` points to the correct target file in your component |
| 317 | +- [ ] Kustomizations wired up (`<component>/kustomization.yaml` and `promotiontasks/kustomization.yaml`) |
| 318 | +- [ ] Top-level `kustomization.yaml` includes your component |
| 319 | +- [ ] Stage YAML updated with your freight origin and task call |
| 320 | +- [ ] `kustomize build` passes for all overlays |
| 321 | +- [ ] Tested on a local kind cluster (if available) |
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