wild-directory/ADDING-APPS.md

# Adding Wild Cloud Apps

This guide is for contributors and maintainers who want to create or modify Wild Cloud apps. If you're looking to use existing apps, see [README.md](README.md).

## Overview

Wild Cloud apps are Kubernetes applications packaged as Kustomize configurations with standardized conventions for configuration management, secrets handling, and deployment.

## Required Files

Each app directory must contain:

1. **`manifest.yaml`** - App metadata and configuration schema
2. **`kustomization.yaml`** - Kustomize configuration with Wild Cloud labels
3. **Resource files** - Kubernetes manifests (deployments, services, ingresses, etc.)

## App Manifest (`manifest.yaml`)

The manifest defines the app's metadata, dependencies, configuration schema, and secret requirements.

This is the contents of an example `manifest.yaml` file for an app named "immich":

```yaml
name: immich
is: immich
description: Immich is a self-hosted photo and video backup solution that allows you to store, manage, and share your media files securely.
version: 1.0.0
icon: https://immich.app/assets/images/logo.png
requires:
  - name: pg
    alias: db        # Use a different reference name in templates
  - name: redis      # 'alias' and 'installedAs' default to 'name' value
defaultConfig:
  serverImage: ghcr.io/immich-app/immich-server:release
  mlImage: ghcr.io/immich-app/immich-machine-learning:release
  timezone: UTC
  serverPort: 2283
  mlPort: 3003
  storage: 250Gi
  cacheStorage: 10Gi
  redisHostname: "{{ .apps.redis.host }}" # Can reference 'requires' app configurations
  dbHostname: "{{ .apps.pg.host }}"
  db: # Configuration can be nested
    name: immich
    user: immich
    host: "{{ .apps.pg.host }}"
    port: "{{ .apps.pg.port }}"
  domain: immich.{{ .cloud.domain }}
defaultSecrets:
  - key: password      # Random value will be generated if empty
  - key: dbUrl
    default: "postgresql://{{ .app.db.user }}:{{ .secrets.dbPassword }}@{{ .app.db.host }}:{{ .app.db.port }}/{{ .app.db.name }}?pool=30" # Can reference secrets and config as long as they have been defined before this line. Reference config with {{ .app.? }} and secrets with {{ .secrets.? }}
requiredSecrets:
  - db.password   # References postgres app via 'db' alias
  - redis.auth    # References redis app via 'redis' name (no alias)
```

### Manifest Fields

| Field | Required | Description |
|-------|----------|-------------|
| `name` | Yes | App identifier (must match directory name) |
| `is` | Yes | Unique id for this app. Used for `requires` mapping |
| `description` | Yes | Brief app description shown in listings |
| `version` | Yes | App version (follow upstream versioning) |
| `icon` | No | URL to app icon for UI display |
| `requires` | No | List of dependency apps with optional aliases |
| `defaultConfig` | Yes | Default configuration values merged into operator's `config.yaml` |
| `defaultSecrets` | No | This app's secrets (no 'default' = auto-generated) |
| `requiredSecrets` | No | List of secrets from dependency apps (format: `<app-ref>.<key>`) |

### Dependency Configuration

- Each dependency in `requires` can have:
  - `name`: The app name to depend on (any app with a matching `is` field can satisfy this requirement)
  - `alias`: Optional reference name for templates (defaults to `name`)

### Manifest Template Variables (configuration and secrets)

#### Manifest Template Variable Sources

1. Standard Wild Cloud variables: `{{ .cloud.* }}`, `{{ .cluster.* }}`, `{{ .operator.* }}`
2. App-specific variables: `{{ .app.* }}` - resolved from current app's config
3. Dependency variables: `{{ .apps.<ref>.* }}` - resolved using app reference mapping
4. App-specific secrets (in 'defaultSecrets' ONLY): `{{ secrets.* }}`

#### Available Configuration Variiables

Here's a comprehensive rundown of all config variables that get set during cluster and service setup in config.yaml:

##### operator (Set during initial setup)

  - operator.email - Email for cluster operator/admin

##### cloud (Infrastructure-level settings)

###### DNS Configuration:
- cloud.dns.ip - IP address of the DNS server (Wild Central)
- cloud.dns.externalResolver - External DNS resolver (e.g., 1.1.1.1, 8.8.8.8)

###### Network Configuration:

- cloud.router.ip - Router gateway IP
- cloud.router.dynamicDns - Dynamic DNS hostname (optional)
- cloud.dhcpRange - DHCP range for the network (e.g., "192.168.8.34,192.168.8.79")
- cloud.dnsmasq.interface - Network interface for dnsmasq

###### Domain Configuration:

- cloud.baseDomain - Base domain for the cloud (e.g., "payne.io")
- cloud.domain - Full cloud domain (e.g., "cloud2.payne.io")
- cloud.internalDomain - Internal cluster domain (e.g., "internal.cloud2.payne.io")

###### Storage Configuration (NFS Service):

- cloud.nfs.host - NFS server hostname/IP
- cloud.nfs.mediaPath - NFS export path for media storage
- cloud.nfs.storageCapacity - NFS storage capacity (e.g., "50Gi", "1Ti")

###### Registry Configuration (Docker Registry Service):

- cloud.dockerRegistryHost - Docker registry hostname (e.g., "registry.internal.cloud2.payne.io")

##### SMTP Configuration (SMTP Service):

- cloud.smtp.host - SMTP server hostname
- cloud.smtp.port - SMTP port (typically "465" or "587")
- cloud.smtp.user - SMTP username
- cloud.smtp.from - Default 'from' email address
- cloud.smtp.tls - Enable TLS (true/false)
- cloud.smtp.startTls - Enable STARTTLS (true/false)

###### Backup Configuration:

- cloud.backup.root - Root path for backups

##### cluster (Kubernetes cluster settings)

###### Basic Cluster Info:

- cluster.name - Cluster name identifier
- cluster.hostnamePrefix - Prefix for node hostnames

###### Node Configuration:

- cluster.nodes.talos.version - Talos Linux version (e.g., "v1.11.5")
- cluster.nodes.talos.schematicId - Talos Image Factory schematic ID
- cluster.nodes.control.vip - Virtual IP for control plane
- cluster.nodes.active.* - Individual node configurations with:
  - role - "controlplane" or "worker"
  - interface - Network interface name
  - disk - Disk device path
  - currentIp - Current IP address
  - targetIp - Target IP address
  - configured - Configuration status
  - applied - Applied status
  - maintenance - Maintenance mode
  - schematicId - Node-specific schematic ID
  - version - Node-specific Talos version

###### MetalLB Service:

- cluster.ipAddressPool - IP range for MetalLB (e.g., "192.168.8.80-192.168.8.89")
- cluster.loadBalancerIp - Primary load balancer IP (e.g., "192.168.8.80")

###### Cert-Manager Service:

- cluster.certManager.cloudflare.domain - Cloudflare domain for DNS-01 challenge
- cluster.certManager.cloudflare.zoneID - Cloudflare zone ID

###### ExternalDNS Service:

- cluster.externalDns.ownerId - Unique identifier for this cluster's DNS records

###### Docker Registry Service:

- cluster.dockerRegistry.storage - Storage size for registry (e.g., "10Gi")

##### apps (Application configurations)

Each app added to the cluster gets its own section under apps.<app-name> with app-specific configuration from the app's manifest. Common patterns include:

Standard app fields:
- apps.<name>.namespace - Kubernetes namespace
- apps.<name>.domain - App domain (e.g., "ghost.cloud2.payne.io")
- apps.<name>.externalDnsDomain - Domain for external DNS
- apps.<name>.tlsSecretName - TLS certificate secret name
- apps.<name>.image - Container image
- apps.<name>.port - Service port
- apps.<name>.storage - Persistent volume size
- apps.<name>.timezone - Timezone setting

Database-dependent apps:
- apps.<name>.dbHost / dbHostname - Database hostname
- apps.<name>.dbPort - Database port
- apps.<name>.dbName - Database name
- apps.<name>.dbUser / dbUsername - Database user

SMTP-enabled apps:
- apps.<name>.smtp.host - SMTP server
- apps.<name>.smtp.port - SMTP port
- apps.<name>.smtp.user - SMTP username
- apps.<name>.smtp.from - From address
- apps.<name>.smtp.tls - TLS enabled
- apps.<name>.smtp.startTls - STARTTLS enabled

Configuration Flow

1. Initial Setup: operator.email, basic cloud.* settings
2. Cluster Bootstrap: cluster.name, cluster.nodes.* settings
3. Infrastructure Services: Each service prompts for its serviceConfig from its manifest
   - MetalLB → cluster.ipAddressPool, cluster.loadBalancerIp
   - Cert-Manager → cluster.certManager.*
   - ExternalDNS → cluster.externalDns.ownerId
   - NFS → cloud.nfs.*
   - Docker Registry → cloud.dockerRegistryHost, cluster.dockerRegistry.storage
   - SMTP → cloud.smtp.*
4. Apps: Each app adds its configuration under apps.<name>.* based on its manifest

#### Manifest App Reference Resolution:

When you use `{{ .apps.<ref>.* }}` in templates:
1. System checks if `<ref>` matches any dependency's `alias` field
2. If no alias match, checks if `<ref>` matches any dependency's `name` field
3. Uses the `installedAs` value (automatically added when the app is added) to find actual app configuration in `config.yaml`

All manifest template variables must be defined in one of these locations.

**Important:** In the rest of the app templates, ALL configuration keys referenced in templates (via `{{ .key }}`) must be defined in `defaultConfig`. Only the app config is available to app templates.

### Kustomization (`kustomization.yaml`)

The kustomization file defines how Kubernetes resources are built and applies Wild Cloud's standard labels.

```yaml
apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
kind: Kustomization
namespace: immich
labels:
  - includeSelectors: true
    pairs:
      app: immich
      managedBy: kustomize
      partOf: wild-cloud
resources:
  - deployment-server.yaml
  - deployment-machine-learning.yaml
  - deployment-microservices.yaml
  - ingress.yaml
  - namespace.yaml
  - pvc.yaml
  - service.yaml
  - db-init-job.yaml
```

#### Kustomization Requirements

- **Namespace**: Must match the app name
- **Labels**: Must include standard Wild Cloud labels with `includeSelectors: true`
- **Resources**: List all Kubernetes manifest files

#### Labeling Strategy

Wild Cloud uses Kustomize's `includeSelectors: true` feature to automatically apply standard labels to all resources AND their selectors:

```yaml
labels:
  - includeSelectors: true
    pairs:
      app: myapp              # App name (matches directory)
      managedBy: kustomize
      partOf: wild-cloud
```

This means individual resources can use simple, component-specific selectors like `component: web`, and Kustomize will automatically expand them to include all Wild Cloud labels.

**Do NOT use Helm-style labels** (`app.kubernetes.io/name`, `app.kubernetes.io/instance`). Use simple component labels (`component: web`, `component: worker`, etc.) instead.

## Configuration Templates

### Gomplate Templating

Resource files in this repository are **templates** that get compiled when users add apps via the web app, CLI, or API. Only variables defined in the manifest file's 'defaultConfig' section are available to the resource templates. Use gomplate syntax to reference configuration:

### External DNS

Ingress resources should include external-dns annotations for automatic DNS management:

```yaml
annotations:
  external-dns.alpha.kubernetes.io/target: {{ .domain }}
  external-dns.alpha.kubernetes.io/cloudflare-proxied: "false"
```

Note: 'domain' must be defined in the app manifest's 'defaultConfig' section.

This creates a CNAME from the app subdomain to the cluster domain (e.g., `myapp.cloud.example.com` → `cloud.example.com`).

## App Dependencies and Reference Mapping

### How Dependency References Work

When an app depends on other apps, the reference system allows flexibility in naming while maintaining clear relationships:

1. **Define dependencies** in your manifest with optional aliases:
```yaml
requires:
  - name: postgres      # Actual app to depend on
    alias: db          # Optional: how to reference it in templates
  - name: redis        # No alias means use 'redis' as reference
```

2. **At installation time**, the system:
   - Prompts user to map dependencies to actual installed apps
   - Sets `installedAs` field in the local app manifest to track the mapping
   - Example: User might have `postgres-primary` installed, mapped to the `db` dependency

### Example: Multiple Database Instances

If a user has multiple PostgreSQL instances:
```yaml
# User's config.yaml
apps:
  postgres-primary:
    hostname: primary.postgres.svc.cluster.local
  postgres-analytics:
    hostname: analytics.postgres.svc.cluster.local
```

When adding an app that requires postgres, they can choose which instance to use, and the system tracks this in the manifest's `installedAs` field.

## Database Patterns

### Database Initialization Jobs

Apps requiring PostgreSQL or MySQL should include a database initialization job (`db-init-job.yaml`):

**Purpose:**
- Creates the application database (if it doesn't exist)
- Creates/updates the application user with proper credentials
- Grants necessary permissions
- Installs required database extensions (e.g., PostgreSQL's `vector`, `cube`, `earthdistance`)

**Implementation requirements:**
- Use `restartPolicy: OnFailure`
- Include in `kustomization.yaml` resources
- Use appropriate security context (e.g., `runAsUser: 999` for PostgreSQL)

**Example apps:** `immich`, `gitea`, `openproject`, `discourse`

### Database URL Configuration

When apps need database URLs with embedded credentials, **always use a dedicated `dbUrl` secret**.

❌ **Wrong** - Kustomize cannot process runtime env var substitution:
```yaml
- name: DB_URL
  value: "postgresql://user:$(DB_PASSWORD)@host/db"  # This won't work!
```

✅ **Correct** - Use a dedicated secret:
```yaml
- name: DB_URL
  valueFrom:
    secretKeyRef:
      name: myapp-secrets
      key: apps.myapp.dbUrl
```

Add `apps.myapp.dbUrl` to your manifest's `defaultSecrets`, and the system will generate the complete URL with embedded credentials automatically when the app is added.

## Security Requirements

### Security Contexts

**All pods must comply with Pod Security Standards.** Include security contexts at both pod and container levels:

```yaml
spec:
  template:
    spec:
      securityContext:
        runAsNonRoot: true
        runAsUser: 999        # Use appropriate non-root UID
        runAsGroup: 999       # Use appropriate GID
        seccompProfile:
          type: RuntimeDefault
      containers:
      - name: container-name
        securityContext:
          allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
          capabilities:
            drop: [ALL]
          readOnlyRootFilesystem: false  # Set to true when possible
```

**Common user IDs:**
- PostgreSQL: `runAsUser: 999`
- Redis: `runAsUser: 999`
- MySQL: Consult the container image documentation

### Secrets Management

Secrets are managed through two mechanisms: default secrets for the app itself and required secrets from dependencies.

**In manifest:**
```yaml
defaultSecrets:
  key: dbPassword      # This app's database password
  key: apiKey          # This app's API key
requiredSecrets:
  - db.password       # Password from postgres dependency (aliased as 'db')
  - redis.auth        # Auth from redis dependency
```

**In resources:**
```yaml
env:
  - name: DB_PASSWORD
    valueFrom:
      secretKeyRef:
        name: myapp-secrets
        key: dbPassword    # Points to the default secret
  - name: POSTGRES_PASSWORD
    valueFrom:
      secretKeyRef:
        name: myapp-secrets
        key: db.password    # Points to the required secret
```

**Secret workflow:**
1. Define app's own secrets in `defaultSecrets` (key, default mappings)
2. Reference dependency secrets in `requiredSecrets` (list)
3. When adding an app, the system:
   - Generates random values for empty `defaultSecrets`
   - Copies referenced secrets from dependencies
   - Stores all in the instance's `secrets.yaml`
4. When deploying, creates a Kubernetes Secret named `<app-name>-secrets` containing:
   - All `defaultSecrets` with key format: `<key>`
   - All `requiredSecrets` with key format: `<app-ref>.<key>`

**Key collision handling:** If the same key exists in both `defaultSecrets` and `requiredSecrets`, the `requiredSecrets` value takes precedence. Authors should ensure their local secrets don't collide with their required secrets.

**Important:** Never commit `secrets.yaml` to Git. Templates should only reference secrets, never contain actual secret values.

## Converting from Helm Charts

Wild Cloud prefers Kustomize over Helm for simplicity and Git-friendliness. When an official Helm chart exists, convert it rather than creating manifests from scratch.

### Conversion Process

1. **Extract and render the Helm chart:**
```bash
helm fetch --untar --untardir charts repo/chart-name
helm template --output-dir base --namespace myapp --values values.yaml myapp charts/chart-name
cd base/chart-name
```

2. **Add namespace manifest:**
```bash
cat <<EOF > namespace.yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Namespace
metadata:
  name: myapp
EOF
```

3. **Create kustomization:**
```bash
kustomize create --autodetect
```

4. **Convert to Wild Cloud format:**
   - Create `manifest.yaml` with app metadata
   - Replace hardcoded values with gomplate variables (e.g., `{{ .cloud.domain }}`)
   - Update secrets to use dotted-path convention
   - Replace Helm labels with Wild Cloud standard labels
   - Add `includeSelectors: true` to kustomization
   - Use simple component labels (`component: web`, not `app.kubernetes.io/name`)
   - Add security contexts to all pods
   - Add external-dns annotations to ingresses

### Example Label Migration

❌ **Helm style:**
```yaml
labels:
  app.kubernetes.io/name: myapp
  app.kubernetes.io/instance: release-name
  app.kubernetes.io/component: server
```

✅ **Wild Cloud style:**
```yaml
# In kustomization.yaml (applied automatically)
labels:
  - includeSelectors: true
    pairs:
      app: myapp
      managedBy: kustomize
      partOf: wild-cloud

# In individual resources
labels:
  component: server  # Simple component label
```

## Validation Checklist

Before submitting a new or modified app, verify:

- [ ] **Manifest**
  - [ ] `name` matches directory name
  - [ ] All required fields present (`name`, `description`, `version`, `defaultConfig`)
  - [ ] All template variables defined in `defaultConfig`
  - [ ] `defaultSecrets` uses maps with 'key' and 'default' attributes
  - [ ] `requiredSecrets` references use `<app-ref>.<key>` format
  - [ ] Dependencies listed in `requires` with optional `alias` fields
  - [ ] Manifest template references match dependency aliases or names

- [ ] **Kustomization**
  - [ ] Includes standard Wild Cloud labels with `includeSelectors: true`
  - [ ] Namespace matches app name
  - [ ] All resource files listed under `resources:`

- [ ] **Resources**
  - [ ] Security contexts on all pods (both pod-level and container-level)
  - [ ] Simple component labels, no Helm-style labels
  - [ ] Ingresses include external-dns annotations
  - [ ] Database apps include init jobs (if applicable)

- [ ] **Testing**
  - [ ] Templates compile successfully with sample config
  - [ ] App deploys without errors in test cluster
  - [ ] All dependencies work correctly

## Contributing

Contributions are welcome! To contribute:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a new app directory following the structure above
3. Test your app thoroughly
4. Submit a pull request with:
   - Description of the app and its purpose
   - Any special configuration notes
   - Dependencies required

## Notice: Third-Party Software

The Kubernetes manifests and Kustomize files in this directory are designed to deploy **third-party software**.

Unless otherwise stated, the software deployed by these manifests **is not authored or maintained** by this project. All copyrights, licenses, and responsibilities for that software remain with the respective upstream authors.

These files are provided solely for convenience and automation. Users are responsible for reviewing and complying with the licenses of the software they deploy.

This project is licensed under the GNU AGPLv3 or later, but this license does **not apply** to the third-party software being deployed.

See individual deployment directories for upstream project links and container sources.