User interfaces and APIs

[bernardhalas]

Motivation Define interfaces (user or robotic ones) through which the clients can interact with platform. I assume we will need

• config-file injection (for internal purposes, so that we can benefit from the platform quickly)
• Terraform SDK (for IaC definition for our clients, this will be an evolution from the config-file injection)
• HTTP REST API (for frontend GUI and robotic approach)

[MarioUhrik]

There's one thing I'd like to discuss here - I don't see the need for a Claudie Terraform provider. At the moment, I'd see that as pointless overengineering. I think the InputConfig is already technically IaC. We can talk about this deeper at a later time.

[bernardhalas]

We can discuss asynchronously even now.

I'm not saying that the TF provider is very important right now. But in general, how are our customers gonna interact with the platform? I see just 2 ways. GUI and a TF provider (unless they have some advanced automation and would like to plug directly into our API). We all agree that IaC is a good approach to run things.

BTW, I'm fully OK with reducing the scope just to the config file atm.

[MarioUhrik]

Adding some additional ways users could apply changes to their inputConfig, for inspiration:

• curl HTTP request (POST?) to the front end ingress, e.g. curl -F ‘data=@path/to/local/file’ UPLOAD_ADDRESS
• We can create a client-side command line tool, that the client pairs with their front end via an autogenerated token of the specific Claudie instance, held inside the ContextBox database. The client-side CLI could then, for example, do stuff like claudie --instance 10.24.24.1 --token 58435437dsfxf132 apply -f inputConfig.yaml.

These approaches are both simpler, and easier to implement than a Terraform provider. They are also more convenient for the customer, e.g. easily automated and made part of a CI/CD pipeline. Lastly, I suspect that operating Claudie via a Terraform provider would bring many unexpected issues.

By the way, whatever way we'll choose, we'll have to think about authentication of a user to the platform. And even more so if the platform is supposed to be multi-tenant (2 or more different customers per claudie instance).

P.S. I think we both agree that HTTP REST API is a good solution, though :)

[MarioUhrik]

I see things quite differently now in contrast to the above comments.

Anyway, I think a config-file injection is a good way to start. Actually, how about a K8s configmap volumemount into one of the Claudie components? That would be a very welcome thing to do relatively soon, even for the sake of the MVP. What do you think @bernardhalas ?