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Use per-project customized values.yaml file in auto devops .gitlab-ci.yml template (light version)

Tortue Torche requested to merge tortuetorche/gitlab-ce:patch-auto-deploy-values-light into master

What does this MR do?

I want to share with you my solution for the issue #56961 (moved), it's a lighter version of my previous Merge Request !25687 (closed)

It allows to specify custom values.yaml file per project / group / environment, this would allow to create re-usable framework specific helm charts when using Auto Deploy.

I think it can answer to both options proposed by @DylanGriffith https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/56961#note_136191131, some comments of @proglottis are also relevant: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/merge_requests/25687#note_148986469

With this Merge Request, you can put a template (with environment variables) of a Helm YAML values file (i.e. chart/auto_deploy_values_template.yaml) in your Git repository and set the values of these environment variables in your GitLab project's Settings > CI/CD > Environment variables section (i.e. STORAGE_CLASS CI variable). So your template file is version controlled and the values are externalized from your code (i.e. 12 factor guidelines). Or you can use a AUTO_DEPLOY_VALUES_YAML CI variable if you don't want to version controlled a template values file.

Here, a bit of documentation to explain what you can do...

Set additional Helm chart values in a CI variable

Go to your GitLab project's Settings > CI/CD, then expand the section called Environment variables.

You can set your additional Helm chart values in a CI variable, like this:

Variable Value
AUTO_DEPLOY_VALUES_YAML postgresql:
  enabled: true
  image:
    tag: $${POSTGRES_VERSION:-9.6}
  postgresqlUsername: $$POSTGRES_USER
  postgresqlPassword: $$POSTGRES_PASSWORD
  postgresqlDatabase: $$POSTGRES_DB

You are able to use other variables inside your variable definition (but you should escape them with $$).

Customize additional Helm chart values file path

By default, your additional Helm chart values can be stored (or will be generated if AUTO_DEPLOY_VALUES_YAML is present) in the chart/auto_deploy_values.yaml path of your project.

If for some reason you want to change it.

Go to your GitLab project's Settings > CI / CD, then expand the section called Environment variables, and add CI variable like this:

Variable Value
AUTO_DEPLOY_VALUES_PATH chart/custom_values.yaml

Overwrite Helm chart default values file path

NOTES: This paragraph is not very important, but I keep it, just in case:

Set the CI variable AUTO_DEPLOY_VALUES_PATH with this value: chart/values.yaml. Be careful, it'll overwrite the values.yaml file of your chart, so you need to provide all default values.

Go to your GitLab project's Settings > CI / CD, then expand the section called Environment variables. And set the whole values.yaml content inside the AUTO_DEPLOY_VALUES_YAML CI variable.

If you don't set the AUTO_DEPLOY_VALUES_YAML CI variable

In your Git repository, you can add a chart/auto_deploy_values_template.yaml file and add your additional values content, like this:

postgresql:
  enabled: $POSTGRES_ENABLED
  image:
    tag: 9.6
  postgresqlUsername: $POSTGRES_USER
  postgresqlPassword: $POSTGRES_PASSWORD
  postgresqlDatabase: $POSTGRES_DB

persistence:
  storage:
    storageClass: $STORAGE_CLASS

foo: ${BAR:-my_default_value}

Go to your GitLab project's Settings > CI / CD, then expand the section called Environment variables, and add CI variable(s) like this:

Variable Value
STORAGE_CLASS nfs
BAR my_value

Overwrite Helm chart template file path for customized values

By default, Auto Deploy will use the template file, for additional Helm chart values, stored in the chart/auto_deploy_values_template.yaml path of your project.

If for some reason you want to change it.

Go to your GitLab project's Settings > CI / CD, then expand the section called Environment variables, and add CI variable like this:

Variable Value
AUTO_DEPLOY_VALUES_TEMPLATE_PATH chart/custom_values_template.yaml

What are the relevant issue numbers?

#56961 (moved)

Does this MR meet the acceptance criteria?

Edited by 🤖 GitLab Bot 🤖

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