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Implement turnkey integration with OpenTofu

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Implement Turnkey Integration with OpenTofu

Overview

As OpenTofu gains adoption as an open-source alternative to Terraform, customers need GitLab to provide seamless integration with OpenTofu while maintaining compatibility with existing Terraform workflows. This issue proposes implementing a turnkey OpenTofu integration to meet this growing need.

Problem Statement

Currently, GitLab provides first-class support for HashiCorp Terraform, but lacks similar capabilities for OpenTofu. As organizations evaluate or migrate to OpenTofu, they need GitLab to provide equivalent functionality and a smooth transition path. Without proper OpenTofu support, users face friction when trying to adopt this alternative, potentially requiring custom workarounds or third-party solutions.

User Stories

  • As a DevOps engineer, I want to use OpenTofu in my GitLab CI/CD pipelines so I can benefit from its features while maintaining my existing workflows.
  • As an infrastructure architect, I want documentation on migrating from Terraform to OpenTofu in GitLab so I can plan a smooth transition for my team.
  • As a platform engineer, I want GitLab to recognize and properly display OpenTofu files and outputs so I can effectively manage my infrastructure.
  • As a team lead, I want both Terraform and OpenTofu to work side-by-side in our GitLab environment so we can gradually migrate without disruption.
  • As a security analyst, I want GitLab's security scanning to work with OpenTofu files so I can maintain infrastructure security during and after migration.

Requirements

Functional Requirements

OpenTofu Support

  • Add official support for OpenTofu binary execution in GitLab CI/CD
  • Implement syntax highlighting and validation for OpenTofu-specific features
  • Enable state management for OpenTofu states
  • Support the full OpenTofu command set in CI/CD pipelines
  • Implement OpenTofu module registry support

Compatibility with Existing Terraform Workflows

  • Ensure CI/CD templates work with both Terraform and OpenTofu
  • Support side-by-side usage in the same repository/project
  • Maintain backward compatibility with existing Terraform configurations
  • Allow using the same state storage mechanisms for both tools

Migration Paths

  • Create migration guides and tools for transitioning from Terraform to OpenTofu
  • Implement tooling to validate compatibility of existing code with OpenTofu
  • Provide examples of migration strategies (all-at-once, gradual, hybrid)
  • Document potential challenges and solutions for common migration scenarios

Documentation Updates

  • Create comprehensive OpenTofu integration documentation
  • Update existing Terraform documentation to include OpenTofu equivalents
  • Provide examples of GitLab CI/CD configurations for OpenTofu
  • Create tutorials for common OpenTofu workflows in GitLab

CI/CD Integration

  • Develop OpenTofu-specific CI/CD templates
  • Implement pipeline visualization for OpenTofu plan and apply stages
  • Support drift detection for OpenTofu-managed resources
  • Enable review apps and environments with OpenTofu

Non-Functional Requirements

  • Performance: OpenTofu operations should perform equivalently to Terraform
  • Scalability: Support organizations with large OpenTofu deployments
  • Security: Maintain same security standards for OpenTofu as for Terraform
  • Usability: Provide a consistent user experience across both tools

Technical Considerations

  • Evaluate differences between Terraform and OpenTofu APIs and CLI interfaces
  • Assess impact on existing state management systems
  • Review implications for GitLab registry and package management
  • Consider versioning strategy for OpenTofu support
  • Evaluate testing requirements for ensuring compatibility

Implementation Approach

  1. Add basic OpenTofu binary support in CI/CD environments
  2. Implement syntax highlighting and editor support
  3. Extend registry capabilities to support OpenTofu modules
  4. Develop migration tooling and documentation
  5. Create dedicated OpenTofu CI/CD templates
  6. Update UI components to recognize and display OpenTofu resources

Success Criteria

  • Users can successfully run OpenTofu operations in GitLab CI/CD
  • Existing Terraform workflows continue to function without interruption
  • Migration guides enable successful transitions from Terraform to OpenTofu
  • Documentation comprehensively covers OpenTofu usage in GitLab
  • CI/CD pipeline visualization works correctly with OpenTofu

Out of Scope

  • Feature development unique to OpenTofu not present in Terraform
  • Automatic conversion of Terraform code to OpenTofu-specific syntax
  • Support for versions of OpenTofu not compatible with Terraform's state format
  • Deep integration with OpenTofu Enterprise features (if/when they emerge)

Mockups

[Placeholder for UI mockups showing OpenTofu integration points]

Edited by 🤖 GitLab Bot 🤖