## Summary Roll out [the feature](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/work_items/634293) currently behind the `reply_confidentiality_check_loads_first_note` feature flag. - DRI: @marc_shaw - Team Slack channel: `#g_code_review` > [!note] > Process and guidance live in the docs - this issue is just the commands and a place to track the rollout. > "Rolling out" means incrementally enabling the flag on GitLab.com to validate stability - it is not the same as releasing the feature, which happens when the flag is removed. > [Feature flag controls](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/controls/) · [Feature flag lifecycle](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product-development/how-we-work/product-development-flow/feature-flag-lifecycle/#feature-flag-lifecycle) ## What could go wrong? With the flag on, the check that a reply matches its thread's confidentiality loads only the thread's first note (one `LIMIT 1` query) instead of every note in the thread. The result should match the flag-off path exactly. The risks are a reply wrongly accepted or rejected because the wrong note was treated as first, or a slow plan for the new query on `notes`. The actor is the project for project notes, and the group for epics and group-level work items. Personal snippet notes have no actor, so they stay on the flag-off path until the flag is fully enabled. Watch, on the discussion reply endpoints (`POST /api/:version/projects/:id/merge_requests/:noteable_id/discussions/:discussion_id/notes` and the issue equivalent) and `Projects::NotesController#create` (`pubsub-rails-inf-gprd*`): - `json.cpu_s` and `json.db_duration_s` p99: should drop for replies to long threads. - `json.status` 400 and 422 rates: should stay flat. - `json.status` 500 rate: should stay flat. - The new `Note#discussion_first_note` query: should not appear in slow query logs. Implemented in https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/263097. ## Events - [Exceptions with reply_confidentiality_check_loads_first_note:1](https://log.gprd.gitlab.net/app/discover#/?_g=(time:(from:now-1d,to:now))&_a=(index:'7092c4e2-4eb5-46f2-8305-a7da2edad090',query:(language:kuery,query:'json.exception.feature_flag_states.keyword:%22reply_confidentiality_check_loads_first_note:1%22'),columns:!(json.exception.class,json.exception.message,json.meta.caller_id),sort:!(!(json.time,desc)))) - [Events with reply_confidentiality_check_loads_first_note:1](https://log.gprd.gitlab.net/app/discover#/?_g=(time:(from:now-1d,to:now))&_a=(index:'7092c4e2-4eb5-46f2-8305-a7da2edad090',query:(language:kuery,query:'json.feature_flag_states:%22reply_confidentiality_check_loads_first_note:1%22'),columns:!(json.meta.caller_id,json.feature_flag_states),sort:!(!(json.time,desc)))) - [Error rate and other graphs by modifying the examples in the Visualization Library](https://log.gprd.gitlab.net/app/visualize#/?_g=h@358d019&s=FF%20Observability) Feature Flag events are only logged by default for feature flags marked for the current or future milestones. To enable while the feature flag is active, see https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/#logging ## Rollout Run all production `/chatops` in [`#production`](https://gitlab.slack.com/archives/C101F3796) and cross-post the results to `#g_code_review`. Background: [incremental rollout process](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/controls/#process), [feature actors](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/#feature-actors). **Non-production** ``` /chatops gitlab run feature set reply_confidentiality_check_loads_first_note 50 --actors --dev --pre --staging --staging-ref /chatops gitlab run feature set reply_confidentiality_check_loads_first_note true --dev --pre --staging --staging-ref ``` **Production** - specific projects first (the actor is the note's project, or the group for group-level notes): ``` /chatops gitlab run feature set --project=marc_shaw/test,gitlab-org/gitlab reply_confidentiality_check_loads_first_note true ``` Then a percentage rollout (wait ≥15 min between steps, watch the signals above): ``` /chatops gitlab run feature set reply_confidentiality_check_loads_first_note <percentage> --actors ``` Finish with `true` so notes without a project are covered too: ``` /chatops gitlab run feature set reply_confidentiality_check_loads_first_note true ``` ## Before global rollout Confirm the relevant gotchas before going to 100% - see [enabling a feature for GitLab.com](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/controls/#enabling-a-feature-for-gitlabcom): - [Docs + version history](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/documentation/feature_flags/) updated - [Breaking changes](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/documentation/release_notes/#deprecations-removals-and-breaking-changes) announced, if any - [Change management issue](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/infrastructure-platforms/change-management/#feature-flags-and-the-change-management-process) opened, if required - [External API consumers](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/#do-not-use-feature-flags-in-external-api-consumers) handled with a fail-open mechanism, if applicable ## Cleanup Remove the flag once [deemed stable](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product-development/how-we-work/product-development-flow/feature-flag-lifecycle/#feature-flag-lifecycle) - see [cleaning up](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/controls/#cleaning-up). Track it here, or open a follow-up [Feature Flag Cleanup issue](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/work_items/new?description_template=Feature%20Flag%20Cleanup). Remove the flag and its YAML definition from the codebase, then: ``` /chatops gitlab run release check <merge-request-url> <milestone> /chatops gitlab run feature delete reply_confidentiality_check_loads_first_note --dev --pre --staging --staging-ref --production ``` ## Rollback ``` /chatops gitlab run feature set reply_confidentiality_check_loads_first_note false # production /chatops gitlab run feature set reply_confidentiality_check_loads_first_note false --dev --pre --staging --staging-ref # non-production /chatops gitlab run feature delete reply_confidentiality_check_loads_first_note --dev --pre --staging --staging-ref --production # remove entirely ```