docs: Proposal to support multi-source apps in the UI (#17106)

docs/proposals/multiple-sources-for-applications-ui.md

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+---
+title: Proposal for support multi-source apps in the UI
+authors:
+  - "@keithchong"
+sponsors:
+  - TBD
+reviewers:
+  - "@alexmt"
+  - "@crenshaw-dev"
+  - "@ishitasequeira" 
+  - "@jannfis"
+  - "@rbreeze"
+approvers:
+  - "@jannfis"
+  - "@alexmt"
+  - "@crenshaw-dev"
+
+creation-date: 2024-02-06
+last-updated: 2024-02-06
+---
+
+# UI Support for Multiple Sources in Applications
+
+This is the proposal for the UI changes to support multiple sources for an Application.
+
+Related Issues:
+* [Proposal: Support multiple sources for an application](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/blob/master/docs/proposals/multiple-sources-for-applications.md)
+* [Issue for the Proposal: Support multiple sources for an application](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/issues/677)
+
+## Summary
+
+This is a follow-on proposal to supporting Multiple Sources for Applications, but for the UI.
+
+The above [original](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/blob/master/docs/proposals/multiple-sources-for-applications.md#changes-to-ui) ‘core’ proposal deferred
+any design changes for the UI to a separate feature or secondary proposal. The proposal implementation that was made in [PR 10432](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/pull/10432) 
+enabled the UI to tolerate multi-source applications with the new Sources field, while still supporting the original Source field. 
+
+Here are the current restrictions and limitations of the UI when applications with multiple sources are used:
+
+1. The application’s details page (for [example](https://cd.apps.argoproj.io/applications/argocd/guestbook?view=tree&node=argoproj.io%2FApplication%2Fargocd%2Fguestbook%2F0&resource=)) 
+currently shows one ApplicationSource, regardless of whether the application has one source or multiple sources. With the PR 10432 implementation, if the application has multiple sources,
+the UI displays only the first of the sources. Also, in particular, in the Summary tab, the source parameters are non-editable. 
+
+2. History and Rollback is disabled for multi-source applications. The button is disabled. Jorge has submitted a PR for 
+rollback which includes [controller and UI changes](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/pull/14124).
+
+   <img height="40%" width="40%" src="images/history-and-rollback-button.png"/>
+
+3. The New Application dialog currently only allows users to provide one source.
+
+Thus, multiple source applications are not considered first class citizens in the UI.
+
+Note, see the [Open Questions](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/docs/proposals/multiple-sources-for-applications-ui.md#open-questions) 
+section for concerns regarding the priority or value of some of the above changes.
+
+## Motivation
+
+The motivation behind this change is to add a more complete story for the multiple source feature. The UI should support 
+the creation of multiple source applications, and also support the viewing and editing of parameters from all sources. The three
+points in the summary above are the base or core changes that need to be addressed.
+
+### Goals
+
+The goals of the proposal are:
+
+- Provide first-class support of multiple sources for applications in the UI (e.g. address the aforementioned restrictions)
+- Outline stages of implementation that will help ease PR review, and reduce the risk of introducing regressions/issues.
+
+
+### Non-goals
+* The design changes for the Argo CD CLI is beyond the scope of this proposal (The server APIs can probably be reused)
+
+## Proposal
+
+As mentioned in the previous summary section, the application source parameters are surfaced in the UI in three locations.
+The Resource details pages, specifically, the Summary and Parameters tabs, the deployment history, and the Application
+Create panel page. These pages should be updated.
+
+### Resource Details
+
+The following describes the current behavior and proposed changes for the Summary tab and the Parameters Tab.
+
+#### i) Summary Tab
+
+_Current Behavior:_ 
+
+The current Summary tab includes source-related information, including the repository. For example, in Figure 1 below,
+the REPO URL and PATH.
+
+<img height="50%" width="50%" src="images/current-summary-tab.png"/>
+
+Figure 1: The current Summary tab
+
+_Proposed Change:_
+
+To support multiple sources, the source-related information, from a single-source-based design, will be ‘pulled out’ 
+and put into a new tab called **Sources**, and it will be combined with the **Parameters** tab (more details following). 
+The new **Sources** tab will allow users to view all the information related to each source, including the repo URL 
+and path, chart and revision for Helm, etc. 
+
+The view should show one source at a time (similar to what the UI is doing now, which only shows one source), but with 
+widgets to allow users to cycle (via pagination or combo selector?) through each source. There are API calls to retrieve 
+the data for each source.
+
+<img height="50%" width="50%" src="images/new-sources-tab.png"/>
+
+Figure 2. The new SOURCES tab will allow access to view all sources and application parameters.
+
+#### ii) Parameters Tab
+_Current Behavior:_ 
+
+The Parameters tab shows the application parameters for the application’s repository details type or source. These can 
+be Helm, Kustomize, Directory or Plugin (CMP).
+
+_Proposed Change:_
+
+The Parameter tab will be removed but the contents of the current parameters tab will be ‘reused’ and will be shown in 
+the new **SOURCES** tab as described above. The parameters and parameter values will be shown for whatever source is 
+selected by the user.
+
+#### iii) Update/Edit Capability in the New Sources Tab
+
+The above points describe how all the sources will be rendered.  However, the Sources tab should be the page to allow 
+users to delete and add sources. (You can currently change the repo URL and path from the Summary tab, or manually edit 
+the application by hand, in the Manifest tab, but this is not considered as ‘guided’ editing.)
+
+_Current Behavior:_ 
+
+The current form-based UI doesn’t support deleting a chosen/desired source of a multi-source application. It,
+obviously, does not support deleting the only source in a single-source application.
+
+_Proposed Change:_
+
+In addition to adding the new SOURCES tab from section i) and ii), two new buttons (_Add Source_ and _Delete Source_) will 
+be added to the page. For the _Add Source_ button, a separate dialog/panel will need to appear to allow the user to
+input the parameters or other information.
+
+Validation of any newly added source should prevent users from adding the same resource, and prevent users from
+deleting all sources, etc.
+
+### History and Rollback
+
+Current Behavior: The History and Rollback button for multi-source apps is disabled. It's only enabled
+for single-source apps, and shows source information as shown in Figure 3.
+
+<img height="50%" width="50%" src="images/history-rollback-contents.png"/>
+
+Figure 3: Source information in History
+
+Jorge has submitted a [PR](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/pull/14124) for rollback which includes controller and UI changes. 
+This can be treated as a separate, independent proposal.
+
+Other related changes pertain to the Last Synced Details. The Sync Details panel needs to be updated to show sync info
+from multiple sources.  See [Issue 13215](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/issues/13215).
+
+### New App Dialog
+
+_Current Behavior:_ 
+
+The dialog currently allows users to ‘quickly’ create a single source application..
+
+_Proposed Changes:_
+
+Make the form view of the dialog support adding, updating and viewing of multiple sources. The issue with the current 
+single source New App wizard is that it can lead to loss of “input” provided by the user. The content in the form-based 
+editor and the YAML editor (accessed via the Edit as YAML button) must match. If the user provides multiple sources in 
+the YAML editor, and then switches back to the form view, the form will only show the first source. The other sources 
+are effectively ‘lost’. Furthermore, if the user switches back to the YAML editor, only one source will be shown as well.
+
+The design and changes (React components) from the new Sources tab can likely be reused in this dialog.
+
+Other Changes. This includes the underlying plumbing to create an app using the Sources field of the Application CR, so that the 
+deprecated Source field can be removed in the future.
+
+
+
+### Use cases
+
+The use cases involves those areas in the UI where the current source is displayed. These have been described
+in the Summary and Proposal sections.
+
+
+### Implementation Details
+
+The implementation plan can be divided into different stages. Read-only capability can be provided first and it will 
+be the safest change. The UI currently is not showing all the sources for the multi-source application so this should 
+be the highest priority. (Before you can edit, you have to first display it.)
+
+Here are the general enhancements to be implemented (Upstream issues to be opened if not already):
+
+1. Create new Sources tab to replace Parameters tab so that all sources can be displayed (Read-only)
+2. Update History and Rollback to show a summary of all sources of an application
+   As mentioned above, this is already covered by Jorge’s [PR](https://github.com/argoproj/argo-cd/pull/14124)
+3. Add _Add Source_ and _Delete Source_ buttons to Sources tab. This will depend on #1 above. (Update and Delete)
+4. Update New App dialog. (Creation)
+   - Support adding multiple sources in New App dialog. (This will likely depend on the Components from #1 and #3)
+   - Use Sources field instead of Source field. Clean up code.
+
+### Security Considerations
+None
+
+### Risks and Mitigations
+None
+
+### Upgrade / Downgrade Strategy
+If downgraded, the UI will revert to showing just the first source.
+
+## Drawbacks
+None
+
+## Open Questions
+
+Supporting multiple sources in the New App dialog may not be ‘worth’ the effort? The drawback is that switching from the 
+YAML editor and form editor can lead to loss of information.
+
+Users can simply edit the application manifest to add their sources by hand.
+
+
+## Appendix
+Multiple sources can be shown as a list of collapsible cards or sections, one below the other, under one page of the
+SOURCES tab. However, this can be cumbersome especially when a source, like Helm, has many source parameters.
+so it'll be difficult to find the desired source. Perhaps showing one source per page  will be better.
+
+Appendix Figure 1: Zoomed out view of the Helm source parameter list
+
+<img height="50%" width="50%" src="images/helm-parameter-list.png"/>