Document “finalizer”

[sftim]

This is a Feature Request

What would you like to be added

• Add a glossary entry for finalizer
• and/or improve https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/workloads/controllers/garbage-collection/ to have a section specifically that explains what a finalizer is.

Why is this needed
Various pages talk about finalizers, and cluster operators need to understand what these are.

Comments
Ideally (in my view) there should be something with a stable URI, to help with inbound hyperlinks.

---

If you want to help but need to learn more about finalizers, https://thenewstack.io/deletion-garbage-collection-kubernetes-objects/ (by @moretea) looks like a good starting point.

That page also might be relevant for a whatsnext hyperlink; it's got some level of CNCF blessing too.

---

If you're working on this issue, consider putting https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/access-kubernetes-api/custom-resources/custom-resource-definitions/#advanced-topics in the whatsnext list. That's mainly about finalizers for CRDs.

[sftim]

/kind feature

[sftim]

Also see #4510

[sftim]

/priority backlog

[fejta-bot]

Issues go stale after 90d of inactivity.
Mark the issue as fresh with /remove-lifecycle stale.
Stale issues rot after an additional 30d of inactivity and eventually close.

If this issue is safe to close now please do so with /close.

Send feedback to sig-testing, kubernetes/test-infra and/or fejta.
/lifecycle stale

[sftim]

/remove-lifecycle stale
/help

[k8s-ci-robot]

@sftim:
This request has been marked as needing help from a contributor.

Please ensure the request meets the requirements listed here.

If this request no longer meets these requirements, the label can be removed
by commenting with the /remove-help command.

In response to this:

/remove-lifecycle stale
/help

Instructions for interacting with me using PR comments are available here. If you have questions or suggestions related to my behavior, please file an issue against the kubernetes/test-infra repository.

[fejta-bot]

Issues go stale after 90d of inactivity.
Mark the issue as fresh with /remove-lifecycle stale.
Stale issues rot after an additional 30d of inactivity and eventually close.

If this issue is safe to close now please do so with /close.

Send feedback to sig-testing, kubernetes/test-infra and/or fejta.
/lifecycle stale

[sftim]

/remove-lifecycle stale

[fejta-bot]

Issues go stale after 90d of inactivity.
Mark the issue as fresh with /remove-lifecycle stale.
Stale issues rot after an additional 30d of inactivity and eventually close.

If this issue is safe to close now please do so with /close.

Send feedback to sig-testing, kubernetes/test-infra and/or fejta.
/lifecycle stale

[fejta-bot]

Stale issues rot after 30d of inactivity.
Mark the issue as fresh with /remove-lifecycle rotten.
Rotten issues close after an additional 30d of inactivity.

If this issue is safe to close now please do so with /close.

Send feedback to sig-testing, kubernetes/test-infra and/or fejta.
/lifecycle rotten

[fejta-bot]

Rotten issues close after 30d of inactivity.
Reopen the issue with /reopen.
Mark the issue as fresh with /remove-lifecycle rotten.

Send feedback to sig-testing, kubernetes/test-infra and/or fejta.
/close

[k8s-ci-robot]

@fejta-bot: Closing this issue.

In response to this:

Rotten issues close after 30d of inactivity.
Reopen the issue with /reopen.
Mark the issue as fresh with /remove-lifecycle rotten.

Send feedback to sig-testing, kubernetes/test-infra and/or fejta.
/close

Instructions for interacting with me using PR comments are available here. If you have questions or suggestions related to my behavior, please file an issue against the kubernetes/test-infra repository.