Use pdk validate in CI templates (leveraging PDK Docker container)

[sanfrancrisko]

It has been noted (see #673) that there is inconsistency in the validation performed when running pdk validate and CI config templates defined in pdk-templates that execute validation tasks directly (such as rake lint).

There has also been discussion in PDK-709 about using pdk validate in our CI config templates, rather than having a completely separate experience.

The path of least resistance to implementing this is to leverage the PDK Docker container, which would bypass package installs on various platforms. It has been noted, however, that the size of the container has created an unacceptable performance hit in some use cases.

There is some preliminary investigative work being undertaken to break up the PDK components and generate smaller artefacts for each use case:

• https://github.com/puppetlabs/devx/issues/2
• https://github.com/puppetlabs/devx/issues/12

For the use case of pdk validate in CI runs, it would be good to leverage the Docker container and start enhancing the validate tasks to incorporate some of the enhancements or address some of the inconsistencies brought up in:

• Difference in puppet-lint behavior between pdk validate and rake lint #673
• Missing Task Metadata validation in CI test. #372

[genebean]

For what it's worth, my team is now using a package based process to do testing in GitHub Actions. A sample of the config we are including in our modules can be found at https://github.com/ploperations/repo_standards/blob/main/templates/ci.yml and is reproduced below for reference.

name: CI

on:
  - pull_request

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    strategy:
      matrix:
        puppet_versions:
          - '6'
          - '7'

    name: Puppet ${{ matrix.puppet_versions }}
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v1
    - name: Install the Puppet PDK
      run: |
        CODENAME=$(grep UBUNTU_CODENAME /etc/os-release | cut -d '=' -f2)
        wget https://apt.puppet.com/puppet-tools-release-$CODENAME.deb
        sudo dpkg -i puppet-tools-release-$CODENAME.deb
        sudo apt-get update
        sudo apt-get install pdk
    - name: Syntax validation
      run: pdk validate --puppet-version ${{ matrix.puppet_versions }}
    - name: Unit tests
      run: pdk test unit --puppet-version ${{ matrix.puppet_versions }}

[sanfrancrisko]

Thanks for sharing that @genebean - could you link me to a CI job run that uses this?

[genebean]

https://github.com/ploperations/ploperations-unicorn uses it. Other modules in that GH org will use it too in the near future.

[seanmil]

We do something similar in our private GitLab instance. Though I pre-built a docker image with the PDK bundled in to short-cut the package install time. Our jobs leverage pdk validate, pdk test unit, and a few different pdk bundle exec jobs. I like having the same tests/execution environment as available on the command line.