app-packr is a tool for packaging and distributing web applications.

• Atomic deploys
  • app-packr will store a configurable amount of old versions on the client and server with a symlink to the currently deployed version.
• Use a webserver of your choice to host packages
• (Future) TLS client authentication

inputs: app, build_dir, version (usually git ref)

• Generates build_id $timestamp-$version (truncated to 31 characters)
• Calls application build script and passes in (version, build_id, build_dir)
• Application build script builds a complete release in $build_dir/$build_id
  • Example: a application with virtualenv might look like $build_dir/$build_id/$app_name and $build_dir/$build_id/venv
  • The application may drop a executable install script @ $build_dir/$build_id/.postinstall which will be run after successfully unpacking
• Create package (tarball/rpm) which includes ./$build_id/* and move the package to our http server at http(s)://$pkgserver/$pkgroot/$app/$build_id/release.tar
  • $pkgroot might be something like addons-dev or addons-stage
• Write $build_id to $app/LATEST

A package host and root will be defined in the script or a config file inputs: app_dir, app, build_id

Steps:

• if $build_id is LATEST, fetch $pkgserver/$app/LATEST and set $build_id to that value
• If $app_dir/$build_id does not exist then:
  • Fetch package from $pkgserver/$app/$build_id/release.tar
  • Unpack in to $app_dir/
• Symlink $app_dir/current to $app_dir/$build_id
• cd $app_dir/$build_id; run ./.postinstall

This service should be able to use server signed client certificates to auth with the packagehost.