Why Flux2 can not use one ImageRepository for all images

[rohammosalli]

Hi @stefanprodan , I have a question regarding Configure image scanning for Image Repositories in Flux2

We are using the Google artifact repository for our image registry, inside the registry each application has a name & inside the name there are tags. like europe-west3-docker.pkg.dev/company/team/application1

apiVersion: image.toolkit.fluxcd.io/v1beta1
kind: ImageRepository
metadata:
  name: flux-image-repository
  namespace: flux-system
spec:
  image: europe-west3-docker.pkg.dev/company/team/
  interval: 1m0s

The problem is your documents say...

Note
If you are using the same image repository in several manifests, you only need one ImageRepository object for it

but when I use just my registry address in spec.image like europe-west3-docker.pkg.dev/company/team/ after flux reconcile kustomization --with-source flux-system flux can not scan all the registry and images with tags & I have to point to a specific image name so flux2 can find the tags.

since in Flux1 this part was automatically done by flux (scanning images & tags) but in Flux2 for each application in my GitOps I have to define a new ImageRepository kind like this

apiVersion: image.toolkit.fluxcd.io/v1beta1
kind: ImageRepository
metadata:
  name: flux-image-repository
  namespace: flux-system
spec:
  image: europe-west3-docker.pkg.dev/company/team/AnyApplicationName
  interval: 1m0s

How we can define an ImageRepository by just pointing to 1 registry with (image & tags) scan enabled so flux2 can list all images and tags.

[kingdonb]

If you are using the same image repository in several manifests, you only need one ImageRepository object for it

This wording could perhaps be improved. The Google Artifact Repository has a way of structuring Repository with multiple Images.

The normal way we expected this arrangement to work is that a Registry contains Image repositories (each with one image, and many tags) – the GAR "repository" is what we would properly call a "Registry" and a repository should have only one image name and many tags, but not multiple image names per repository. We are not sure why Google has reversed the terminology here, but we are discussing how we can disambiguate the terms in the Flux Bug Scrub meeting right now. Thanks for bringing this up.

[kingdonb]

ImageRepository is functionally structured as a single tag list, cached. I wouldn't say it's impossible, but that is not the design now.

[00787718]

Hi @stefanprodan,
Can we use Kustomize patches

1. to dynamically update the image path in the ImageRepository configuration based on the deployment?
2. to maintain a single ImageRepository configuration that can be applied to multiple deployments?

[Kreestyan]

Would be nice indeed. Version 1 was somehow smarter as it only needed the path already defined in the deployment config. Now the developers have to make sure ImageRepository and k8s deployment path are the same. No mention about the initial headache when migrating from v1 to v2. Thank you for asking the question!

[robhaswell]

@00787718 @stefanprodan was there found a way to use Kustomization patches to manage the repositories for many images? I am searching for a way to manage our increasing number of apps while minimising duplication. Thanks.

[pl4nty]

is there any chance of a native solution after ImageRepository goes GA? I'm not keen on templating dozens of ImageRepository/ImagePolicy resources, plus the need for $imagepolicy comments. might have to stick with Renovate