Chapter 1. Enabling GitHub repository discovery

Procedure

1. To allow Developer Hub to access the GitHub API, create a GitHub App. Opt for a GitHub App instead of an OAuth app to use fine-grained permissions, gain more control over which repositories the application can access, and use short-lived tokens.

   1. Register a GitHub App with the following configuration:

      GitHub App name

      Enter a unique name identifying your GitHub App, such as integrating-with-rhdh-<GUID>.

      Homepage URL

      Enter your Developer Hub URL: https://<my_developer_hub_domain>.

      Authorization callback URL

      Enter your Developer Hub authentication backend URL: https://<my_developer_hub_domain>/api/auth/github/handler/frame.

      Webhook

      Clear "Active", as this is not needed for authentication and catalog providers.

      App permissions

      Select permissions to define the level of access for the app. Adapt permissions to your needs:

      Reading software components

      Contents

      Read-only

      Commit statuses

      Read-only

      Reading organization data

      Members

      Read-only

      Publishing software templates

      Set permissions if you intend to use the same GitHub App for software templates.

      Administration

      Read & write (for creating repositories)

      Contents

      Read & write

      Metadata

      Read-only

      Pull requests

      Read & write

      Issues

      Read & write

      Workflows

      Read & write (if templates include GitHub workflows)

      Variables

      Read & write (if templates include GitHub Action Repository Variables)

      Secrets

      Read & write (if templates include GitHub Action Repository Secrets)

      Environments

      Read & write (if templates include GitHub Environments)

      Organization permissions

      Members

      Read-only

      Where can this GitHub App be installed?

      Select Only on this account.

   2. In the General Clients secrets section, click Generate a new client secret.
   3. In the General Private keys section, click Generate a private key.
   4. In the Install App tab, choose an account to install your GitHub App on.

   5. Save the following values for the next step:

      • App ID
      • Client ID
      • Client secret
      • Private key

2. To add your GitHub credentials to Developer Hub, add the following key/value pairs to your Developer Hub secrets. You can use these secrets in the Developer Hub configuration files by using their respective environment variable name.

   GITHUB_INTEGRATION_APP_ID

   Enter the saved App ID.

   GITHUB_INTEGRATION_CLIENT_ID

   Enter the saved Client ID.

   GITHUB_INTEGRATION_CLIENT_SECRET

   Enter the saved Client Secret.

   GITHUB_INTEGRATION_HOST_DOMAIN

   Enter the GitHub host domain: github.com.

   GITHUB_INTEGRATION_ORGANIZATION

   Enter your GitHub organization name, such as `<your_github_organization_name>'.

   GITHUB_INTEGRATION_PRIVATE_KEY_FILE

   Enter the saved Private key.

3. Enable the plugin-catalog-backend-module-github plugin in your dynamic-plugins.yaml file.

   This plugin discovers catalog entities by scanning repositories within a GitHub organization for catalog-info.yaml files. It provides an automated alternative to manually registering components via catalog.locations. When a repository contains a catalog-info.yaml file, the entity is ingested into the catalog as a component.

   dynamic-plugins.yaml file fragment

   plugins:
     - package: './dynamic-plugins/dist/backstage-plugin-catalog-backend-module-github'
       disabled: false

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4. Configure the GitHub integration, by adding the catalog.providers.github and the integrations.github sections to your custom Developer Hub app-config.yaml configuration file:

   app-config.yaml file fragment with mandatory fields to enable GitHub integration

   catalog:
     providers:
       github:
         providerId:
           organization: "${GITHUB_INTEGRATION_ORGANIZATION}"
           schedule:
             frequency:
               minutes: 30
             initialDelay:
               seconds: 15
             timeout:
               minutes: 15
   integrations:
     github:
       - host: ${GITHUB_INTEGRATION_HOST_DOMAIN}
         apps:
           - appId: ${GITHUB_INTEGRATION_APP_ID}
             clientId: ${GITHUB_INTEGRATION_CLIENT_ID}
             clientSecret: ${GITHUB_INTEGRATION_CLIENT_SECRET}
             privateKey: |
               ${GITHUB_INTEGRATION_PRIVATE_KEY_FILE}

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