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authorDaniel Baumann <daniel.baumann@progress-linux.org>2024-04-07 19:33:14 +0000
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+How Tos
+=======
+
+All of this equipment is here to help you get your work done more efficiently.
+However, learning how task-graphs are generated is probably not the work you
+are interested in doing. This section should help you accomplish some of the
+more common changes to the task graph with minimal fuss.
+
+Taskgraph's documentation provides many relevant how-to guides:
+
+.. note::
+
+ If you come across references to the ``taskgraph`` command, simply prepend
+ ``./mach`` to the command to make it work in ``mozilla-central``.
+
+.. toctree::
+
+ Run Taskgraph Locally <https://taskcluster-taskgraph.readthedocs.io/en/latest/howto/run-locally.html>
+ Debug Taskgraph <https://taskcluster-taskgraph.readthedocs.io/en/latest/howto/debugging.html>
+ Use Fetches <https://taskcluster-taskgraph.readthedocs.io/en/latest/howto/use-fetches.html>
+ Use Docker Images <https://taskcluster-taskgraph.readthedocs.io/en/latest/howto/docker.html>
+ Create Actions <https://taskcluster-taskgraph.readthedocs.io/en/latest/howto/create-actions.html>
+
+See Taskgraph's `how-to section`_ for even more guides!
+
+.. _how-to section: https://taskcluster-taskgraph.readthedocs.io/en/latest/howto/index.html
+
+Common Changes
+--------------
+
+Additionally, here are some tips for common changes you wish to make within
+``mozilla-central``.
+
+Changing Test Characteristics
+.............................
+
+First, find the test description. This will be in
+``taskcluster/ci/*/tests.yml``, for the appropriate kind (consult
+:ref:`kinds`). You will find a YAML stanza for each test suite, and each
+stanza defines the test's characteristics. For example, the ``chunks``
+property gives the number of chunks to run. This can be specified as a simple
+integer if all platforms have the same chunk count, or it can be keyed by test
+platform. For example:
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+ chunks:
+ by-test-platform:
+ linux64/debug: 10
+ default: 8
+
+The full set of available properties is in
+``taskcluster/gecko_taskgraph/transforms/test/__init__.py``. Some other
+commonly-modified properties are ``max-run-time`` (useful if tests are being
+killed for exceeding maxRunTime) and ``treeherder-symbol``.
+
+.. note::
+
+ Android tests are also chunked at the mozharness level, so you will need to
+ modify the relevant mozharness config, as well.
+
+Adding a Test Suite
+...................
+
+To add a new test suite, you will need to know the proper mozharness invocation
+for that suite, and which kind it fits into (consult :ref:`kinds`).
+
+Add a new stanza to ``taskcluster/ci/<kind>/tests.yml``, copying from the other
+stanzas in that file. The meanings should be clear, but authoritative
+documentation is in
+``taskcluster/gecko_taskgraph/transforms/test/__init__.py`` should you need
+it. The stanza name is the name by which the test will be referenced in try
+syntax.
+
+Add your new test to a test set in ``test-sets.yml`` in the same directory. If
+the test should only run on a limited set of platforms, you may need to define
+a new test set and reference that from the appropriate platforms in
+``test-platforms.yml``. If you do so, include some helpful comments in
+``test-sets.yml`` for the next person.
+
+Greening Up a New Test
+......................
+
+When a test is not yet reliably green, configuration for that test should not
+be landed on integration branches. Of course, you can control where the
+configuration is landed! For many cases, it is easiest to green up a test in
+try: push the configuration to run the test to try along with your work to fix
+the remaining test failures.
+
+When working with a group, check out a "twig" repository to share among your
+group, and land the test configuration in that repository. Once the test is
+green, merge to an integration branch and the test will begin running there as
+well.
+
+Adding a New Task
+.................
+
+If you are adding a new task that is not a test suite, there are a number of
+options. A few questions to consider:
+
+ * Is this a new build platform or variant that will produce an artifact to
+ be run through the usual test suites?
+
+ * Does this task depend on other tasks? Do other tasks depend on it?
+
+ * Is this one of a few related tasks, or will you need to generate a large
+ set of tasks using some programmatic means (for example, chunking)?
+
+ * How is the task actually executed? Mozharness? Mach?
+
+ * What kind of environment does the task require?
+
+Armed with that information, you can choose among a few options for
+implementing this new task. Try to choose the simplest solution that will
+satisfy your near-term needs. Since this is all implemented in-tree, it
+is not difficult to refactor later when you need more generality.
+
+Existing Kind
+`````````````
+
+The simplest option is to add your task to an existing kind. This is most
+practical when the task "makes sense" as part of that kind -- for example, if
+your task is building an installer for a new platform using mozharness scripts
+similar to the existing build tasks, it makes most sense to add your task to
+the ``build`` kind. If you need some additional functionality in the kind,
+it's OK to modify the implementation as necessary, as long as the modification
+is complete and useful to the next developer to come along.
+
+Tasks in the ``build`` kind generate Firefox installers, and the ``test`` kind
+will add a full set of Firefox tests for each ``build`` task.
+
+New Kind
+````````
+
+The next option to consider is adding a new kind. A distinct kind gives you
+some isolation from other task types, which can be nice if you are adding an
+experimental kind of task.
+
+Kinds can range in complexity. The simplest sort of kind uses the transform
+loader to read a list of jobs from the ``jobs`` key, and applies the standard
+``job`` and ``task`` transforms:
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+ implementation: taskgraph.task.transform:TransformTask
+ transforms:
+ - taskgraph.transforms.job:transforms
+ - taskgraph.transforms.task:transforms
+ jobs:
+ - ..your job description here..
+
+Job descriptions are defined and documented in
+``taskcluster/gecko_taskgraph/transforms/job/__init__.py``.
+
+Custom Kind Loader
+``````````````````
+
+If your task depends on other tasks, then the decision of which tasks to create
+may require some code. For example, the ``test`` kind iterates over
+the builds in the graph, generating a full set of test tasks for each one. This specific
+post-build behavior is implemented as a loader defined in ``taskcluster/gecko_taskgraph/loader/test.py``.
+
+A custom loader is useful when the set of tasks you want to create is not
+static but based on something else (such as the available builds) or when the
+dependency relationships for your tasks are complex.
+
+Custom Transforms
+`````````````````
+
+Most loaders apply a series of ":ref:`transforms`" that start with
+an initial human-friendly description of a task and end with a task definition
+suitable for insertion into a Taskcluster queue.
+
+Custom transforms can be useful to apply defaults, simplifying the YAML files
+in your kind. They can also apply business logic that is more easily expressed
+in code than in YAML.
+
+Transforms need not be one-to-one: a transform can produce zero or more outputs
+for each input. For example, the test transforms perform chunking by producing
+an output for each chunk of a given input.
+
+Ideally those transforms will produce job descriptions, so you can use the
+existing ``job`` and ``task`` transforms:
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+ transforms:
+ - taskgraph.transforms.my_stuff:transforms
+ - taskgraph.transforms.job:transforms
+ - taskgraph.transforms.task:transforms
+
+Try to keep transforms simple, single-purpose and well-documented!
+
+Custom Run-Using
+````````````````
+
+If the way your task is executed is unique (so, not a mach command or
+mozharness invocation), you can add a new implementation of the job
+description's "run" section. Before you do this, consider that it might be a
+better investment to modify your task to support invocation via mozharness or
+mach, instead. If this is not possible, then adding a new file in
+``taskcluster/gecko_taskgraph/transforms/jobs`` with a structure similar to its peers
+will make the new run-using option available for job descriptions.