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feat: migrate file evaluation to own provider type (#1525)
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update of spec for #1504

---------

Signed-off-by: Simon Schrottner <[email protected]>
Co-authored-by: Todd Baert <[email protected]>
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@aepfli @toddbaert
aepfli and toddbaert authored Jan 28, 2025
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64 changes: 35 additions & 29 deletions docs/reference/specifications/providers.md
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Expand Up @@ -17,11 +17,15 @@ This document outlines their behavior and configuration.

Consistent with our [naming conventions](../naming.md), the flagd provider name (no matter what language or runtime is in use) is `flagd`.

## In-Process vs RPC Evaluation
## Overview of Resolver Types

There are two modes of operation (`resolvers`) for flagd providers; _in-process_ and _RPC_.
Both modes have their advantages and disadvantages.
For more information on the architectural implications of these different modes, see the [RPC vs In-Process Evaluation](../../architecture.md#rpc-vs-in-process-evaluation) page.
There are three resolver types for flagd providers:

- RPC Resolver: Evaluates flags remotely by connecting to a flagd instance using the gRPC evaluation protocol.
- In-Process Resolver: Downloads the flag set rules from a flagd instance and evaluates them locally, offering low-latency performance.
- File Resolver: Similar to in-process in terms of performance and latency; operates offline by reading flag definitions from a file, ideal for environments without network connectivity.

Each resolver type has unique characteristics and use cases. Below, we delve into their specifics.

## flagd Provider Lifecycle

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -117,7 +121,7 @@ While the provider is in state `STALE` the provider resolves values from its cac
When the time since the last disconnect first exceeds `retryGracePeriod`, the provider emits `ERROR`.
The provider attempts to reconnect indefinitely, with a maximum interval of `retryBackoffMaxMs`.

## RPC Evaluation
## RPC Resolver

RPC providers use the [evaluation protocol](./protos.md#flagdevaluationv1evaluationproto) to connect to flagd, initiate the [event stream](./protos.md#eventstreamresponse), listen for changes in the flag definitions, and evaluate flags remotely by calling flagd.
RPC providers are relatively simple to implement since they essentially call a remote flagd instance with relevant parameters, and then flagd responds with the resolved flag value.
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -188,7 +192,7 @@ This pattern is consistent with OpenFeature's [static context paradigm](https://

The provider metadata includes properties returned from the [provider_ready event payload](./protos.md#eventstreamresponse) data.

## In-Process Evaluation
## In-Process Resolver

In-process providers use the [sync schema](./protos.md#syncflagsresponse) to connect to flagd, initiate the [sync stream](./protos.md#eventstreamresponse), and download the `flag set` rules to evaluate them locally.
In-process providers are relatively complex (compared to RPC providers) to implement since they essentially must implement more of flagd's logic to evaluate flags locally.
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -237,11 +241,13 @@ If only a subset of the sync-metadata response is desired to be injected into th

The provider metadata includes the top-level metadata properties in the [flag definition](../flag-definitions.md).

### Offline (File) Mode
## File Resolver (Offline Mode)

The in-process resolver mode can also use a file based [flag definition](../flag-definitions.md).
This does not connect to a flagd instance or gRPC sync implementation, and instead polls a flag definition from a file.
If the file has been modified since the last poll (based on the file metadata) and [flags have changed](#changed-flags), a `PROVIDER_CONFIGURATION_CHANGED` event with the appropriate `changed flags` field is emitted.
If the file has been modified since the last poll (based on the file metadata) and [flags have changed](#changed-flags), a `PROVIDER_CONFIGURATION_CHANGED` event with the appropriate `changed flags` field is emitted.

The Evaluation uses [JsonLogic](#jsonlogic-evaluation) and [custom JsonLogic evaluators](#custom-jsonlogic-evaluators) like the [InProcess Resolver](#in-process-resolver).

!!! note

Expand All @@ -256,27 +262,27 @@ precedence.

Below are the supported configuration parameters (note that not all apply to both resolver modes):

| Option name | Environment variable name | Explanation | Type & Values | Default | Compatible resolver |
|-----------------------|--------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------| ---------------------------- | ----------------------------- | ------------------- |
| resolver | FLAGD_RESOLVER | mode of operation | String - `rpc`, `in-process` | rpc | rpc & in-process |
| host | FLAGD_HOST | remote host | String | localhost | rpc & in-process |
| port | FLAGD_PORT | remote port | int | 8013 (rpc), 8015 (in-process) | rpc & in-process |
| targetUri | FLAGD_TARGET_URI | alternative to host/port, supporting custom name resolution | string | null | rpc & in-process |
| tls | FLAGD_TLS | connection encryption | boolean | false | rpc & in-process |
| socketPath | FLAGD_SOCKET_PATH | alternative to host port, unix socket | String | null | rpc & in-process |
| certPath | FLAGD_SERVER_CERT_PATH | tls cert path | String | null | rpc & in-process |
| deadlineMs | FLAGD_DEADLINE_MS | deadline for unary calls, and timeout for initialization | int | 500 | rpc & in-process |
| streamDeadlineMs | FLAGD_STREAM_DEADLINE_MS | deadline for streaming calls, useful as an application-layer keepalive | int | 600000 | rpc & in-process |
| retryBackoffMs | FLAGD_RETRY_BACKOFF_MS | initial backoff for stream retry | int | 1000 | rpc & in-process |
| retryBackoffMaxMs | FLAGD_RETRY_BACKOFF_MAX_MS | maximum backoff for stream retry | int | 120000 | rpc & in-process |
| retryGracePeriod | FLAGD_RETRY_GRACE_PERIOD | period in seconds before provider moves from STALE to ERROR state | int | 5 | rpc & in-process |
| keepAliveTime | FLAGD_KEEP_ALIVE_TIME_MS | http 2 keepalive | long | 0 | rpc & in-process |
| cache | FLAGD_CACHE | enable cache of static flags | String - `lru`, `disabled` | lru | rpc |
| maxCacheSize | FLAGD_MAX_CACHE_SIZE | max size of static flag cache | int | 1000 | rpc |
| selector | FLAGD_SOURCE_SELECTOR | selects a single sync source to retrieve flags from only that source | string | null | in-process |
| offlineFlagSourcePath | FLAGD_OFFLINE_FLAG_SOURCE_PATH | offline, file-based flag definitions, overrides host/port/targetUri | string | null | in-process |
| offlinePollIntervalMs | FLAGD_OFFLINE_POLL_MS | poll interval for reading offlineFlagSourcePath | int | 5000 | in-process |
| contextEnricher | - | sync-metadata to evaluation context mapping function | function | identity function | in-process |
| Option name | Environment variable name | Explanation | Type & Values | Default | Compatible resolver |
|-----------------------|--------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------|
| resolver | FLAGD_RESOLVER | mode of operation | String - `rpc`, `in-process` | rpc | rpc & in-process |
| host | FLAGD_HOST | remote host | String | localhost | rpc & in-process |
| port | FLAGD_PORT | remote port | int | 8013 (rpc), 8015 (in-process) | rpc & in-process |
| targetUri | FLAGD_TARGET_URI | alternative to host/port, supporting custom name resolution | string | null | rpc & in-process |
| tls | FLAGD_TLS | connection encryption | boolean | false | rpc & in-process |
| socketPath | FLAGD_SOCKET_PATH | alternative to host port, unix socket | String | null | rpc & in-process |
| certPath | FLAGD_SERVER_CERT_PATH | tls cert path | String | null | rpc & in-process |
| deadlineMs | FLAGD_DEADLINE_MS | deadline for unary calls, and timeout for initialization | int | 500 | rpc & in-process & file |
| streamDeadlineMs | FLAGD_STREAM_DEADLINE_MS | deadline for streaming calls, useful as an application-layer keepalive | int | 600000 | rpc & in-process |
| retryBackoffMs | FLAGD_RETRY_BACKOFF_MS | initial backoff for stream retry | int | 1000 | rpc & in-process |
| retryBackoffMaxMs | FLAGD_RETRY_BACKOFF_MAX_MS | maximum backoff for stream retry | int | 120000 | rpc & in-process |
| retryGracePeriod | FLAGD_RETRY_GRACE_PERIOD | period in seconds before provider moves from STALE to ERROR state | int | 5 | rpc & in-process & file |
| keepAliveTime | FLAGD_KEEP_ALIVE_TIME_MS | http 2 keepalive | long | 0 | rpc & in-process |
| cache | FLAGD_CACHE | enable cache of static flags | String - `lru`, `disabled` | lru | rpc |
| maxCacheSize | FLAGD_MAX_CACHE_SIZE | max size of static flag cache | int | 1000 | rpc |
| selector | FLAGD_SOURCE_SELECTOR | selects a single sync source to retrieve flags from only that source | string | null | in-process |
| offlineFlagSourcePath | FLAGD_OFFLINE_FLAG_SOURCE_PATH | offline, file-based flag definitions, overrides host/port/targetUri | string | null | file |
| offlinePollIntervalMs | FLAGD_OFFLINE_POLL_MS | poll interval for reading offlineFlagSourcePath | int | 5000 | file |
| contextEnricher | - | sync-metadata to evaluation context mapping function | function | identity function | in-process |

### Custom Name Resolution

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