quadlet-migrator-skill/references/deployment-notes.md

Deployment Notes

Use this file when the user wants deployment-ready instructions alongside generated Quadlet units.

Delivery flow

1. Generate the reviewable artifacts in the current working directory.
2. Review the generated Quadlet files, env files, helper scripts, and any required repo-local support files or directories.
3. Use install.sh to copy only the reviewed Quadlet unit files into the chosen Quadlet directory.
4. Use reload.sh, start.sh, stop.sh, and restart.sh to manage the deployed services.
5. Use uninstall.sh when the user wants to remove the installed reviewed Quadlet unit files without broad Podman cleanup.

Apply target directory

Rootless

• default apply target: ~/.config/containers/systemd/
• user-scoped management commands use systemctl --user

Rootful

• default apply target: /etc/containers/systemd/
• system-scoped management commands use systemctl

See podman-systemd.unit.5.md for the full search-path matrix.

Helper scripts

• install.sh: canonical apply script; copy only reviewed Quadlet unit files into the selected Quadlet target directory
• do not generate a separate apply.sh by default; reserve that alternate name only when the user explicitly asks for it
• uninstall.sh: remove the installed reviewed Quadlet unit files from the selected Quadlet target directory, stopping affected services first when needed
• reload.sh: run the appropriate daemon-reload command after installation changes
• start.sh: start the generated units; when the topology uses a .pod, start the pod's systemd service derived from ServiceName= when present on the .pod, otherwise use Quadlet's default generated pod service name, instead of also starting each child container service individually
• stop.sh: stop the generated units; when the topology uses a .pod, stop the pod's systemd service derived from ServiceName= when present on the .pod, otherwise use Quadlet's default generated pod service name, instead of duplicating per-container stop commands for its child containers
• restart.sh: restart the generated units after reload or config changes; when the topology uses a .pod, restart the pod's systemd service derived from ServiceName= when present on the .pod, otherwise use Quadlet's default generated pod service name, instead of also restarting each child container service individually

Keep installation separate from service-management scripts so the user can review generated files before applying them. install.sh should copy reviewed Quadlet unit files into the chosen Quadlet target directory only, and should not start, stop, restart, or reload services as a side effect. uninstall.sh should remove only the installed reviewed Quadlet unit files, stop affected services before removal when needed, and leave the support files in the current-directory deliverable set, unrelated files, shared directories, named volumes, images, and Podman objects alone unless the user explicitly asks for broader cleanup. reload.sh, start.sh, stop.sh, and restart.sh should not silently install or overwrite reviewed files. Do not use ServiceName= as an application connection target. It controls the generated systemd unit name only. When services communicate over a shared network outside a single pod namespace, prefer container names, pod names, or explicit NetworkAlias= values. Within a single pod, use 127.0.0.1 / localhost for container-to-container communication instead of generating AddHost= entries whose purpose is sibling-container discovery. If a service inside the pod must accept connections from sibling containers, ensure its effective listen address is reachable within the shared pod namespace, typically 127.0.0.1 or 0.0.0.0. When the upstream service exposes this through environment variables or similar runtime configuration, preserve or generate that setting explicitly.

Review checklist before install

Review not only the Quadlet unit files but also:

• env files referenced by EnvironmentFile=
• repo-local mounted config files and directory trees
• initialization files such as init.sql, seed data, or bootstrap assets
• repo-local entrypoint and helper scripts referenced by Entrypoint=, Exec=, docs, or wrapper scripts

Do not treat the deliverable as complete if these support files are still missing from the reviewable artifact set.

Execution checklist template before install:

• all reviewed artifacts are present in the current-directory deliverable tree
• required support files and directories are included alongside the Quadlet and env artifacts
• unit files map to the intended Quadlet directory
• support files remain in the current-directory deliverable tree at the absolute paths referenced by mounts and scripts
• startup-critical env keys are present in the final env sources
• any unresolved values are clearly marked as intentionally non-runnable placeholders
• service-management scripts operate on the same reviewed artifact set that will be installed

Rootless operational notes

• Bind mounts may hit UID/GID mismatches.
• For pod-based deployments that should preserve host ownership semantics, consider UserNS=keep-id on [Pod] when appropriate.
• If the service must survive logout, mention lingering:

sudo loginctl enable-linger <username>

Paths and bind mounts

• Ensure bind-mount source directories exist before first start.
• Normalize relative source paths against the source Compose file directory or the directory the user specifies.
• Emit absolute host paths in generated Quadlet files when using bind mounts.
• Explain the resolved absolute path if the source used ./....
• If the source project bind-mounts repo-local files or directories, make sure the reviewed current-directory deliverable set preserves the required contents and that the generated Quadlet files reference their absolute paths correctly.

Recommended service defaults

Depending on the workload, consider adding:

[Service]
Restart=always
TimeoutStartSec=900

Use the timeout especially when first start may need to pull large images or build locally.

Useful optional enhancements

• AutoUpdate=registry for opt-in automatic image refresh workflows
• explicit .volume or .network units when the user wants declarative infrastructure instead of implicit Podman objects

Output language

If you generate a README, deployment note, or operator-facing document as part of the migration, write it in the user's language unless the user explicitly asks for another language.