Support GIT+SSH URLs when starting workspaces

[l0rd]

Is your enhancement related to a problem? Please describe

Today it's not possible to start a workspace from an git repository URL using the GIT+SSH protocol: [email protected]:eclipse/che.git.

Even if the user has configured an SSH secret to be automatically mounted in workspaces and had uploaded the public key in its git service, starting a workspace won't work.

Describe the solution you'd like

If a user has configured SSH (secret created in his namespace + key uploaded to git service) or a git credential secret, then Che should be able to start a workspace from a GIT+SSH repository URL: if there is a devfile at the root of the git repo it should be used to define the corresponding DevWorkspace.

I think there are 3 possible solutions here:

• che server downloads the devfile without cloning the git repository (not sure git+ssh allows this)
• the dashboard creates a devworkspace that has an init container that, after cloning the source code, patches the DW CR with the content of the devfile using the devworkspace-generator npm library (similar to @amisevsk work)
• che server does a git clone in a local temporary directory (depth 1 and sparse) and returns the devfile content (this is fragile)

Other considerations

Through the GIT+SSH protocol Che would be able to fully support any git service. That won't replace the HTTP + OAuth flow that remains the preferred if support (GitHub, BB, GitLab and Azure DevOps), but an alternative that allows Che to work on other services too (gerrit, gogs, githut...).

Screenshots

Dashboard doesn't even allow to provide a git repo URL that doesn't use HTTP: ⬇️

That what happen if I try the URL https://<che-host>/f?url=git%40github.com%3Al0rd%2Fgo-hello-world.git ⬇️

[l0rd]

Re-opening this issue because I am afraid that there is still a missing part: the devfile in the git repository is ignored. This issue was about:

• not failing when a GIT+SSH URL was provided (this is done)
• using the devfile in the git repo to define the DevWorkspace (this is not done yet)

[olexii4]

Re-opening this issue because I am afraid that there is still a missing part: the devfile in the git repository is ignored. This issue was about:

• not failing when a GIT+SSH URL was provided (this is done)
• using the devfile in the git repo to define the DevWorkspace (this is not done yet)

@l0rd Could you add more pieces of information on why you think so?
Unfortunately, I can't reproduce this issue.

[l0rd]

@olexii4 Sorry I haven't tested or review the PR. I was assuming that the work that has been completed dashboard-side only and that the devfile cannot be resolved from a GIT+SSH URL. I am probably wrong though. Can you please help me understanding how the resolution is done?

[olexii4]

@olexii4 Sorry I haven't tested or review the PR. I was assuming that the work that has been completed dashboard-side only and that the devfile cannot be resolved from a GIT+SSH URL. I am probably wrong though. Can you please help me understanding how the resolution is done?

I found that the che-server part, which was added with the next PR does not work properly.

It always resolves the default defile:

@tolusha WDYT?

[l0rd]

Closing as this is mostly done. I have opened a separate issue for the missing part:

• Devfile is not resolved when using GIT+SSH URLs  #22354