Cloud computing demands engineers to be adaptable, collaborative, and innovative problem-solvers, especially with the growing adoption of infrastructure as code (IaC) practices.

Recently, I had the opportunity to contribute to an improvement within the Google Cloud Fabric module, specifically the GCP load balancer.

This blog post will detail my experience, outlining the process of identifying the issue, raising it within the repository, proposing a solution, and collaborating with the open-source community to achieve a successful resolution. Through this experience, I gained valuable insights into the power of community-driven development and its ability to positively impact the tools we rely on daily.

Discovering the issue

In my work with Google Cloud Platform (GCP), I leverage the Google Cloud Fabric module to manage my infrastructure deployments. While working on a recent project, I encountered an unexpected error when attempting to create route_rules with the neg-glb module.

url_redirect fails with route_rules.value is an object with 6 attributes This object does not have an attribute named "default_url_redirect".

Upon closer examination of the variables-urlmap.tf file, I identified that the route_rules section lacked a definition for the default_url_redirect attribute.

However, the dynamic block for url_redirect attempted to access this attribute, leading to the aforementioned error during execution.

Raising the issue

Recognizing the potential impact on other users, I felt compelled to share this discovery with the open-source community. As open-source development flourishes through the combined efforts of global engineers, reporting issues is critical to this collaborative environment. I promptly submitted an issue on the official repository, outlining the problem in detail and providing clear steps for replication. This ensures transparency for maintainers and contributors, facilitating efficient collaboration towards a resolution.

Proposing a solution

A potential solution lies in replacing the attribute route_rules.value.default_url_redirect with route_rules.value.url_redirect within the url_redirect dynamic for_each block. This modification has the potential to address the identified discrepancy and resolve the error encountered.

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With the issue raised, I carefully crafted a pull request (PR) with the necessary code changes and included a comprehensive explanation of the proposed fix. Additionally, I conducted thorough testing to validate the changes and ensure they didn't introduce any new issues.

Collaboration and review

Open-source development thrives on collaboration. Following my pull request submission, the maintainers and community members promptly engaged in the discussion. Their insightful feedback proved invaluable in refining the proposed solution. Witnessing diverse perspectives converge to create the most effective and robust solution for the community was a truly rewarding experience.

Approval and implementation

Following a collaborative review process with the maintainers and community, the pull request was successfully merged. Witnessing the integration of my contribution was a testament to the collaborative spirit of open-source development. The knowledge that this fix would benefit not only my own projects but also those of countless users worldwide was immensely fulfilling.

Conclusion

Contributing to open-source projects like the Google Cloud Fabric module has been a rewarding learning experience. It instilled in me the importance of knowledge sharing, collaborative problem-solving, and active participation within the global developer community. By proactively identifying, reporting, and resolving issues, we collectively enhance the tools we rely on daily. This journey has solidified my belief in the power of open-source development and the significant impact individuals can have on shaping the technological landscape.

References:

• Contributed Github repository:

https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/cloud-foundation-fabric

• Created Github issue:

https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/cloud-foundation-fabric/issues/1202

• Created GitHub PR:

https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/cloud-foundation-fabric/pull/1204

• Maintainer of the repository:

Avatar Ludovico Magnocavallo