RepoGuard is a validation framework for version control systems developed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to improve software development processes. It provides a unified interface to run checks such as code analysis, access rights validation, and bug tracking integration before code commits. Checks are configured in a modular workflow and results are reported through configurable handlers. RepoGuard is open source and aims to better integrate version control while improving source code quality.

1. RepoGuard
Validation Framework for Version Control Systems
Remidi09 (2009-07-13, Limerick)
Malte Legenhausen, Stefan Pielicke
German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne
http://www.dlr.de/sc
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Remidi09 > 2009-07-13

2. Outline
Software development at the DLR
• Facts, Scientific Software Development
Problems
Motivation
RepoGuard
• Architecture, Workflow, Configuration
Conclusion
Benefits, Q&A
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

3. DLR
German Aerospace Center
Research Institution
Space Agency
Project Management Agency
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

4. Locations and employees
6000 employees across  Hamburg
29 research institutes and Bremen-   Neustrelitz
Trauen 
facilities at
Berlin- 
Braunschweig 
 13 sites.
 Goettingen
Offices in Brussels,
Paris and Washington.  Koeln
 Bonn
 Lampoldshausen
 Stuttgart
 Oberpfaffenhofen
Weilheim 
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

5. Distributed Systems and Component Software
About Us
Main Departement for Software Engineering
Grid-Computing
Development of Grid-enabled applications
Grid security …
Management Tools for scientific data
Expert systems for computational fluid dynamics
Data management tool DataFinder …
Software Engineering
…
Provide Infrastructure for Software Engineering
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

6. Scientific Software Development
Daily Observations in Research Institutions…
Lots of scientists work on large/critical software
Mathematicians, physicists, engineers
Main Goal: Fast implementation of ideas into running code
Knowledge about Software Engineering varies a lot
Use of archaic tools and procedures
Typical situation: Small scripts grow large
Very different team sizes
From 1 student to >50 developers
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

7. Motivation
Different Approaches to Change the Situation
First: Training
Knowing how to do it right
BUT: Developers are like cats
Second Approach: Force
Need to do it right
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

8. Motivation
Loosely coupled Development Tools
IDE Repository Wiki
Browser
VCS RepoGuard Bug Tracker
All Tools are…
Open Source Continuous E-Mail
Replaceable Integration
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

9. Automatic Server Side Transaction Check
What does RepoGuard do?
Writes code Commits

The Tao of Source Control:
Developer Check failed VCS
“If it’s not in the repository, it doesn’t exist.”
RepoGuard
Feedback Pre-commit
execution
Checks
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

10. RepoGuard
What is RepoGuard exactly?
Validation framework for VCS
Validation before storing changes
Provides a unified interface for validation and reporting
Easy access to the transaction and external tools
Links everything to your VCS
Most developer tools are loosely coupled
Written in Python
Easy and powerful
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

11. Architecture
Version Control Project -
Editor System Configuration
Hook Script
Transaction Exit-Code
RepoGuard
Checks Result Handler
Code Analysis Positive Mail
Access Rights Negative RSS
External ● ● ● External
● ● ●
Tools ● ● ● Tools
Checkstyle Slide 11
Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

12. Checks
What can be checked…
Everything that is related to a transaction
Validate Transactional Content
Coding Style: Pylint, Checkstyle, ASCII Encoded, …
Source Code Analysis: Findbugs, QA C/C++, …
XML, HTML, …
Validate External Information
Bug/Issue Ids
Extending VCS
Access Rights
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

13. Handler
What is possible…
Handler as reporter
E-Mail
Log File
Console
Database
Bug Tracking System
RSS Feeds
Blog post
Twitter
Handler as trigger
Hudson
ViewVC
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

14. Modularized Architecture
Integrate whatever you want…
Checks
Create your own validation routines
Handlers
Create your own reporting or trigger routines
Bug Tracking Systems
Specialized interface for BTS integration
Version Control Systems
No special VCS required
Support of VCS extensible
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

15. Order of Check Executions
Things you should know in advance
Checks are linked as a workflow
Results of the check can be “Success” or “Error” and a message
“Error” check results can be translated to…
Warning: Check is optional
Delayed Error: Continue workflow execution
Error: Abort workflow execution
All results stored in a protocol
Final result of the protocol determines whether the transaction is
accepted or rejected
Final result handled by „Success“ or „Error“ Handlers
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

16. Workflow
Execution of Checks andContent of Remidi09.java: Rights for Remidi09.java:
Handlers forAccess
Commit message:
Keywords set Remidi09.java:
MANTIS ID 42 Remidi09 Permissionvoid main(){}}
class
Id { static denied
IDE RepoGuardLastChangedRevision
Something to commit
e.g. Eclipse
Mantis Keywords AccessRights Checkstyle
Error
Success Warnung Error
Warning DelayedError Error
Succes-Handler Error-Handler
Mantis Console
E-Mail E-Mail
Hudson Log File
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

17. Configuration
Configuration of the Workflow, Checks and Handlers
All in one rich property file
Key-Value-Pairs arranged in groups and subgroups
Validation of Configuration
Validation before using in a productive environment
Configuration Templates
Reduce your overhead between configurations
Configuration hierarchy
Inheritance mechanism
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

18. Command Line Tool
Easy Use of RepoGuard
Administration
Easy installation and removal of RepoGuard in repositories
Validation of Configuration
Validate your configuration file before using in a productive environment
Configuration support
Extensible Command Line Tool
Integrate new functionality for RepoGuard configuration
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

19. Benefits of RepoGuard
Why you should use it!
Better integration of Version Control in the development process
Especially the connectivity to the Bug Tracking System
Stay informed about what happens in your Repository
Reporting over all communication channels possible
Keeping your repository under surveillance
Detection and rejection of mistakes
Increase of the overall source code quality
Turn your developers into well-behaved cats
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

20. Conclusion
Where can I get it?
Availability
Open-Source (Apache License V2.0)
More information and download at…
http://repoguard.tigris.org
Contact
Malte.Legenhausen@dlr.de, Stefan.Pielicke@dlr.de
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009

21. Q&A
Questions and maybe Answers
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Remidi 09 > 13 July 2009