Merge lp:~beuno/snappy/package-names-spec into lp:~snappy-dev/snappy/snappy-moved-to-github

[Martin Albisetti]

Initial spec for package naming and behavior.

Initial bootstrap for the package naming spec.

[Alejandro J. Cura (alecu)]

Doc looks mostly fine. Some small corrections and some questions added.

review: Approve

[lp:~beuno/snappy/package-names-spec]

308. By Martin Albisetti on 2015-04-15

Merge from trunk

309. By Martin Albisetti on 2015-04-15

Update to reflect Austin discussions

310. By Martin Albisetti on 2015-04-15

Review comments

311. By Martin Albisetti on 2015-04-15

Review comments

312. By Martin Albisetti on 2015-04-15

s/\/.

313. By Martin Albisetti on 2015-04-15

More examples

[John Lenton (chipaca)]

review: Approve

=== added file 'docs/package-names.md'
--- docs/package-names.md	1970-01-01 00:00:00 +0000
+++ docs/package-names.md	2015-04-15 22:04:11 +0000
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+# Snap package naming convention
+## Overview
+A developer specifies the flat package name in the manifest file, only one of 
+the same package name can be active at any time, you have to switch between 
+them if you want to run different ones.
+
+We will deliver this feature in 2 phases:
+
+## Phase 1
+
+### User experience
+
+#### Search
+
+    $ snappy search vim
+    vim.snappy     A popular text editor
+    vim.stevesh    Vim + python plugins
+    vim.matilda    Vim with a pink batman themes
+
+
+#### Installing packages
+
+    $ snappy install vim
+    Installing vim.snappy
+    4.03 MB / 4.03 MB [==============================] 100.00 % 124.66 KB/s
+    Done
+
+
+    $ snappy install vim.matilda
+    Installing vim.matilda
+    Error: Cannot install vim.matilda, you already have a package called "vim" installed.
+
+
+#### Running applications
+    $ vim.edit
+
+
+## Phase 2
+
+### User experience
+
+#### Search
+
+    $ snappy search vim
+    vim    A popular text editor
+    12 forks of "vim" not shown. Use --show-all to see all available forks.
+
+    $ snappy search vim --show-all
+    vim            A popular text editor
+    vim.stevesh    Vim + python plugins
+    vim.matilda    Vim with a pink batman themes 
+
+    $ snappy search clock
+    clock.asac     Even a broken clock is right twice a day
+    clock.stevesh  Proper implementation of a clock
+    clock.matilda  A waltzing clock
+
+
+#### Installing packages
+    $ snappy install vim
+    Installing vim.snappy
+    4.03 MB / 4.03 MB [==============================] 100.00 % 124.66 KB/s
+    Done
+
+    $ snappy install vim.giuseppe
+    Installing vim.giuseppe
+    6.33 MB / 6.33 MB [==============================] 100.00 % 114.01 KB/s
+    Done
+    Switch to vim.giuseppe from vim.snappy? (Y/n)
+    $ Y
+    Name             Date        Version     Developer
+    vim           2015-01-15  1.1         vimfoundation
+    vim           2015-01-15  1.7         giuseppe*
+
+    $ snappy switch vim/vimfoundation
+    Name             Date        Version     Developer
+    vim           2015-01-15  1.1         vimfoundation*
+    vim           2015-01-15  1.7         giuseppe
+
+
+#### Running applications
+    $ vim.edit
+
+Notes:
+    runtime does not need to remember that an alias was installed it just 
+    tracks what the alias resolved to maybe one can later ask "what is the 
+    current default of vim" or "what would it resolve to... maybe --dry run"
+
+#### Updates
+When you update, you always update to the original package you installed, 
+regardless of whether the mapping for vim has changed.
+
+## Manifest & metadata
+Package manifests will only contain the package name (`vim`), the origin of 
+the app will be fed by the store separately.
+
+## Filesystem
+Apps will be installed on the filesystem with their package name and origin:
+`/apps/vim.beuno/1.1/`
+
+## Garbage collection
+No automatic garbage collection of installed forks.
+
+## Sideloading
+You can only sideload one fork of an app, there is no switching on sideloads.
+
+## Touch & other GUIs
+Snappy will provide the basic building blocks, each platform can decide how to 
+deal with it.
+The store will guarantee the uniqueness of a package name and origin 
+combination, Snappy will allow packages with the same name to be co-installed 
+but will not be co-runnable.
+How UIs will be mapped to the primitives described in this document is not yet 
+defined. As part of that effort new requirements and feature nuances for 
+snappy namespaces could arise that snappy will work with engineering teams to 
+realize the best solution.
+(for instance it might be that touch design might deem the need to allow 
+co-installation and co-runnability of namespaced snap variants needed to 
+realize their UX/app story, but we explicitly leave that problem out for now).
+
+## Implementation details
+The packages will continue to be accessed in the store using their full
+namespaces (`/api/v1/vim.beuno`)
+On install, Snappy will ask you to choose which vim to use on runtime
+if you have more than one (defaults to what you are installing)
+There will have to be a (secure) way of persisting the user’s selection 
+of which vim is active
+
+## Ecosystem details
+Package names will now mean a specific piece of software. We will have to make 
+sure developers are aware on upload that if an existing piece of software 
+exists with that name, they are declaring themselves as an alternative to it
+There are long-term consequences for picking a package name. If you choose 
+“unity” as your package name, meaning the GUI, but down the line “unity” 
+becomes the gaming engine, you will need to be pushed out to a different name.
+
+## Open questions
+ * Must finalize what the `APP_ID` is going to be (composed? no devname? etc)