Provide docs for self hosting repo in Gitlab pages

docs/hosting-a-repository.rst

@@ -61,3 +61,267 @@ of clicking the repository file or a download link that points to it.
   the following command::
 
   $ base64 --wrap=0 < key.gpg
+
+Hosting a repository on Gitlab/Github pages
+-------------------------------------------
+
+Flat-manager can be complicated to self host. For single applications, 
+you can quickly host a Flatpak repository through Gitlab or Github pages 
+and distribute your app. These methods will rely on 
+`flatpak-github-actions <https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak-github-actions>`_. 
+
+.. note::
+  Github or Gitlab may have pipeline quotas, storage and bandwidth 
+  limits. Please consult their documentation on this.
+
+On Gitlab
+^^^^^^^^^
+
+The instructions will use Gitlab.com.
+
+1. Create a new blank repository on Gitlab
+
+2. Clone the repository locally
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+  git clone git@gitlab.com:your_user_name/repo_name.git && cd repo_name
+
+3. Create a ``.gitlab-ci.yml`` with the following contents.
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+  variables:
+    # Application id of the app, should be same as id used in flatpak manifest and appdata
+    APP_ID: tld.vendor.app_name
+    # Location of the flatpak manifest, root of git repository
+    MANIFEST_PATH: $CI_PROJECT_DIR/${APP_ID}.yaml
+    # Name of flatpak bundle
+    BUNDLE: "${APP_ID}.flatpak"
+    # Docker image to use
+    DOCKER_REGISTRY: "docker.io/bilelmoussaoui/flatpak-github-actions"
+    # Runtime to use, https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak-github-actions#docker-image
+    RUNTIME_NAME: "freedesktop"
+    # Runtime version to use
+    RUNTIME_VRESION: "23.08"
+    DOCKER_IMAGE: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY}:${RUNTIME_NAME}-${RUNTIME_VRESION}
+    SCHEDULE_TASK: default
+
+  stages:
+    - setup
+    - build
+    - deploy
+
+  # This will check for updates using external data checker and send PRs to the repo
+  update-sources:
+    stage: setup
+    image:
+      # https://github.com/flathub/flatpak-external-data-checker
+      name: ghcr.io/flathub/flatpak-external-data-checker
+      # Open shell rather than the bin
+      entrypoint: [""]
+    before_script:
+      - git config --global user.name "${GITLAB_USER_LOGIN}"
+      - git config --global user.email "${GITLAB_USER_EMAIL}"
+    script:
+      - /app/flatpak-external-data-checker --update --commit-only $MANIFEST_PATH
+
+      # Creates a merge request targetting the default repo branch and sets up auto merge when pipeline succeeds
+      - git push -o merge_request.create -o merge_request.target=${CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH} -o merge_request.merge_when_pipeline_succeeds
+        "https://${GITLAB_USER_NAME}:${CI_GIT_TOKEN}@${CI_REPOSITORY_URL#*@}" || true
+    artifacts:
+      paths:
+        - $MANIFEST_PATH
+      expire_in: 1 week
+    rules:
+      # Set up a pipeline schedule for this https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/ci/pipelines/schedules.html
+      - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "schedule" || $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "trigger"
+        when: always
+      - when: never
+
+  flatpak:
+    stage: build
+    image: ${DOCKER_IMAGE}
+    variables:
+      # Stable Flathub repo
+      RUNTIME_REPO: "https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo"
+    before_script:
+      # Sets up the stable Flathub repository for dependencies
+      - flatpak remote-add --user --if-not-exists flathub ${RUNTIME_REPO}
+    script:
+      # Sets up GPG signing
+      - gpg --list-keys --with-keygrip 
+      - echo "allow-preset-passphrase" >> ~/.gnupg/gpg-agent.conf
+      - gpg-connect-agent reloadagent /bye
+      - cat $GPG_PASSPHRASE | /usr/libexec/gpg-preset-passphrase --preset $GPG_KEY_GREP
+      - gpg --import --batch ${GPG_PRIVATE_KEY}
+
+      # Build & install build dependencies
+      - flatpak-builder build --user --install-deps-from=flathub --gpg-sign=${GPG_KEY_ID} --disable-rofiles-fuse --disable-updates --force-clean --repo=repo ${BRANCH:+--default-branch=$BRANCH} ${MANIFEST_PATH}
+      # Generate a Flatpak bundle
+      - flatpak build-bundle --gpg-sign=${GPG_KEY_ID} repo ${BUNDLE} --runtime-repo=${RUNTIME_REPO} ${APP_ID} ${BRANCH}
+
+      - flatpak build-update-repo --gpg-sign=${GPG_KEY_ID} --generate-static-deltas --prune repo/
+    artifacts:
+      paths:
+        - repo
+      expire_in: 1 week
+    tags: [""]
+    rules:
+      - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "schedule"
+        when: never
+      - when: always
+      - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == $CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH
+        when: always
+      - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH != $CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH
+        when: manual
+
+  # Deploys the generated package to Gitlab pages name.gitlab.io/repo_name
+  pages:
+    variables:
+      BUILD_OUTPUT_PATH: ${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/repo
+    stage: deploy
+    image: alpine:latest
+    before_script:
+      - apk add rsync
+      # replace html assets relative path with pages absolute path
+      - find $BUILD_OUTPUT_PATH \( -type d -name .git -prune \) -o -type f -print0 | xargs -0 sed -i -e "s#href=\"\/#href=\"$CI_PAGES_URL/#g" -e "s#src=\"\/#src=\"$CI_PAGES_URL/#g"
+    script:
+      - mkdir public || true
+      - rsync -av --exclude='public' --exclude='.git' $BUILD_OUTPUT_PATH/ public
+    artifacts:
+      paths:
+        - public
+      expire_in: 1 week
+    rules:
+      - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "schedule"
+        when: never
+      - if: $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == $CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH
+        when: always
+
+4. `Create <https://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual/c14.html>`_ a new GPG key 
+   locally, to sign the repository.
+
+5. Go to ``https://gitlab.com/-/profile/personal_access_tokens`` and create 
+   a token for ``$CI_GIT_TOKEN``. Note that the token is valid for a 
+   maximum of one year and you should renew it before it expires.
+
+6. Go to ``https://gitlab.com/your_user_name/repo_name/-/settings/ci_cd``. 
+   Expand `General` and disable public pipeline. Click Save. 
+   Expand `variables`. Add the following 
+   `variables <https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/ci/variables/#define-a-cicd-variable-in-the-gitlab-ciyml-file>`_ 
+   necessary for the pipeline to run:
+
+.. list-table::
+   :widths: 15 20 25 15 15 
+   :header-rows: 1
+
+   * - Type
+     - Key
+     - Value
+     - Protected
+     - Masked
+   * - Variable
+     - GPG_KEY_GREP
+     - Keygrip of GPG key
+     - Yes
+     - Optional
+   * - Variable
+     - GPG_KEY_ID
+     - Keyid of GPG key
+     - Yes
+     - Optional
+   * - File
+     - GPG_PASSPHRASE
+     - Passphrase of GPG Key
+     - Yes
+     - Optional
+   * - File
+     - GPG_PRIVATE_KEY
+     - ASCII armoured private key
+     - Yes
+     - Optional
+   * - Variable
+     - CI_GIT_TOKEN
+     - Token
+     - Yes
+     - Optional
+
+To get the keygrip of the GPG key generated in step 4, run the 
+following in your terminal and look at the ``Keygrip`` section:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+  gpg --list-secret-keys --with-keygrip
+
+To find the keyid of the GPG key run the following in the terminal. The 
+keyid should be in the first line starting with ``sec`` and 
+``algorithm/id``. The ``id`` part is the required keyid.
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+  gpg --list-secret-keys --keyid-format=long
+
+The following will generate an ASCII armoured private key. Then paste 
+the contents of that file in the CI variable settings.
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+  gpg --output private.pgp --armor --export-secret-key <keyid or email>
+
+7. Create a ``app_name.flatpakref`` in the root of the git repo with 
+   the following contents.
+
+.. parsed-literal::
+
+  [Flatpak Ref]
+  Title=<A pretty application or repo name>
+  Name=<Application id in tld.vendor.app_name format>
+  Branch=< branch of generated ostree refs, defaults to master>
+  Url=<Url of Gitlab page>
+  SuggestRemoteName=<A name for the flatpak remote>
+  Homepage=<URL of the homepage>
+  Icon=<Direct link to an icon>
+  RuntimeRepo=< Link to repo where runtime and other dependencies are eg. https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo>
+  IsRuntime=false
+  GPGKey=<base64 encoded GPG key>
+
+You can find the Gitlab page in 
+``https://gitlab.com/your_user_name/repo_name/pages``. Disable 
+`Use unique domain` there and hit save. To generate the base64 
+encoded ``GPGKey``, run the following and paste the string:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+  gpg --export <keyid> > example.gpg
+  base64 example.gpg | tr -d '\n'
+
+8. The root of the repository should contain the following 
+   files: ``.gitlab-ci.yml``, ``app_name.flatpakref``, the flatpak manifest 
+   ``tld.vendor.app_name.yaml`` and any other files/folders referenced 
+   in the manifest. ``git add`` these files, ``git commit`` and 
+   ``git push``.
+
+9. If everything was set up correctly, the push will trigger the 
+   pipeline to build and deploy your application with flatpak.
+
+10. To install the build, you can run:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+  flatpak install --user https://gitlab.com/your_user_name/repo_name/-/raw/branch/app_name.flatpakref
+
+This will set up a flatpak remote userwide, install the dependencies and 
+the application. Updates will be fetched when running ``flatpak update`` 
+if they are available.
+
+11. You can set up a `pipeline schedule <https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/ci/pipelines/schedules.html>`_, 
+    optionally to automatically check for updates using 
+    `flatpak-x-checker <https://github.com/flathub/flatpak-external-data-checker>`_ 
+    and send PRs to the repo.
+
+Credits
+^^^^^^^
+The CI template is based on the `work <https://gitlab.com/accessable-net/gitlab-ci-templates>`_ 
+of Flatpak community member 
+`proletarius101 <https://gitlab.com/proletarius101>`_.