launchpad should support post-commit actions via webhooks

[Michael Rooney]

The post-commit hook is a powerful thing which allows actions such as building and/or testing the software to be automated and provide immediate feedback to the appropriate people. Most VCS allow for this and github provides hooks for this as well, so there is a strong precedent for this, if not a regression of hosting code on Launchpad.

The idea is fairly simple: provide a textbox from the code page which is configured at the project level, allowing for a URL to be specified. This URL will then be POSTed to with certain information such as the branch, revision, author, and log message.

Use cases include:
 * Integration with a continuous integration system such as Hudson/CruiseControl. In the URL box I would put http://myserver/build?job=myproject
 * Posting to a scriptlet (http://www.scriptlets.org/) and performing arbitrary commands such as tweeting based on commit messages
 * Telling a mirror /
 * Performing arbitrary commands on any machining listening for such messages over HTTP such as a deployment server

HTTP is a great choice because it is simple to implement, already a well understood concept by many, and plenty of services are already listening on HTTP and as such would be actionable on Launchpad commits without modification. There's also a nice python library for webhooks available called hookah: http://blog.webhooks.org/2009/03/02/announcing-hookah-the-web-hook-event-dispatcher/ .

Web Hook wiki: http://webhooks.pbworks.com/
GitHub guide: http://github.com/guides/post-receive-hooks

[Tim Penhey (thumper)]

A first implementation could add hooks on a branch by branch basis, and be handled by a branch job.

[Jonathan Lange (jml)]

It's an interesting idea. Really, it should be done in such a way so that hooks can be added to catch all new branch events at the following levels:
  - owned by a Person
  - subscribed by a Person
  - in a project group
  - in a project
  - in source package
  - in a distro source package
  - in a distribution

Since each of these is a meaningful container of branches.

Given that we already have to do something like this for sending out email, the extra effort of having a hook at each of those levels ought not be too hard. If it is, we should make it easier :)

Also, there are murmurings of Launchpad growing a messaging system. If we had something like that, then perhaps this should simply be an XMPP <-> webhook adapter?

[Karl-Erik Ström (karl-erik-strom)]

cant find a place to mail anybody for help with incorpasion o debia pacage .
How can i tur to ?
Giwe me an e-mailadress pleace.
Regarsa from
<email address hidden>