Adding a variation to an existing deployable architecture

To create another variation of the deployable architecture that you already created, complete the following steps:

1. In your source code repo, create a working directory and add the required Terraform files for a deployable architecture.

2. In the manifest file, add the following code snippet into the flavors section. This array defines the offering as part of the same deployable architecture, but allows it to be listed as a variation within the catalog. If you downloaded your manifest from a previously onboarded version in the catalog, the file will already have a minimal definition in place for a new variation.

   For example, if your deployable architecture is called Dinner and you want to create a variation of that, you might call it steak as shown in the following example.

   "flavors": [
    {
        "label": "Steak",
        "name": "steak-variation",
        "working_directory": "./steak",
        "install_type": "fullstack"
    }
   ]
   

   The updated catalog manifest file that you upload as part of your release auto-fills most of the configurations for your new variation. However, it is a best practice to validate the configuration before you share the product with your organization.

You can repeat these steps if you have more variations to add. When you're done, you can create your Git release and start onboarding to a private catalog to create a catalog tile that you can share with others.

Adding a variation made of multiple deployable architectures

If you stacked architectures together in your project, you can add that solution as a variation in the catalog. If a quick start variation of a deployable architecture is simple and low-cost, a solution that was created by stacking is typically more complex and creates more resources than that quick start variation.

Complete the following steps:

1. Stack deployable architectures in a project. For more information, see Stacking deployable architectures.

   Configure and deploy the architectures to verify that the overall solution works as designed before you add it as a variation.

2. Define the variables that users need to configure to deploy successfully. For more information, see Defining stack variables.

3. Create a stack definition file. The stack definition specifies how the stacked deployable architectures relate to each other. The stack variables that you defined in the previous step are included in your stack definition file as well.

4. In your source code repo, create a working directory and add the stack_definition.json file to that directory. For more information, see Creating your source repo.

5. In your ibm_catalog.json manifest file, add the following code snippet into the flavors section:

   For example, if your deployable architecture is called Dinner and you want to create a variation of that architecture, you might call it Steak and potatoes with broccoli as shown in the following example.

   "flavors": [
    {
        "label": "Steak and potatoes with broccoli",
        "name": "steak-potatoes-broccoli-variation",
        "working_directory": "./steak-potatoes-broccoli",
        "install_type": "fullstack"
    }
   ]
   

If you haven't done so already, create your Git release and start onboarding to a private catalog to create a catalog tile that you can share with others.