Inconsistent CLI images: kpt ships a container image but porchctl doesn't

[aravindtga]

Summary

The two user-facing kptdev CLIs are packaged inconsistently:

• kpt publishes container image to ghcr.io/kptdev/kpt (via dockers_v2 in kpt's release/tag/goreleaser.yaml).
• porchctl publishes no container image - porch builds it as binaries/archives only.

Both are user-facing CLIs, so they should have a consistent distribution surface. Surfaced while working on #4772, part of the tag-standardization effort in #4732.

Options

A - Remove the kpt CLI image. Drop dockers_v2 from kpt's GoReleaser config; distribute both CLIs as binaries/archives only.

• Simplest and consistent, but breaks existing ghcr.io/kptdev/kpt consumers.

B - Give both CLIs dev + release images (per the #4732 latest=dev / stable=release convention):

• kpt: add a latest dev image on merge to main (release image exists; stable added in release: add stable tag to release container image #4772).
• porchctl: introduce ghcr.io/kptdev/porchctl with dev (latest) and release (stable / vX.Y.Z) images, mirroring kpt.
• Consistent and containerized, but more to build/publish/secure.

Decision needed

Do we want a containerized user-facing CLI?

• No → Option A. Yes → Option B.

Related

• Standardize image tags across kptdev repos - latest = dev, stable = release #4732 — Standardize image tags across kptdev repos
• release: add stable tag to release container image #4772 — Add stable tag to the kpt release image

[SurbhiAgarwal1]

Hi @aravindtga , Can you assign me this issue?

[aravindtga]

Hi @SurbhiAgarwal1

Thanks for your interest in picking this up! Since this issue depends on a community decision about the proposed solution, I'd suggest waiting until that's finalized. Once it is, I'll be happy to assign it to you.

[efiacor]

Tech meeting discussion decision - Drop the build of the kpt container. Mark as no longer supported after v1.x.y. Check doc for update to remove refs to the image.