Namespaces

Namespaces are named configuration sets that can be activated and switched so we can have different configurations applied for different scenarios.

For instance, we could set requireCleanRepositoryOnPush true in a configuration named production, use that when releasing and deploying a version to production, and use other configuration when deploying in development environment.

Setting an active namespace

To set an active namespace, we just set the active-config configuration:

alto config set active-config my-namespace

alto config get active-config

✔ Getting configuration [active-config]
my-namespace (String)

When a namespace is set - configuration is being set in that namespace. Changing the namespace will apply the settings that were set in that namespace.

alto config set autoLogin false

alto config list

✔ Listing configuration:
  active-config: my-namespace (String)
  autoLogin: false (Boolean)
  currentTeam:  (String)
  requireCleanRepositoryOnPush: true (Boolean)

# The "" empty-string named namespace is the root namespace
alto config set active-config ""

alto config list

Notice that autoLogin was reverted to its original value.

✔ Listing configuration:
  active-config:  (String)
  autoLogin: true (Boolean)
  currentTeam:  (String)
  requireCleanRepositoryOnPush: true (Boolean)

Reactivating my-namespace namespace will also set autoLogin as it was set in that namespace:

alto config set active-config my-namespace

alto config list

✔ Listing configuration:
  active-config: my-namespace (String)
  autoLogin: false (Boolean)
  currentTeam:  (String)
  requireCleanRepositoryOnPush: true (Boolean)

Namespace hierarchies

A namespace may contain nested namespaces - those are namespaces that inherit their parent namespace configuration while adding or overriding configuration keys.
In fact, all namespaces are nested under the root "" namespace.

To create a nested namespace we simply name it: <parent-namespace>::<nested-namespace>.
Notice that <parent-namespace> might be a nested namespace on its own.

Let's create a nested namespace called nested under our previous my-namespace namespace.

alto config set active-config my-namespace::nested

alto config list

As you can see, it just inherited its configuration from my-namespace.

✔ Listing configuration:
  active-config: my-namespace::nested (String)
  autoLogin: false (Boolean)
  currentTeam:  (String)
  requireCleanRepositoryOnPush: true (Boolean)

Now we can update the nested namespace without changing its parent.

alto config set requireCleanRepositoryOnPush false

alto config list

✔ Listing configuration:
  active-config: my-namespace::nested (String)
  autoLogin: false (Boolean)
  currentTeam:  (String)
  requireCleanRepositoryOnPush: false (Boolean)

And check that the parent namespace wasn't changed.

alto config set active-config my-namespace

alto config list

✔ Listing configuration:
  active-config: my-namespace (String)
  autoLogin: false (Boolean)
  currentTeam:  (String)
  requireCleanRepositoryOnPush: true (Boolean)

Configuration precedence

As configuration is inherited and may be overridden - the following list lists the configuration sources (scope + namespace) from the most general (everything inherits it; it cannot override anything) to the most specific (not inherited, and can override settings from all its ancestors).

It is worth mentioning that not all configuration sources may be present: Using a named namespace is optional. Also, a project can have no local configuration.

1. Predefined defaults
2. Root¹ global configuration
3. Root¹ project configuration
4. Named² global configuration
5. Named² project configuration
6. Nested³ global configuration
7. Nested³ project configuration

¹ Root means settings from the root, unnamed, namespace
² Named means settings from a named namespace which is the parent of the currently set `active-config`
³ Nested means settings from a nested namespace