GitHub configuration with OpenTofu

art-decisions/proposals/2023-10-09-github-configuration-as-code.md

@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+# GitHub Configuration as Code
+
+Automate and manage GitHub configuration with [OPenTofu][1]
+
+## Voting Period
+
+The voting period for this proposal will be open for 10 days from its submission.
+
+## Benefits
+
+OpenTofu is typically not used to configure GitHub repositories directly;
+instead, it is primarily used for infrastructure as code (IaC) to provision and
+manage cloud resources and infrastructure components. However, there might be
+scenarios where we would want to use it in conjunction with GitHub
+repositories or GitHub Actions to automate and manage certain aspects of our
+GitHub configuration. Here are some reasons why we might consider using
+it for such tasks:
+
+1. Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Consistency: If the development workflow relies
+heavily on GitHub repositories, using OpenTofu allows to define and maintain
+GitHub configuration as code, ensuring consistency and reproducibility across
+all current and future projects.
+
+2. Automated Repository Setup: OpenTofu can be used to automate the creation of
+GitHub repositories, organizations, teams, and access controls. This can be
+especially useful if we have a large number of repositories to manage or need to
+set up repositories with a specific structure or permissions.
+
+3. Integration with Other Infrastructure: If our application's infrastructure is
+defined and managed using OpenTofu, we can integrate our GitHub repository
+setup into our broader infrastructure provisioning process. For example, we
+might need to create a new repository as part of deploying a new application.
+
+4. Version Control and Collaboration: Just like with infrastructure code,
+storing our GitHub configuration in version-controlled OpenTofu code enables
+collaboration, code review, and change tracking. We can use Git to manage
+changes to our GitHub configurations.
+
+5. Documentation and Compliance: By defining our GitHub configurations in
+OpenTofu, we can create documentation that describes our organization's GitHub
+policies, repository structures, and access controls. This documentation can be
+versioned alongside the codebase.
+
+6. Cross-Cloud and Multi-Platform Environments: If our organization uses
+multiple cloud providers or platforms and needs to manage GitHub repositories
+across them, OpenTofu provides a unified way to define and manage these
+resources.
+
+7. Scaling and Managing Growth: As the organization grows, we may need to create
+and manage numerous repositories. OpenTofu allows to scale the GitHub
+repository management processes efficiently.
+
+8. Change Management: With OpenTofu, we can easily make changes to our GitHub
+configurations, such as adding or removing collaborators, updating team
+permissions, or modifying repository settings, all while maintaining version
+history and change tracking.
+
+In summary, while OpenTofu is not the primary tool for configuring GitHub
+repositories, it can be a valuable addition to our DevOps toolkit when we need
+to automate, manage, and maintain GitHub configurations in a consistent and
+reproducible manner, especially in the context of larger infrastructure and
+development workflows.
+
+[1]: https://github.com/platform-engineering-org/terraform-github-configuration-module