Scaffolding a Pattern

2 min read

ork create pattern generates the full file set needed to build, test, and publish an Orkestra pattern. It surfaces the same katalog scaffolding as ork generate katalog and adds the testing layer — simulate.yaml and e2e.yaml — so the operator suite is complete from the start.

ork create pattern
ork create pattern -o ./my-operator/
ork create pattern --add-hook -o ./my-operator/

What gets generated

my-operator/
  katalog.yaml    — operator declaration
  simulate.yaml   — in-memory test (ork simulate)
  e2e.yaml        — real-cluster test (ork e2e)
  README.md       — actionable steps from edit to release

In typed mode (--add-hook, --add-constructor, --typed):

  values.yaml     — runtime image (set before ork e2e)
  Makefile        — registry, build, build-runtime, docker, push, release
  Dockerfile      — production container image (distroless, runtime binary only)

Dynamic vs typed

The typed flags are forwarded directly to katalog generation — they behave identically to ork generate katalog.

FlagKatalog modeExtra files
(none)Dynamic — declarative templates only—
--add-hookTyped — commented hooks declarationvalues.yaml, Makefile, Dockerfile
--add-constructorTyped — commented constructor declarationvalues.yaml, Makefile, Dockerfile
--typedTyped — both sections commented, pick onevalues.yaml, Makefile, Dockerfile

From scaffold to running operator

Dynamic mode

# 1. Generate
ork create pattern -o ./my-operator/
cd my-operator/

# 2. Edit katalog.yaml — fill in spec.crds, declare resources
# 3. Validate
ork validate

# 4. Simulate — no cluster needed
ork simulate

# 5. Run locally
ork run --dev

# 6. E2E test
ork e2e

# 7. Observe
ork control

Typed mode

# 1. Generate
ork create pattern --add-hook -o ./my-operator/
cd my-operator/

# 2. Edit katalog.yaml — fill in apiTypes
# 3. Generate type registry
make registry

# 4. Write your hook function

# 5. Release the image
make release IMAGE=ghcr.io/myorg/my-operator:v0.1.0

# 6. Set the image in values.yaml
#    runtime.image.repository: ghcr.io/myorg/my-operator
#    runtime.image.tag: v0.1.0

# 7. Validate
ork validate

# 8. Simulate
ork simulate

# 9. Run locally
ork run --dev

# 10. E2E test — passes values.yaml to the Orkestra Helm chart
ork e2e

# 11. Push
ork push

The testing layer

simulate.yaml and e2e.yaml are starters — they reference ./katalog.yaml and ./cr.yaml but have no assertions yet.

Add assertions before running, or generate them from a live run:

ork simulate init

See Simulate and E2E for the full test authoring guide.

Publishing

Once your tests pass, push to the registry:

ork push

In typed mode, release the image first, then update values.yaml so ork e2e can pass it to the Orkestra Helm chart, then push the katalog:

make release IMAGE=ghcr.io/myorg/my-operator:v0.1.0
# edit values.yaml: set runtime.image.repository and runtime.image.tag
ork e2e
ork push