There are only two hard things in Computer Science: cache invalidation and naming things.
-- Phil Karlton

In the Installer config.yaml is the repository field - this is where users specify the container registry to use for PULLING images that are used in the Kubernetes installation. This is potentially ambiguous as repository could mean lots of things - Git, storage, container etc

History of this field

Gitpod is a unique Kubernetes installation type. Most Kubernetes installations only pull container images for use in their pods - Gitpod has two separate image registries; one for pulling pod images, one for push/pulling workspace images. Conceptually, these must not be mixed up.

The repository field was used as an unusual name and distinct from the containerRegistry object which defines how your push/pull registry is configured (in-cluster or external). The concern was, if we used the more usual registry name then new users would be unsure of the difference between the two and our community channel would be filled with questions on that subject

Whilst we support repository mirroring and pulling installation images from a non-Gitpod registry (see #6983), there are limitations currently - for instance, if pulling your installation images from a different registry, your containerRegistry MUST use the same registry as defined in repository for your workspace images. Whilst this limitation will likely go in the future (and maintaining the need for a separate field in the Installation config), it currently exists.

Suggestions

1. Rename it

Suggestions include:

• installationImageRegistry
• installationImageRepository

Please add any more in the comments. We should avoid any that start with gitpod as this is also the same registry that third-party images (eg, Helm, Kube RBAC Proxy) are pulled from as well.

2. Don't change

It's fine the way it is. It's a little quirk of Gitpod and, whilst potentially jarring at first, it's fine.

cc @corneliusludmann @csweichel @metcalfc @atduarte