Add more detail about napari-bot, its usage and permissions

[willingc]

📚 New content request

As part of the napari team's workflow, napari-bot plays an important role.

Currently, discoverability of the napari-bot code is difficult as it exists outside of the napari org.

Outline

Briefly document the purpose of napari-bot, its commands, and repos it serves.

This message provides a good starting point: napari/napari#8891 (comment)

[Czaki]

Currently, discoverability of the napari-bot code is difficult as it exists outside of the napari org.

Whole code lives here: https://github.com/napari/napari/blob/main/.github/workflows/upgrade_test_constraints.yml
And have a long docstring on begin.

[willingc]

Whole code lives here: https://github.com/napari/napari/blob/main/.github/workflows/upgrade_test_constraints.yml
And have a long docstring on begin.

The long docstring is helpful @Czaki . To clarify:

1. Is upgrade_test_constraints.yml the actual bot functionality?
2. Is napari-bot/napari the repo used for storing branches for the bot's work activity?
3. Is PRs to napari/napari upgrade_test_constraints.yml the place to modify or change the bot's behavior?
4. Are there any additional workflow files in napari-bot/napari that also provide functionality for the bot?

[Czaki]

• Is upgrade_test_constraints.yml the actual bot functionality?

yes

• Is napari-bot/napari the repo used for storing branches for the bot's work activity?

yes

• Is PRs to napari/napari upgrade_test_constraints.yml the place to modify or change the bot's behavior?

yes

• Are there any additional workflow files in napari-bot/napari that also provide functionality for the bot?

no, we do not run any workflows in this repository, all code is executed in napari/napari, the napari-bot/napari is only place to store output.

[willingc]

Awesome. Thanks for clarifying @Czaki. This makes it much easier to understand.

[TimMonko]

Hmm, so what about @napari-bot in the docs repo? maybe that was added here https://github.com/napari/docs/pull/669/changes? but doesn't live in napari-bot/napari?
@psobolewskiPhD ❤️

[Czaki]

Using @napari-bot in command is only convenience to avoid not intentional trigger of some workflow.

[psobolewskiPhD]

It's also just actions in this repo. Bot implies something more awesome these days I guess.

[willingc]

I guess where it is unclear is how many bots are there? One (napari-bot) or two (plus a docs-bot)?

Being explicit makes it easier for context, reduces cognitive load, and allows the team and contributors to understand workflows.

[willingc]

In general, being more specific with names and comments in the workflows is helpful. Both within the workflow and how/when the workflow should be activated.

[Czaki]

I guess where it is unclear is how many bots are there? One (napari-bot) or two (plus a docs-bot)?

There is no bot at all. There is only convention to trigger workflow by comment.
There was a plan to build own bot, but it is not done yet. But we want to introduce proper "API" from begin.

[willingc]

So to clarify further:

1. When people reference napari-bot today, it means a workflow within the napari repo or another workflow in the docs repo. napari-bot is an aspirational term for a future tool to perform actions on command by a user, maintainer, or a workflow.
2. There are no bots. napari-bot/napari is a repo to store a branch of files used by napari/napari's workflows.
3. The napari/napari workflow upgrade_test_constraints.yml describes comments/labels that may be applied on the napari repo.
4. The napari/docs repo's workflow describes comments/labels that can be applied to the docs repo.