Installer is separate deployment managed by capi-operator

Author: mdbooth

Dockerfile.rhel

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ RUN make clean build
 
 FROM registry.ci.openshift.org/ocp/4.22:base-rhel9
 COPY --from=builder /go/src/github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/bin/capi-operator .
+COPY --from=builder /go/src/github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/bin/capi-installer .
 COPY --from=builder /go/src/github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/bin/capi-controllers .
 COPY --from=builder /go/src/github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/bin/machine-api-migration .
 COPY --from=builder /go/src/github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/bin/crd-compatibility-checker .

Makefile

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ verify: fmt lint verify-ocp-manifests ## Run formatting and linting checks
 
 test: verify unit ## Run verification and unit tests
 
-build: bin/capi-operator bin/capi-controllers bin/machine-api-migration bin/crd-compatibility-checker manifests-gen ## Build all binaries
+build: bin/capi-operator bin/capi-installer bin/capi-controllers bin/machine-api-migration bin/crd-compatibility-checker manifests-gen ## Build all binaries
 
 clean:
 	rm -rf bin/*

cmd/capi-installer/main.go

@@ -0,0 +1,164 @@
+// Copyright 2026 Red Hat, Inc.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//	http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package main
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"time"
+
+	appsv1 "k8s.io/api/apps/v1"
+	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	apiextensionsv1 "k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/apis/apiextensions/v1"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
+	utilruntime "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime"
+	clientgoscheme "k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/scheme"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
+
+	ctrl "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/cache"
+
+	configv1 "github.com/openshift/api/config/v1"
+	operatorv1alpha1 "github.com/openshift/api/operator/v1alpha1"
+
+	"github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/pkg/commoncmdoptions"
+	"github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/pkg/controllers"
+	"github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/pkg/controllers/installer"
+	"github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/pkg/controllers/revision"
+	"github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/pkg/providerimages"
+	"github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/pkg/util"
+)
+
+var errPodIdentityNotSet = errors.New("POD_NAME and POD_NAMESPACE must be set")
+
+const (
+	managerName = "capi-installer"
+
+	defaultProviderImageDirPath = "/var/lib/provider-images"
+)
+
+func initScheme(scheme *runtime.Scheme) {
+	utilruntime.Must(clientgoscheme.AddToScheme(scheme))
+	utilruntime.Must(configv1.AddToScheme(scheme))
+	utilruntime.Must(apiextensionsv1.AddToScheme(scheme))
+	utilruntime.Must(appsv1.AddToScheme(scheme))
+	utilruntime.Must(operatorv1alpha1.AddToScheme(scheme))
+}
+
+func main() {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctrl.SetupSignalHandler())
+	cfg := ctrl.GetConfigOrDie()
+
+	scheme := runtime.NewScheme()
+	initScheme(scheme)
+
+	extraflags := flag.NewFlagSet("", flag.ContinueOnError)
+	providerImageDir := extraflags.String(
+		"provider-image-dir",
+		defaultProviderImageDirPath,
+		"Directory containing provider image manifests. In dev mode, set to a local directory to skip pod spec reading.",
+	)
+
+	log, operatorConfig, mgrOpts, initManager, err := commoncmdoptions.InitOperatorConfig(ctx, cfg, scheme, managerName, controllers.DefaultOperatorNamespace, extraflags)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error(err, "unable to initialize operator config")
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	mgrOpts.Cache = cache.Options{
+		DefaultNamespaces: map[string]cache.Config{
+			*operatorConfig.CAPINamespace:     {},
+			*operatorConfig.OperatorNamespace: {},
+		},
+		SyncPeriod: ptr.To(10 * time.Minute),
+	}
+
+	mgr, err := initManager(ctx, cancel, mgrOpts)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error(err, "unable to initialize manager")
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	if err := setupControllers(ctx, mgr, operatorConfig, *providerImageDir); err != nil {
+		log.Error(err, "unable to setup controllers")
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	log.Info("Starting " + managerName + " manager")
+
+	if err := mgr.Start(ctx); err != nil {
+		log.Error(err, "problem running manager")
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+}
+
+func setupControllers(ctx context.Context, mgr ctrl.Manager, operatorConfig commoncmdoptions.OperatorConfig, providerImageDir string) error {
+	providerProfiles, err := loadProviderImages(ctx, mgr, providerImageDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	log := ctrl.LoggerFrom(ctx)
+	for _, profile := range providerProfiles {
+		log.Info("loaded provider profile", "name", profile.Name, "imageRef", profile.ImageRef, "profile", profile.Profile)
+	}
+
+	if err := (&revision.RevisionController{
+		Client:           mgr.GetClient(),
+		ProviderProfiles: providerProfiles,
+		ReleaseVersion:   util.GetReleaseVersion(),
+	}).SetupWithManager(mgr, operatorConfig.TLSOptions); err != nil {
+		log.Error(err, "unable to create revision controller", "controller", "RevisionController")
+		return fmt.Errorf("unable to create revision controller: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := installer.SetupWithManager(mgr, providerProfiles); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("unable to create installer controller: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func loadProviderImages(ctx context.Context, mgr ctrl.Manager, providerImageDir string) ([]providerimages.ProviderImageManifests, error) {
+	podName := os.Getenv("POD_NAME")
+	podNamespace := os.Getenv("POD_NAMESPACE")
+
+	if podName == "" || podNamespace == "" {
+		return nil, errPodIdentityNotSet
+	}
+
+	var pod corev1.Pod
+	if err := mgr.GetAPIReader().Get(ctx, types.NamespacedName{Name: podName, Namespace: podNamespace}, &pod); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to get pod %s/%s: %w", podNamespace, podName, err)
+	}
+
+	imageRefMap, err := providerimages.BuildImageRefMap(pod.Spec, managerName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to build image ref map from pod spec: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	log := ctrl.LoggerFrom(ctx)
+
+	providerProfiles, err := providerimages.ScanProviderImages(log, providerImageDir, imageRefMap)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to scan provider images: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return providerProfiles, nil
+}

cmd/capi-operator/main.go

@@ -17,14 +17,12 @@ package main
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
-	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"time"
 
 	appsv1 "k8s.io/api/apps/v1"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
-	apiextensionsv1 "k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/apis/apiextensions/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
 	utilruntime "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/runtime"
@@ -33,6 +31,7 @@ import (
 
 	ctrl "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/cache"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
 
 	"github.com/go-logr/logr"
 	configv1 "github.com/openshift/api/config/v1"
@@ -41,24 +40,22 @@ import (
 	"github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/pkg/commoncmdoptions"
 	"github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/pkg/controllers"
 	"github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/pkg/controllers/clusteroperator"
-	"github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/pkg/controllers/installer"
-	"github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/pkg/controllers/revision"
-	"github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/pkg/providerimages"
+	"github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/pkg/controllers/installerdeployment"
 	"github.com/openshift/cluster-capi-operator/pkg/util"
 )
 
-var errPodIdentityNotSet = errors.New("POD_NAME and POD_NAMESPACE must be set")
+var (
+	errPodIdentityNotSet = errors.New("POD_NAME and POD_NAMESPACE must be set")
+	errContainerNotInPod = errors.New("container not found in pod spec")
+)
 
 const (
 	managerName = "capi-operator"
-
-	defaultProviderImageDirPath = "/var/lib/provider-images"
 )
 
 func initScheme(scheme *runtime.Scheme) {
 	utilruntime.Must(clientgoscheme.AddToScheme(scheme))
 	utilruntime.Must(configv1.AddToScheme(scheme))
-	utilruntime.Must(apiextensionsv1.AddToScheme(scheme))
 	utilruntime.Must(appsv1.AddToScheme(scheme))
 	utilruntime.Must(operatorv1alpha1.AddToScheme(scheme))
 }
@@ -70,14 +67,7 @@ func main() {
 	scheme := runtime.NewScheme()
 	initScheme(scheme)
 
-	extraflags := flag.NewFlagSet("", flag.ContinueOnError)
-	providerImageDir := extraflags.String(
-		"provider-image-dir",
-		defaultProviderImageDirPath,
-		"Directory containing provider image manifests. In dev mode, set to a local directory to skip pod spec reading.",
-	)
-
-	log, operatorConfig, mgrOpts, initManager, err := commoncmdoptions.InitOperatorConfig(ctx, cfg, scheme, managerName, controllers.DefaultOperatorNamespace, extraflags)
+	log, operatorConfig, mgrOpts, initManager, err := commoncmdoptions.InitOperatorConfig(ctx, cfg, scheme, managerName, controllers.DefaultOperatorNamespace, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error(err, "unable to initialize operator config")
 		os.Exit(1)
@@ -97,7 +87,7 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
-	if err := setupControllers(ctx, log, mgr, operatorConfig, *providerImageDir, cancel); err != nil {
+	if err := setupControllers(ctx, log, mgr, operatorConfig, cancel); err != nil {
 		log.Error(err, "unable to setup controllers")
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
@@ -110,7 +100,7 @@ func main() {
 	}
 }
 
-func setupControllers(ctx context.Context, log logr.Logger, mgr ctrl.Manager, operatorConfig commoncmdoptions.OperatorConfig, providerImageDir string, cancel context.CancelFunc) error {
+func setupControllers(ctx context.Context, log logr.Logger, mgr ctrl.Manager, operatorConfig commoncmdoptions.OperatorConfig, cancel context.CancelFunc) error {
 	infra, err := util.GetInfra(ctx, mgr.GetAPIReader())
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("unable to get infrastructure: %w", err)
@@ -136,63 +126,45 @@ func setupControllers(ctx context.Context, log logr.Logger, mgr ctrl.Manager, op
 		return fmt.Errorf("unable to create clusteroperator controller: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// The ClusterOperatorController MUST run if we were installed, otherwise
-	// our ClusterOperator will not be reconciled and installation will not
-	// progress. We don't run any other controllers if the current platform is
-	// not supported.
-	if !supportedPlatform {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	providerProfiles, err := loadProviderImages(ctx, mgr, providerImageDir)
+	// Get container image from own pod spec
+	containerImage, err := getContainerImage(ctx, mgr.GetAPIReader())
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	for _, profile := range providerProfiles {
-		log.Info("loaded provider profile", "name", profile.Name, "imageRef", profile.ImageRef, "profile", profile.Profile)
-	}
-
-	if err := (&revision.RevisionController{
-		Client:           mgr.GetClient(),
-		ProviderProfiles: providerProfiles,
-		ReleaseVersion:   util.GetReleaseVersion(),
-	}).SetupWithManager(mgr, operatorConfig.TLSOptions); err != nil {
-		log.Error(err, "unable to create revision controller", "controller", "RevisionController")
-		return fmt.Errorf("unable to create revision controller: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("unable to get container image: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	if err := installer.SetupWithManager(mgr, providerProfiles); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("unable to create installer controller: %w", err)
+	// Setup InstallerDeploymentController (runs on all platforms)
+	if err := (&installerdeployment.InstallerDeploymentReconciler{
+		Client:            mgr.GetClient(),
+		Namespace:         *operatorConfig.OperatorNamespace,
+		ContainerImage:    containerImage,
+		SupportedPlatform: supportedPlatform,
+	}).SetupWithManager(mgr); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("unable to create installerdeployment controller: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	return nil
 }
 
-func loadProviderImages(ctx context.Context, mgr ctrl.Manager, providerImageDir string) ([]providerimages.ProviderImageManifests, error) {
+// getContainerImage reads the container image from the capi-operator pod spec.
+func getContainerImage(ctx context.Context, k8sClient client.Reader) (string, error) {
 	podName := os.Getenv("POD_NAME")
-
 	podNamespace := os.Getenv("POD_NAMESPACE")
+
 	if podName == "" || podNamespace == "" {
-		return nil, errPodIdentityNotSet
+		return "", errPodIdentityNotSet
 	}
 
 	var pod corev1.Pod
-	if err := mgr.GetAPIReader().Get(ctx, types.NamespacedName{Name: podName, Namespace: podNamespace}, &pod); err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to get pod %s/%s: %w", podNamespace, podName, err)
-	}
-
-	imageRefMap, err := providerimages.BuildImageRefMap(pod.Spec, managerName)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to build image ref map from pod spec: %w", err)
+	if err := k8sClient.Get(ctx, types.NamespacedName{Name: podName, Namespace: podNamespace}, &pod); err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("unable to get pod %s/%s: %w", podNamespace, podName, err)
 	}
 
-	log := ctrl.LoggerFrom(ctx)
-
-	providerProfiles, err := providerimages.ScanProviderImages(log, providerImageDir, imageRefMap)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to scan provider images: %w", err)
+	// Find the capi-operator container
+	for _, container := range pod.Spec.Containers {
+		if container.Name == managerName {
+			return container.Image, nil
+		}
 	}
 
-	return providerProfiles, nil
+	return "", fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", managerName, errContainerNotInPod)
 }