2025 news draft

website/src/content/docs/news/_2025-01-05-2025-start.md

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+---
+slug: "news/2025-goals"
+title: "2025 project goals"
+authors: [privatepuffin]
+date: 2024-11-21
+tags:
+  - "2025"
+---
+
+# TrueCharts: A Look Back at 2024 and Our Ambitious Plans for 2025
+
+## Reflecting on 2024
+
+2024 was a transformative year for the TrueCharts project. After being compelled to move away from TrueNAS SCALE as a platform by iXSystems, we swiftly pivoted to embrace a new direction. Within mere months, we launched our proprietary cluster deployment tool, **ClusterTool**, marking a significant milestone. This bold transition also saw us adopting Kubernetes, Talos, and FluxCD as the foundation of our ecosystem.
+
+While this shift opened up immense possibilities, it also meant we had to postpone several exciting features we had initially planned. However, these setbacks have only strengthened our resolve to make 2025 a year of solidification and innovation.
+
+## Goals for 2025
+
+### Helm Chart Repository Enhancements
+
+1. **Archiving System Charts**:
+   - We plan to archive certain "system" charts where high-quality upstream Helm charts already exist. This approach minimizes the need for us to stay in sync with upstream CRD changes, ultimately benefiting our users.
+
+2. **Standardized Normal Charts**:
+   - For charts without Kubernetes customizations or CRDs, we will continue to develop and maintain them, as our standardization offers significant value to users.
+
+3. **Expanding the Catalog**:
+   - We are committed to growing our chart repository, adding numerous innovative software solutions to better serve the community.
+
+### Improvements to the Common Chart and Ingress
+
+1. **Ingress Overhaul**:
+   - Based on valuable feedback from our community and the former K8S-At-Home (now "Homelab") community, we will completely rewrite our ingress configuration. The updated ingress will:
+     - Be compatible with stock Traefik or other standardized ingress solutions.
+     - Eliminate reliance on TrueCharts-specific ingress settings.
+
+2. **Traefik Middlewares Integration**:
+   - Traefik middlewares will be incorporated into the common chart and thoroughly tested to ensure seamless functionality.
+
+### Dependency Management Enhancements
+
+1. **Integrated Dependencies**:
+   - Helm dependencies, such as those for MariaDB and Redis, have posed challenges in terms of testing and flexibility. To address this, we will integrate these dependencies directly into the common chart, enabling:
+     - Easier customization.
+     - Significantly improved test coverage.
+
+### Add-On System Expansion
+
+1. **Enhanced Add-On Options**:
+   - While the current add-on system is appreciated, user feedback has highlighted its limitations. We aim to expand its capabilities, providing users with more granular options comparable to standalone charts.
+
+### Testing and Validation Improvements
+
+1. **Increased Test Coverage**:
+   - We will continue to improve the common chart's test coverage, addressing existing gaps and ensuring reliability.
+
+2. **Schema Validation**:
+   - Introducing `schema.json` validation for all common chart options will reduce the likelihood of user errors.
+   - We also plan to automate documentation generation from the schema, addressing documentation gaps and accelerating development.
+
+## Looking Ahead
+
+As we step into 2025, our focus is clear: to refine, expand, and solidify the TrueCharts ecosystem. By addressing community feedback, enhancing our chart repository, and improving testing and validation processes, we aim to deliver a more robust and user-friendly experience. The road ahead is ambitious, but with the support of our dedicated community, we are confident in achieving these goals.