Tutorial: Develop a Custom Integration (StackPack)

This feature is pre-production and unreleased. It is only available if the environment variable STS_EXPERIMENTAL_STACKPACK is set. Breaking changes may occur.

Goal

As a developer, you want to integrate your technology with SUSE® Observability by building a custom StackPack. This tutorial guides you through the process using the StackPack CLI.

Prerequisites

export STS_EXPERIMENTAL_STACKPACK=true

How to Develop a Custom Integration (StackPack)

  1. Scaffold a New StackPack

    The scaffold subcommand creates a new StackPack project structure from configurable templates, streamlining the initial setup process for StackPack development. The command supports both local directory templates and GitHub-hosted templates. Create a new StackPack project using the CLI:

    sts stackpack scaffold --name my-stackpack

    • To use a specific GitHub template (default: stackvista/stackpack-templates):

      sts stackpack scaffold --name my-stackpack --template-github-repo stackvista/stackpack-templates --template-name microservice --destination-dir stackpack
✓ Validating arguments...
✓ Checking destination directory...
✓ Fetching template from github:stackvista/stackpack-templates@main:templates
✓ Rendering templates...
✓ Validating rendered templates...
✓ Copying files to destination...
Files copied:
  README.md
  provisioning/dashboard.sty
  provisioning/metricbindings.sty
  provisioning/monitors.sty
  provisioning/remediation-hints/node-memory-pressure.md.hbs
  provisioning/stackpack.sty
  resources/deprovisioning.md
  resources/error.md
  resources/installed.md
  resources/logo.png
  resources/notinstalled.md
  resources/overview.md
  resources/provisioning.md
  resources/waitingfordata.md
  stackpack.yaml

✅ ✓ Scaffold complete!

Next steps:
1. Review the generated files in: ./my-stackpack
2. Check the ./my-stackpack/README.md for instructions on what to do next.
...

    • To use a local template:

      sts stackpack scaffold --name my-stackpack --template-local-dir ./templates --template-name webapp

  2. Review and Customize

The default: stackvista/stackpack-templates template is a great starting point as it contains examples for most of the extension points such as Monitors and Metric Bindings.

  1. Test Your StackPack

    The test subcommand command that streamlines the stackpack development workflow by automating the package → upload → install/upgrade sequence with automatic version management for testing iterations. Rapidly test your StackPack in a pre-production environment (requires a running Suse Observability instance):

    sts stackpack test -d ./my-stackpack --yes
✅ Starting stackpack test sequence...
  Stackpack: my-stackpack (current version: 0.0.1)

Step 1/5: Checking installed version...

Step 2/5: Creating temporary copy for testing...
✅ ✓ Temporary copy created

Step 3/5: Bumping version for testing...
✅ ✓ Version bumped to: 0.0.1-cli-test.10000

Step 4/5: Packaging stackpack...
✅ ✓ Stackpack packaged successfully!

Stackpack: my-stackpack (v0.0.1-cli-test.10000)
Zip file: /Users/viliakov/Workspace/src/github/stackstate-cli/my-stackpack/my-stackpack-0.0.1-cli-test.10000.zip
✅ ✓ Stackpack packaged successfully

Step 5/5: Uploading and installing/upgrading stackpack...
✅ Uploaded StackPack: /Users/viliakov/Workspace/src/github/stackstate-cli/my-stackpack/my-stackpack-0.0.1-cli-test.10000.zip
NAME              | DISPLAY NAME      | VERSION
my-stackpack | my-stackpack | 0.0.1-cli-test.10000
✅ ✓ Stackpack uploaded successfully
✅ StackPack instance installed
ID             | NAME | STATUS      | VERSION         | LAST UPDATED
274027256960772 | -    | PROVISIONING | 0.0.1-cli-test.1 | Fri Aug 29 09:10
                |      |              | 0000             | :26 2025 CEST
✅ ✓ Stackpack installed successfully

✅ 🎉 Test sequence completed successfully!

    • The test subcommand packages, uploads, and installs your StackPack with a test version suffix.

    • Iterate on your StackPack, using the test command for rapid feedback, make changes and observe the install/upgrade process to be successfully executed. Review the ingested topology and telemetry in the Suse Observability UI.

  2. Package Your finished StackPack version

    The package subcommand that creates zip files from stackpack directories. This command packages all required stackpack files and directories into a properly named zip archive for distribution and deployment. Package your StackPack into a distributable zip:

    sts stackpack package -d ./my-stackpack
✅ ✓ Stackpack packaged successfully!

Stackpack: stackpack (v0.0.1)
Zip file: /Users/viliakov/Workspace/src/github/stackstate-cli/my-stackpack/my-stackpack-0.0.1-cli-test.zip

    • To specify the output file:

      sts stackpack package -d ./my-stackpack -f my-custom-archive.zip

  3. Upload your stackpack to your instance

    sts stackpack upload -f ./my-stackpack-0.0.1.zip
✅ ✓ Stackpack uploaded successfully!

  4. Install or Upgrade your StackPack via the SUSE® Observability stackpacks UI.