Convert the Priority field from int32 to *int32 across all BPF program types (TC, TCX, XDP) and their cluster variants

[andreaskaris]

Summary

Convert the Priority field from int32 to *int32 across all BPF program types (TC, TCX, XDP) and their cluster variants.

Fixes #484

Motivation

Making Priority a pointer allows users to set the priority to 0, or to use the default behavior. This provides better API semantics and allows bpfman to apply its own default priority logic when the field is omitted. Following OpenShift API guide best practices, the default value is now set via the controller rather than the CRD definition.

Changes

Core API Changes (commit 7a20559)

• API Changes: Changed Priority field type from int32 to *int32 in:

  • ClTcAttachInfo / ClTcAttachInfoState
  • ClTcxAttachInfo / ClTcxAttachInfoState
  • ClXdpAttachInfo / ClXdpAttachInfoState
  • TcAttachInfo / TcAttachInfoState
  • TcxAttachInfo / TcxAttachInfoState
  • XdpAttachInfo / XdpAttachInfoState

• Kubebuilder Annotations: Removed +kubebuilder:default:=1000 annotations - the default is now set by the controller rather than via the API, following OpenShift API guide best practices

• Helper Function: Added GetPriority() helper in pkg/helpers to handle nil pointer cases and provide default value of 1000

• Controller Updates: Updated all reconcilers to use GetPriority() helper:

  • Cluster-scoped: cl_tc_program.go, cl_tcx_program.go, cl_xdp_program.go
  • Namespace-scoped: ns_tc_program.go, ns_tcx_program.go, ns_xdp_program.go

• Generated Code: Updated CRDs, deepcopy functions, and CSV manifests

• Tests: Updated all test files to use ptr.To() for priority values

Test Infrastructure Improvements (commits 7c42d03, 229e32f)

• Table-Driven Tests (commit 7c42d03): Refactored BPF application tests to use table-driven pattern with reusable helper functions:

  • createFakeClusterReconciler() / createFakeNamespaceReconciler() for setup
  • runClusterReconciler() / runNamespaceReconciler() for execution
  • verifyClusterBpfApplicationState() / verifyNamespaceBpfApplicationState() for validation
  • verifyClusterBpfProgramState() / verifyNamespaceBpfProgramState() for status checks

• Mockable Network Namespace Cache (commit 229e32f): Extracted NetnsCache into a mockable interface:

  • Defined NetNsCache interface with GetNetNsId() and Reset() methods
  • Implemented ReconcilerNetNsCache with original caching logic
  • Added MockNetNsCache for testing with predefined namespace mappings
  • Enabled proper unit testing without filesystem dependencies

Priority Field Testing (commit 5cd629f)

• Unit Tests: Added tests for priority field handling:
  • Verify nil priority defaults to 1000
  • Verify explicit priority values are correctly set
  • Verify zero priority is allowed
  • Coverage for both cluster-scoped and namespace-scoped BPF applications
  • Verify priority is correctly reflected in program status

Testing

• Unit tests updated and priority field tests added
• Integration tests updated

[andreaskaris]

With this fix, applications can now have priority 0:

[root@centos9-bpfman bpfman]# kubectl apply -f /root/bytecode.yaml 
clusterbpfapplication.bpfman.io/go-xdp-counter-example created
[root@centos9-bpfman bpfman]# 
[root@centos9-bpfman bpfman]# 
[root@centos9-bpfman bpfman]# 
[root@centos9-bpfman bpfman]# kubectl get clusterbpfapplication
NAME                     NODESELECTOR   STATUS    AGE
go-xdp-counter-example                  Success   20s
[root@centos9-bpfman bpfman]# kubectl apply -f /root/bytecode.yaml ^C
[root@centos9-bpfman bpfman]# kubectl get clusterbpfapplicationstate  -o yaml 
apiVersion: v1
items:
- apiVersion: bpfman.io/v1alpha1
  kind: ClusterBpfApplicationState
  metadata:
    creationTimestamp: "2025-10-21T18:14:19Z"
    finalizers:
    - bpfman.io.clbpfapplicationcontroller/finalizer
    generation: 1
    labels:
      bpfman.io/ownedByProgram: go-xdp-counter-example
      kubernetes.io/hostname: bpfman-deployment-control-plane
    name: go-xdp-counter-example-33a1ac2f
    ownerReferences:
    - apiVersion: bpfman.io/v1alpha1
      blockOwnerDeletion: true
      controller: true
      kind: ClusterBpfApplication
      name: go-xdp-counter-example
      uid: ad361693-6d2c-486f-a1b8-9fa3dae8a5ee
    resourceVersion: "1967"
    uid: 48ec7d07-8c22-4244-8010-8fc769e7b188
  status:
    appLoadStatus: LoadSuccess
    conditions:
    - lastTransitionTime: "2025-10-21T18:14:30Z"
      message: The BPF application has been successfully loaded and attached
      reason: Success
      status: "True"
      type: Success
    node: bpfman-deployment-control-plane
    programs:
    - name: xdp_stats
      programId: 2397
      programLinkStatus: Success
      type: XDP
      xdp:
        links:
        - interfaceName: eth0
          linkId: 1752065740
          linkStatus: Attached
          priority: 0
          proceedOn:
          - Pass
          - DispatcherReturn
          shouldAttach: true
          uuid: 915b77d2-6723-4cb1-a83f-2640a82143bb
    updateCount: 2
kind: List
metadata:
  resourceVersion: ""
[root@centos9-bpfman bpfman]# kubectl exec -n bpfman               bpfman-daemon-7rnsn -it -- /bin/bash
Defaulted container "bpfman" out of: bpfman, bpfman-agent, node-driver-registrar, mount-bpffs (init)
groups: cannot find name for group ID 2000
root@bpfman-deployment-control-plane:/# ./bpfman get link 1752065740
 Bpfman State                                                            
 BPF Function:       xdp_stats                                           
 Program Type:       xdp                                                 
 Program ID:         2397                                                
 Link ID:            1752065740                                          
 Interface:          eth0                                                
 Priority:           0                                                   
 Position:           0                                                   
 Proceed On:         pass, dispatcher_return                             
 Network Namespace:  None                                                
 Metadata:           bpfman.io/uuid=915b77d2-6723-4cb1-a83f-2640a82143bb 

[andreaskaris]

Note: functions added via addCleanup are run exactly once, and that at the end of all tests. The problem with that is that this will conflict when multiple tests add the same cleanup. Instead, use t.Cleanup which runs after each test. It's also probably not necessary to throw an error on cleanup, therefore don't..?

[frobware]

Should status be a pointer too? The spec field correctly uses *int32 to distinguish "not set" from "zero value", but I think the status field should remain int32 because:

1. Semantic mismatch: Status represents what was actually applied, not user intent. The controller always resolves a concrete priority value (either from spec or the default 1000), so status is never "unset".
2. Annotation contradiction: The status Priority field is marked +required but uses *int32 with omitempty. This is contradictory - omitempty allows the field to be absent in JSON, but +required says it must always be present. For required fields that always have a value, a non-pointer type is more appropriate.
3. API clarity: Using a pointer for status implies the value might be absent, which creates confusion about the controller's behaviour. A non-pointer type makes it clear that status always reflects a resolved, concrete value.

I did some follow-up work in #492 which reverts status to be a non-pointer type while keeping spec as *int32. The PR includes testing evidence showing priority: 0 is correctly preserved in both spec and status.

[frobware]

If we say that the status reflects what was actually applied to the system—since the controller always resolves a concrete priority value, whether it’s the user’s explicit value or the default of 1000—then the status field can never be "unset". It should always have a value.

The field is annotated +required but declared as *int32 with json:"priority,omitempty" - these are contradictory: a required field should not be a pointer with omitempty, as that allows it to be absent from the serialised output.