pages/design-docs/delete-groups/solution-plugin.md

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# Solution - Plugin

## <a id="overview"> Overview

This solution suggests implementation of the feature in the core.

## <a id="detailed-design"> Detailed Design

Take all code in [I3e323bcc2](https://gerrit-review.googlesource.com/c/gerrit/+/245329)
and its related changes, and move that code into a plugin named "Delete Groups".
Essentially, the plugin will have an endpoint that deletes a group.

It is only possible to delete a group if the following prerequisites are met:

1. The calling user is an administrator
1. The given group is not a system group
1. The given group is an internal group (it is assumed that we will not allow
to delete external groups)
1. The given group is not the owner of any other group(s)
1. The given group is not a member of any other group(s)
1. The given group is not mentioned in any project's ACLs

If prerequisites are not met error message describing the root cause will be
presented to the user e.g. _Group "foo" cannot be deleted since it owns groups
"bar", "pub"_.

### <a id="scalability"> Scalability

There is no limitation on scale here.

## <a id="alternatives-considered"> Alternatives Considered

1. Write a script that deletes the groups. Not very clean but it is an option.
2. Plugin REST endpoint that deletes the group. By default, the endpoint should
move the group to `refs/deleted-groups` and also ensure that the deletion
shows up in the audit log. We could also add a configuration option that allows
deleting the group completely. One problem with this is the time for implementing this
option. It requires adding some functionality that nobody asked for, and also editing the
creation of a new group (if the group is in `refs/deleted-groups`, move it from
`deleted-groups` and connect it to the audit log of the previously created group).
3. Implementing group deletion as a plugin is challenging due to possibility of
GUI implementation of delete group on the group page. Existing plugin support lack
an endpoint for modifying group UI config page. There is also limitation with using
private methods for manipulating groups.

## <a id="pros-and-cons"> Pros and Cons

Pros:

1. Simple and fast to implement.
1. Doesn't break the functionality of groups such as audit log and always being
able to restore groups.

Cons:

1. It is a plugin, and it requires maintenance.
1. Before it could become a core plugin group deletion operation would have to
be recorded in the audit log.

## <a id="implementation-plan"> Implementation Plan

Add a feature switch to enable or disable the functionality. By default the functionality is
disabled.

## <a id="time-estimation"> Time Estimation

This should not take more than a few days to implement, since most of the code is
already written.