Deeper Artifactory Integration for Package Storage

[TKramerLenze]

Hi,

With Aptly 1.6.3 introducing the Artifactory publishing backend for snapshots, we are interested in whether Artifactory could be integrated more deeply as Aptly’s package storage backend as well.

Today, the backend can publish a snapshot to Artifactory. Could a future extension keep the packages managed by Aptly inside Artifactory throughout the workflow, rather than requiring Aptly-managed local storage before publication?

Two possible approaches come to mind:

• Generic Artifactory repository:
  • Aptly stores and retrieves its package pool directly from a generic repository, while retaining its existing publishing and signing workflow.
• Debian Artifactory repository:
  • Aptly publishes packages into an Artifactory Debian repository, allowing Artifactory to generate Debian metadata and handle repository signing.

The Debian-repository approach could make Artifactory responsible for the final Debian layout, metadata generation, and signing. The generic-repository approach may be simpler initially, while still centralizing package storage and avoiding local package persistence.

Would this be technically feasible within Aptly’s architecture?