[NIFI-666] Need UI mechanism to acquire version number of custom components

• Type: New Feature
• Status: Resolved
• Priority: Minor
• Resolution: Duplicate
• Component/s: Core Framework, Core UI, Documentation & Website, Extensions
• Epic Link: NiFi – Feedback and Awareness
• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: Robert J. Mills
• Created: 08/Jun/15 18:59
• Updated: 20/Jul/17 17:18
• Resolved: 20/Jul/17 17:18

Description

When attempting to troubleshoot a custom component in a NiFi installation, at least two pieces of information may be needed:
1. Which version of NiFi are you using?
2. Which version of the component are you using?

Currently, the only available mechanism(s) (for determining the version of the component), i.e.,

• examining the lib directory to get the version of the nar, or
• opening the log to the point where NiFi first "opened"/loaded the nar
  requires log in access to the machine where NiFi is running.

Many environments (particularly corporate) are likely to be wary of granting log in access to all NiFi users (not to speak of the difficulty in explaining to a generic user how to find the version number of the component in question).

Recommend making custom component/nar version numbers accessible in the NiFi User Interface (UI).

Here are a few options for consideration:

• Include a list of nars (and their version numbers) alongside the Apache NiFi version number (currently provided in the about window/dialog).
• For each components documentation, include the name and version of the deployable unit (nar) from which it was loaded.
• Add the information to the face of processor(s), e.g., enable a portion of the face of a processor (perhaps an i (for information) or a question mark icon) that upon mouse over, displays information about the processor, including the deployable unit (nar name and version) from which it came.

Issue Links

• is duplicated by: NIFI-3381 Update NAR Maven Plugin to include version information