Docs: flowchart/diagram for the overall build & deployment process

[leo-smi]

I know it seems fancy but i suggest create a flowchart/diagram to represent the idea. Some people are more visual than other or maybe have ADHD or similar.

[ncoghlan]

As in something like the following (in actual diagram form)?:

• venvstacks.toml -> (venvstacks lock) -> locked layer requirements files & metadata
  -> (venvstacks build) -> built layer environments ->

  • -> (venvstacks local-export) -> locally deployed environments

  • -> (venvstacks publish) -> layer archives & metadata -> (application specific distribution mechanism)

    • -> (unpack archives and run post-installation scripts) -> remotely deployed environments

That seems like a worthwhile addition to me. When I've wanted similar things in the past, I've used http://blockdiag.com/en/index.html to allow them to be expressed as text directives in the Sphinx docs rather than creating and maintaining the diagrams by hand.

(Tangentially related to #99, since that would explain what's involved in the "unpack archive and run post-installation script" step)