feat(ci): GitLab CI/CD dev→prod pipeline, kustomize base+overlays

Multiple developers now work on this repo, and the only working deploy
trigger required pushing to GitHub - which contradicts the standing
GitLab-canonical policy for this repo - while every actual deploy was a
manual kubectl run against one environment (no prod exists at all).

Restructures deploy/k8s/ into base/ + overlays/{dev,prod}: overlays/dev
is a verified byte-for-byte no-op for the live sandbox (kubectl kustomize
diff against the old flat layout is empty), overlays/prod is scaffolded
but inert (placeholder hostname + JMAP_SERVER_URL, since neither a prod
hostname decision nor a prod Stalwart exist yet). deploy/k8s/ca/ (the
EJBCA internal CA) is untouched and never referenced by either overlay.

Adds .gitlab-ci.yml: verify (MR gate, no push/deploy) -> build+deploy-dev
(automatic on push to dev, one image name/tag-only environments, fixing
the old -dev/-beta naming split) -> promote (manual, protected
`production` environment, retags the exact dev digest via
`docker buildx imagetools create` - never rebuilds - and is left as a
documented TODO for the actual `kubectl apply` until prod is real).

Updates VNCMAIL-SETUP.md and deploy/k8s/README.md to describe the new
flow and correct the aspirational promotion description that assumed a
"production image" CI never actually built.

Also fixes a pre-existing lint error (no-control-regex false positive on
an intentional DN-sanitizing character class in lib/smime-ca/ejbca.ts)
that was blocking this commit's pre-commit hook - unrelated to this
change otherwise, confirmed already present on dev before this branch.

Runner/RBAC/registry setup is an infra prerequisite this commit cannot
provide - documented in the pipeline plan, not part of this diff.

.gitignore

@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ next-env.d.ts
 # Sibling repos
 /repos/
 
-# k8s deploy secret (create from deploy/k8s/secret.example.yaml)
-/deploy/k8s/secret.yaml
+# k8s deploy secrets (create from the matching overlay's secret.example.yaml)
+/deploy/k8s/overlays/*/secret.yaml
 
 # S/MIME plugin build output (rebuild with: cd vnc/plugins/smime && npm run build)
 vnc/plugins/smime/node_modules/

.gitlab-ci.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,144 @@
+# GitLab-CI dev→prod pipeline for VNCmail+.
+#
+# Design (see the approved plan for full rationale):
+#   - One image name, environment lives only in the tag. No more -dev/-beta
+#     name confusion.
+#   - MR into `dev`: verify only (typecheck/lint/unit test/build check). No
+#     push, no deploy — this is the multi-developer merge gate.
+#   - Push to `dev`: build+push an immutable `sha-<sha>` tag, auto-deploy it
+#     to the vncmail (sandbox) namespace. No approval needed — dev always
+#     deploys.
+#   - Push to `main`: NEVER rebuilds. `main` only ever advances via
+#     `git merge --ff-only dev`, so main's HEAD commit already has a built
+#     image. The `promote` job retags that exact digest (registry-side copy,
+#     same primitive the old docker-publish.yml GHA workflow already used for
+#     its multi-arch manifest-list merge) and applies it to prod. `when:
+#     manual` + a protected `production` GitLab environment is the approval
+#     gate — nobody but an authorized user can click it, and nothing here
+#     runs automatically on main.
+#
+# Deliberately single-platform (linux/amd64) for the cluster build — this
+# pipeline's job is deploying to a known amd64 microk8s cluster, not public
+# multi-arch distribution (that's what the GHCR release workflows are for,
+# and they're untouched by this file).
+#
+# Prerequisites this pipeline assumes are already in place (see the plan's
+# "Split of responsibility" — these are admin/infra actions, not something
+# this file can set up):
+#   - GitLab Container Registry enabled for this project (CI_REGISTRY_* vars
+#     are then provided automatically — no manual credential setup needed).
+#   - A GitLab Runner with the Kubernetes executor, whose deploy-stage jobs
+#     run as a `gitlab-deployer` ServiceAccount scoped (namespaced Role, not
+#     cluster-admin) to the `vncmail` namespace (and later `vncmail-prod`).
+#     kubectl auto-detects in-cluster config from that ServiceAccount's
+#     mounted token — no KUBECONFIG variable required.
+#
+# deploy/k8s/ca/ (the EJBCA internal CA) is never referenced anywhere below —
+# that stays a fully manual, human-only runbook (see deploy/k8s/ca/README.md).
+
+stages:
+  - verify
+  - build
+  - deploy-dev
+  - promote
+
+variables:
+  IMAGE: $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/vncmail-plus
+  DEV_NAMESPACE: vncmail
+  PROD_NAMESPACE: vncmail-prod
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# verify — required check on every MR into dev. No registry, no cluster.
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+verify:
+  stage: verify
+  image: node:24-alpine
+  rules:
+    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event"'
+  script:
+    - npm ci
+    - npm run typecheck
+    - npm run lint
+    - npm run test:translations
+    - npm run build
+  # test:integration is deliberately NOT here — it spins up a real Stalwart
+  # fixture via docker-compose (Docker-in-Docker), which is heavier than a
+  # fast MR gate should be. Candidate for a separate scheduled/optional job
+  # later, not a blocker for this pipeline's first cut.
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# build — push to dev only. Builds once; main never rebuilds (see header).
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+build:
+  stage: build
+  image: docker:27-cli
+  services:
+    - docker:27-dind
+  rules:
+    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "push" && $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "dev"'
+  before_script:
+    - echo "$CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD" | docker login -u "$CI_REGISTRY_USER" "$CI_REGISTRY" --password-stdin
+  script:
+    - docker build --build-arg GIT_COMMIT=$CI_COMMIT_SHA -t "$IMAGE:sha-$CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA" -t "$IMAGE:dev-latest" .
+    - docker push "$IMAGE:sha-$CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA"
+    - docker push "$IMAGE:dev-latest"
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# deploy-dev — automatic, no approval. Deploys the immutable sha tag, never
+# the moving dev-latest pointer, so what's running always matches one commit.
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+deploy-dev:
+  stage: deploy-dev
+  image: bitnami/kubectl:1.31
+  environment:
+    name: dev
+    url: https://vncmail.sandbox.vnc.de
+  rules:
+    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "push" && $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "dev"'
+  script:
+    # Apply the manifests first (structure/config), then set the exact image
+    # this pipeline just built — imperative `set image`, not a kustomize-file
+    # edit, so overlays/dev never needs a commit to change what's deployed.
+    - kubectl apply -k deploy/k8s/overlays/dev
+    - kubectl -n $DEV_NAMESPACE set image deployment/vncmail-plus vncmail-plus="$IMAGE:sha-$CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA"
+    - kubectl -n $DEV_NAMESPACE rollout status deploy/vncmail-plus --timeout=120s
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# promote — manual, protected `production` environment. No docker build here
+# — retags the exact digest already deployed to dev, then applies prod
+# pinned to that digest (never a mutable tag).
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+promote:
+  stage: promote
+  image: docker:27-cli
+  services:
+    - docker:27-dind
+  environment:
+    name: production
+    url: https://vncmail.CHANGEME.invalid # placeholder until the real prod host is decided
+  rules:
+    # `when: manual` lives inside the rule (not as a top-level job key) —
+    # required syntax once `rules:` is used at all.
+    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "push" && $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH == "main"'
+      when: manual
+  before_script:
+    - echo "$CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD" | docker login -u "$CI_REGISTRY_USER" "$CI_REGISTRY" --password-stdin
+  script:
+    - echo "Retagging the image already built+deployed for dev commit $CI_COMMIT_SHA — no rebuild."
+    - docker buildx imagetools create --tag "$IMAGE:prod-latest" "$IMAGE:sha-$CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA"
+    - DIGEST=$(docker buildx imagetools inspect "$IMAGE:sha-$CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA" | awk '/^Digest:/{print $2}')
+    - echo "Resolved digest for prod = $IMAGE@$DIGEST"
+    - >
+      echo "STOPPING HERE ON PURPOSE: deploy/k8s/overlays/prod is still
+      scaffolded/inactive (placeholder hostname, placeholder JMAP_SERVER_URL
+      — no prod Stalwart exists yet). Once both are real (Phase D in the
+      pipeline plan / VNCMAIL-SETUP.md), replace this echo with the same
+      pattern deploy-dev uses, against a bitnami/kubectl image and
+      \$PROD_NAMESPACE: kubectl apply -k deploy/k8s/overlays/prod &&
+      kubectl -n \$PROD_NAMESPACE set image deployment/vncmail-plus
+      vncmail-plus=$IMAGE@$DIGEST"
+  # Deliberately does NOT run `kubectl apply -k overlays/prod` yet — prod
+  # namespace/hostname/Stalwart don't exist (Phase C/D in the plan). Once
+  # they do, replace the placeholder echo above with the same
+  # `kubectl apply -k .` + `set image ...@$DIGEST` pattern deploy-dev uses,
+  # against $PROD_NAMESPACE, using the bitnami/kubectl image.

VNCMAIL-SETUP.md

@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ of truth; VNCmail+ is the UI. It deploys as a **container on Kubernetes
   except `/tmp`, so Bulwark's `mkdir ./data` crashes (`ENOENT /var/task/data`).
   You cannot point its data dirs at a remote host either (they're POSIX paths,
   not URLs). Bulwark's native model is a container + persistent volumes.
-- So VNCmail+ runs as a Docker image (`ghcr.io/brvncde-dotcom/vncmail-plus-*`)
-  with **4 persistent volumes**, exactly like the existing `bulwark.sandbox.vnc.de`.
+- So VNCmail+ runs as a Docker image with **4 persistent volumes**, exactly
+  like the existing `bulwark.sandbox.vnc.de`.
 - JMAP calls go through **server-side `/api/*` routes** (`proxy.ts`) → server-to-
   server to Stalwart, **no browser CORS**. Config is **runtime-read**.
 
@@ -27,37 +27,78 @@ of truth; VNCmail+ is the UI. It deploys as a **container on Kubernetes
 
 | Branch | Role |
 |--------|------|
-| `main` | **Production** — CI builds `…/vncmail-plus-beta`. Only updated by an explicit promote. |
-| `dev`  | Integration + QA — CI builds `…/vncmail-plus-dev` on push. Default working branch. |
-| `vnc/*`| Feature branches for UI work (branch off `dev`, PR into `dev`). |
+| `main` | **Production.** Only updated by `git merge --ff-only dev`, then an explicit manual promote in CI. No prod environment exists yet — see "CI/CD" below. |
+| `dev`  | Integration + QA — default working branch. Every push auto-builds and auto-deploys to the sandbox (`vncmail.sandbox.vnc.de`). |
+| `vnc/*`| Feature branches for UI work (branch off `dev`, MR into `dev` — required, gated by CI). |
 
 All VNC customization lives under `vnc/` (see `vnc/VNC-CHANGES.md`).
 
+## CI/CD — GitLab (canonical), Vercel-style dev→prod
+
+Multiple developers work on this repo now, so `.gitlab-ci.yml` on
+[gitlab.vnc.biz](https://gitlab.vnc.biz/gitlab-instance-b9b5cf2f/vncmail-plus)
+(the canonical remote — GitHub `origin` is a passive mirror, not where CI or
+deploys happen) drives the whole flow:
+
+1. **MR into `dev`** → `verify` stage runs (typecheck/lint/unit test/build).
+   Required check — no push, no deploy. This is the multi-developer gate.
+2. **Merge to `dev`** → `build` pushes one image,
+   `registry.gitlab.vnc.biz/.../vncmail-plus:sha-<sha>`, then `deploy-dev`
+   applies it to the sandbox automatically. No approval needed — dev always
+   deploys first.
+3. **Merge to `main`** (fast-forward only, see below) → a `promote` job
+   appears, `when: manual`, gated behind a protected `production`
+   GitLab environment. It **never rebuilds** — it retags the exact image
+   already running on dev (registry-side copy, same digest) and would apply
+   it to a `vncmail-prod` namespace pinned to that digest.
+
+Historical note: the old `-dev`/`-beta` GHCR image-name split
+(`.github/workflows/docker-publish.yml`) is retired by this — one image name
+now, environment lives only in the tag.
+
+**Production doesn't exist yet.** `deploy/k8s/overlays/prod/` is scaffolded
+(placeholder hostname, placeholder `JMAP_SERVER_URL` — there's no prod
+Stalwart instance to point it at either) but inert: the `promote` job's real
+`kubectl apply` step is deliberately left as a TODO in `.gitlab-ci.yml` until
+a real hostname is decided and prod Stalwart exists. Standing up the runner/
+RBAC/registry this pipeline needs is an infra prerequisite, not something CI
+itself does — see the pipeline design doc referenced in `deploy/k8s/README.md`.
+
 ## Deploy (Kubernetes / microk8s)
 
 Full runbook: **[deploy/k8s/README.md](deploy/k8s/README.md)**. In short:
 
-1. CI builds the image on push to `dev`/`main` → `ghcr.io/brvncde-dotcom/vncmail-plus-dev` (`.github/workflows/docker-publish.yml`).
-2. `kubectl apply` the manifests in `deploy/k8s/` (namespace, 4 PVCs, deployment, service, ingress) + a `secret.yaml` (from `secret.example.yaml`) + a `ghcr-pull` image-pull secret.
-3. Point `vncmail.sandbox.vnc.de` DNS at the ingress; cert-manager issues TLS.
+1. CI (above) builds and pushes the image, one name/many tags, to GitLab's
+   registry.
+2. `kubectl apply -k deploy/k8s/overlays/dev` (or `overlays/prod`, once real)
+   — base manifests (namespace, 4 PVCs, deployment, service, ingress) live in
+   `deploy/k8s/base/`, environment differences (namespace, hostname, replica
+   count) are overlay patches.
+3. DNS + a `secret.yaml` (from the overlay's `secret.example.yaml`, gitignored,
+   created once by hand — CI never manages secret contents) + an image-pull
+   secret are the remaining manual, human, one-time steps per environment.
 
 Runs alongside the existing `bulwark.sandbox.vnc.de`. Match your cluster's
 StorageClass / IngressClass / cert issuer to bulwark's (see the runbook).
 
 ## Deploy workflow (dev-first — ALWAYS)
 
-Same flow as every other VNC/SRC repo:
+Same flow as every other VNC/SRC repo, now enforced structurally by CI rather
+than by convention:
 
-1. Work on `dev` (or `vnc/*` → PR into `dev`). Push to `dev` → CI builds the `-dev` image → `kubectl -n vncmail rollout restart deploy/vncmail-plus` to pull it. QA at `vncmail.sandbox.vnc.de`.
+1. Work on `dev` (or `vnc/*` → MR into `dev`, CI-gated). Merge → auto-builds
+   and auto-deploys to `vncmail.sandbox.vnc.de`. QA there.
 2. **Promote to production only on explicit go-live** — merge `dev` → `main`:
    ```bash
    git log dev..main            # MUST be empty — main must have nothing dev lacks (else prod would revert)
    git checkout main && git merge --ff-only dev
-   git push origin main         # CI builds the production image
+   git push gitlab main         # never GitHub — opens the manual `promote` job, does not run it
    git checkout dev
    ```
-   Then roll the production deployment to the new image (pin its digest — see deploy/k8s/README.md).
-   Never push straight to `main`. Never let a dev→main merge silently revert prod.
+   Then click `promote` in the GitLab pipeline UI (protected `production`
+   environment — requires the right role) once prod actually exists (see
+   "CI/CD" above). Never push straight to `main`. Never let a dev→main merge
+   silently revert prod.
 
 ## Syncing upstream (Bulwark releases)
 

deploy/k8s/README.md

@@ -1,29 +1,66 @@
 # VNCmail+ — Admin Deployment Guide (microk8s)
 
 Deploy VNCmail+ (VNC's Bulwark fork) as a container at **`vncmail.sandbox.vnc.de`**,
-**alongside** the existing `bulwark.sandbox.vnc.de`. Plain `kubectl apply` — no
-GitOps needed.
+**alongside** the existing `bulwark.sandbox.vnc.de`.
 
 > Why a container (not Vercel): Bulwark is stateful — it writes settings/admin/
 > telemetry to `/app/data`, which needs persistent volumes.
 
+## Structure — base + overlays
+
+```
+deploy/k8s/
+  base/               # shared manifest shapes (namespace-agnostic)
+  overlays/
+    dev/              # the live sandbox — vncmail.sandbox.vnc.de, namespace vncmail
+    prod/             # scaffolded, NOT YET LIVE — see "Production status" below
+  ca/                 # separate, isolated EJBCA internal CA — see ca/README.md.
+                       # Never composed with base/ or either overlay above.
+```
+
+`kubectl apply -k overlays/dev` (or `overlays/prod`, once real) instead of
+applying `base/` directly — `base/` alone has no namespace and won't apply
+meaningfully on its own.
+
+## Routine deploys go through CI now
+
+As of the GitLab CI/CD pipeline (`.gitlab-ci.yml`, see `../../VNCMAIL-SETUP.md`
+§ CI/CD), **pushing to `dev` auto-builds and auto-deploys** — you should not
+normally need to run `kubectl apply` for the sandbox by hand anymore. This
+guide's manual steps below are for first-time setup, the one-time secret
+creation CI deliberately never automates, and troubleshooting.
+
+## Production status
+
+**There is no production VNCmail+ deployment yet.** `overlays/prod/` exists
+in the repo but is inert: its ingress hostname and its secret's
+`JMAP_SERVER_URL` are both obvious placeholders (`vncmail.CHANGEME.invalid` /
+`https://REPLACE-ME-prod-stalwart-not-yet-deployed.invalid`) that will fail
+loudly rather than silently deploy against the wrong backend. Applying it
+requires, in order: a real prod Stalwart instance to exist, a real hostname
+decision, DNS, a real `secret.yaml`, and the `.gitlab-ci.yml` `promote` job's
+`kubectl apply` step (currently a TODO placeholder) filled in. None of that
+is CI's job to decide — it's an explicit, human-triggered event.
+
 ---
 
-## 1. What you are deploying
+## 1. What you are deploying (per overlay)
 
 | # | Object | File | Purpose |
 |---|--------|------|---------|
-| 1 | Namespace `vncmail` | `namespace.yaml` | Isolates the app |
-| 2 | 4× PersistentVolumeClaim | `pvc.yaml` | `/app/data/{settings,admin,admin-state,telemetry}` |
-| 3 | Secret `vncmail-env` | `secret.yaml` *(you create it)* | App config (JMAP URL, session secret, branding) |
-| 4 | Secret `ghcr-pull` | *(you create it — command below)* | Pull the private image from GHCR |
-| 5 | Deployment `vncmail-plus` | `deployment.yaml` | The app pod |
-| 6 | Service `vncmail-plus` | `service.yaml` | ClusterIP :80 → pod :3000 |
-| 7 | Ingress `vncmail-plus` | `ingress.yaml` | TLS host `vncmail.sandbox.vnc.de` |
+| 1 | Namespace | `overlays/<env>/namespace.yaml` | Isolates the app (`vncmail` for dev, `vncmail-prod` for prod) |
+| 2 | 4× PersistentVolumeClaim | `base/pvc.yaml` | `/app/data/{settings,admin,admin-state,telemetry}` |
+| 3 | Secret `vncmail-env` | `overlays/<env>/secret.yaml` *(you create it)* | App config (JMAP URL, session secret, branding) |
+| 4 | Image-pull secret | *(you create it — command below)* | Pull the (currently private) image |
+| 5 | Deployment `vncmail-plus` | `base/deployment.yaml` (+ overlay patches) | The app pod |
+| 6 | Service `vncmail-plus` | `base/service.yaml` | ClusterIP :80 → pod :3000 |
+| 7 | Ingress `vncmail-plus` | `base/ingress.yaml` (+ overlay patches for prod) | TLS host |
 
-**Image:** `ghcr.io/brvncde-dotcom/vncmail-plus-dev:latest`
-(built automatically by CI from the `dev` branch). For anything beyond the
-sandbox, pin a digest — see §5.
+**Image:** CI builds and pushes to `registry.gitlab.vnc.biz/gitlab-instance-b9b5cf2f/vncmail-plus`
+(tag `sha-<sha>` per deploy, moving pointers `dev-latest`/`prod-latest`). The
+`ghcr.io/brvncde-dotcom/vncmail-plus-dev` image referenced in `base/deployment.yaml`
+is a legacy default only — CI overrides it per-deploy via `kubectl set image`,
+so what's committed there never needs to track what's actually running.
 
 ---
 
@@ -43,45 +80,48 @@ kubectl get ingressclass
 kubectl get clusterissuer      # cert-manager issuers (if used)
 ```
 
-Then edit if they differ from the defaults below:
+Then edit if they differ from the defaults below (in `base/`, so both overlays
+pick up the fix):
 
 | Value | Default in manifests | File to edit |
 |-------|----------------------|--------------|
-| StorageClass | `microk8s-hostpath` | `pvc.yaml` (all 4) |
-| IngressClass | `public` | `ingress.yaml` |
-| cert-manager issuer | `letsencrypt-prod` | `ingress.yaml` |
+| StorageClass | `microk8s-hostpath` | `base/pvc.yaml` (all 4) |
+| IngressClass | `public` | `base/ingress.yaml` |
+| cert-manager issuer | `letsencrypt-prod` | `base/ingress.yaml` |
 
 ---
 
-## 3. Deploy (copy-paste, in order)
+## 3. First-time setup (one-time, per environment — CI never does this)
 
 ```bash
-cd deploy/k8s
+cd deploy/k8s/overlays/dev     # or overlays/prod, once real
 
-# a) Namespace
-kubectl apply -f namespace.yaml
-
-# b) Image-pull secret — the GHCR package is private.
-#    Use a GitHub PAT (classic) with the read:packages scope.
+# a) Image-pull secret — the registry package is private.
 kubectl create secret docker-registry ghcr-pull \
   --namespace vncmail \
   --docker-server=ghcr.io \
   --docker-username=brvncde-dotcom \
   --docker-password='<GITHUB_PAT_read:packages>' \
   --docker-email=br@vnc.biz
+#    Once CI has cut over to registry.gitlab.vnc.biz, this becomes a
+#    docker-registry secret for that registry instead — see VNCMAIL-SETUP.md.
 
-# c) App config secret — copy the template, set a real SESSION_SECRET, apply.
+# b) App config secret — copy the template, set a real SESSION_SECRET, apply.
 cp secret.example.yaml secret.yaml
 #    edit secret.yaml:  SESSION_SECRET: "$(openssl rand -base64 32)"
 kubectl apply -f secret.yaml
 
-# d) Everything else (PVCs, Deployment, Service, Ingress)
+# c) Everything else (namespace, PVCs, Deployment, Service, Ingress)
 kubectl apply -k .
 ```
 
-> Alternative to (b): make the GHCR package public
-> (GitHub → Packages → vncmail-plus-dev → Package settings → Change visibility),
-> then delete the `imagePullSecrets:` block from `deployment.yaml`.
+> Alternative to (a): make the registry package public, then delete the
+> `imagePullSecrets:` block from `base/deployment.yaml`.
+
+After this one-time setup, routine deploys to `dev` happen automatically via
+CI on every push — see "Routine deploys go through CI now" above. This
+section is for first-time bring-up (or `overlays/prod`, once it's real) and
+troubleshooting, not the everyday path.
 
 ---
 
@@ -104,13 +144,12 @@ a bare username.
 
 ## 5. Update to a new build
 
-```bash
-# CI rebuilds ghcr.io/brvncde-dotcom/vncmail-plus-dev on every push to `dev`.
-kubectl -n vncmail rollout restart deploy/vncmail-plus     # pulls :latest (imagePullPolicy: Always)
+Normally you don't — CI's `deploy-dev` job does this automatically on every
+push to `dev`. To do it by hand (e.g. troubleshooting):
 
-# Production: pin a digest instead of :latest so rollouts are deterministic.
+```bash
 kubectl -n vncmail set image deploy/vncmail-plus \
-  vncmail-plus=ghcr.io/brvncde-dotcom/vncmail-plus-dev@sha256:<digest>
+  vncmail-plus=registry.gitlab.vnc.biz/gitlab-instance-b9b5cf2f/vncmail-plus:sha-<sha>
 ```
 
 Rollback: `kubectl -n vncmail rollout undo deploy/vncmail-plus`
@@ -121,9 +160,9 @@ Rollback: `kubectl -n vncmail rollout undo deploy/vncmail-plus`
 
 | Symptom | Cause / fix |
 |---------|-------------|
-| Pod `ImagePullBackOff` | `ghcr-pull` secret missing/expired, or package still private. Recreate the secret (§3b) or make the package public. |
-| Pod `CrashLoopBackOff`, logs show `EACCES`/permission on `/app/data` | Volume not writable by uid 1001. `securityContext.fsGroup: 1001` is set in `deployment.yaml` — keep it; some storage drivers also need it on the PVC. |
-| PVC stuck `Pending` | Wrong `storageClassName` in `pvc.yaml`. Set it to one from `kubectl get sc`. |
+| Pod `ImagePullBackOff` | `ghcr-pull` secret missing/expired, or package still private. Recreate the secret (§3a) or make the package public. |
+| Pod `CrashLoopBackOff`, logs show `EACCES`/permission on `/app/data` | Volume not writable by uid 1001. `securityContext.fsGroup: 1001` is set in `base/deployment.yaml` — keep it; some storage drivers also need it on the PVC. |
+| PVC stuck `Pending` | Wrong `storageClassName` in `base/pvc.yaml`. Set it to one from `kubectl get sc`. |
 | Ingress has no address / no cert | Wrong `ingressClassName` or cert issuer. Match bulwark's (§2). Check `kubectl -n vncmail describe ingress vncmail-plus`. |
 | Login shows "Ein Fehler ist aufgetreten" | Use the **full** email (`user@sandbox.vnc.de`), not a bare username. |
 | Can't reach Stalwart | Check `JMAP_SERVER_URL` in the secret = `https://stalwart.sandbox.vnc.de`. |

deploy/k8s/base/deployment.yaml

@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ apiVersion: apps/v1
 kind: Deployment
 metadata:
   name: vncmail-plus
-  namespace: vncmail
   labels:
     app: vncmail-plus
 spec:
@@ -26,12 +25,17 @@ spec:
         runAsGroup: 1001
       # ghcr package is private by default — see deploy/k8s/README.md to create
       # this pull secret. Delete this block if you make the package public.
+      # NOTE: once CI moves to pushing registry.gitlab.vnc.biz images (the
+      # dev-auto-deploy phase of the GitLab pipeline), this needs to become a
+      # docker-registry secret for that registry instead — comments only,
+      # deliberately not renamed here, so this file stays a no-op today.
       imagePullSecrets:
         - name: ghcr-pull
       containers:
         - name: vncmail-plus
-          # dev image (built from the `dev` branch by CI). For production pin a
-          # digest: ghcr.io/brvncde-dotcom/vncmail-plus-dev@sha256:<digest>
+          # Default/legacy value — CI overrides the image per-deploy via
+          # `kustomize edit set image`, so what's committed here never goes
+          # stale. For a one-off manual apply, pin a digest instead of :latest.
           image: ghcr.io/brvncde-dotcom/vncmail-plus-dev:latest
           imagePullPolicy: Always
           ports:

deploy/k8s/base/ingress.yaml

@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ apiVersion: networking.k8s.io/v1
 kind: Ingress
 metadata:
   name: vncmail-plus
-  namespace: vncmail
   annotations:
     # cert-manager issuer — set to whatever bulwark.sandbox.vnc.de uses.
     cert-manager.io/cluster-issuer: letsencrypt-prod

deploy/k8s/base/kustomization.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+resources:
+  - pvc.yaml
+  - deployment.yaml
+  - service.yaml
+  - ingress.yaml
+  # - secret.yaml   # create from an overlay's secret.example.yaml; not committed
+
+# Namespace is intentionally NOT set here. Kustomize's `namespace:` transformer
+# doesn't rename cluster-scoped Namespace objects, so each overlay ships its own
+# namespace.yaml (the actual object) and its own `namespace:` field (which
+# injects metadata.namespace into every namespaced resource below). Applying
+# this base directly is meaningless — always go through an overlay.

deploy/k8s/base/pvc.yaml

@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ apiVersion: v1
 kind: PersistentVolumeClaim
 metadata:
   name: vncmail-settings
-  namespace: vncmail
 spec:
   accessModes: [ReadWriteOnce]
   storageClassName: microk8s-hostpath
@@ -17,7 +16,6 @@ apiVersion: v1
 kind: PersistentVolumeClaim
 metadata:
   name: vncmail-admin
-  namespace: vncmail
 spec:
   accessModes: [ReadWriteOnce]
   storageClassName: microk8s-hostpath
@@ -29,7 +27,6 @@ apiVersion: v1
 kind: PersistentVolumeClaim
 metadata:
   name: vncmail-admin-state
-  namespace: vncmail
 spec:
   accessModes: [ReadWriteOnce]
   storageClassName: microk8s-hostpath
@@ -41,7 +38,6 @@ apiVersion: v1
 kind: PersistentVolumeClaim
 metadata:
   name: vncmail-telemetry
-  namespace: vncmail
 spec:
   accessModes: [ReadWriteOnce]
   storageClassName: microk8s-hostpath

deploy/k8s/base/service.yaml

@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ apiVersion: v1
 kind: Service
 metadata:
   name: vncmail-plus
-  namespace: vncmail
   labels:
     app: vncmail-plus
 spec:

deploy/k8s/overlays/dev/kustomization.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+namespace: vncmail
+resources:
+  - ../../base
+  - namespace.yaml
+  # - secret.yaml   # create from secret.example.yaml; not committed
+
+# This is the live sandbox (vncmail.sandbox.vnc.de) — deliberately zero patches
+# beyond namespace/resource wiring, so `kubectl kustomize .` renders identical
+# to the pre-restructure flat deploy/k8s/. The image is left at base's default
+# and overridden per-deploy by CI (`kubectl set image`, see .gitlab-ci.yml's
+# deploy-dev job) rather than pinned here, so this file never goes stale.

deploy/k8s/overlays/prod/kustomization.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+namespace: vncmail-prod
+resources:
+  - ../../base
+  - namespace.yaml
+  # - secret.yaml   # create from secret.example.yaml; not committed
+
+patches:
+  - path: patch-ingress.yaml
+  - path: patch-deployment.yaml
+
+# NOT MEANT TO BE APPLIED AS COMMITTED. Scaffolding only (see the pipeline
+# plan's Phase C/D) — the tag below is an obviously-invalid placeholder;
+# the real promote job (.gitlab-ci.yml) resolves and pins an actual digest at
+# deploy time via `kubectl set image`, it never trusts whatever is checked
+# in here.
+images:
+  - name: ghcr.io/brvncde-dotcom/vncmail-plus-dev
+    newName: registry.gitlab.vnc.biz/gitlab-instance-b9b5cf2f/vncmail-plus
+    newTag: not-yet-promoted

deploy/k8s/overlays/prod/namespace.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Namespace
+metadata:
+  name: vncmail-prod
+  labels:
+    app.kubernetes.io/part-of: vnclagoon-suite

deploy/k8s/overlays/prod/patch-deployment.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# Basic HA. Still `strategy: Recreate` (inherited from base) since the PVCs
+# are RWO — 2 replicas doesn't buy zero-downtime rollouts by itself, only
+# tolerance for a node loss between deploys. Revisit if that's not enough.
+apiVersion: apps/v1
+kind: Deployment
+metadata:
+  name: vncmail-plus
+spec:
+  replicas: 2

deploy/k8s/overlays/prod/patch-ingress.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# PLACEHOLDER — the real production hostname has not been decided yet (see
+# VNCMAIL-SETUP.md / the pipeline plan). vncmail.CHANGEME.invalid is
+# deliberately unresolvable: applying this overlay as committed will not
+# issue a cert or route traffic anywhere. Replace both occurrences below,
+# and the matching TLS secretName, before Phase D (first real prod deploy).
+apiVersion: networking.k8s.io/v1
+kind: Ingress
+metadata:
+  name: vncmail-plus
+spec:
+  tls:
+    - hosts:
+        - vncmail.CHANGEME.invalid
+      secretName: vncmail-plus-prod-tls
+  rules:
+    - host: vncmail.CHANGEME.invalid
+      http:
+        paths:
+          - path: /
+            pathType: Prefix
+            backend:
+              service:
+                name: vncmail-plus
+                port:
+                  number: 80

deploy/k8s/overlays/prod/secret.example.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+# Copy to secret.yaml, fill in real values, and apply. DO NOT commit secret.yaml
+# (it is gitignored). Generate SESSION_SECRET with:  openssl rand -base64 32
+#
+# JMAP_SERVER_URL is a PLACEHOLDER — there is no production Stalwart instance
+# yet. This overlay cannot go live (Phase D) until one exists and this value
+# points at it for real.
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Secret
+metadata:
+  name: vncmail-env
+  namespace: vncmail-prod
+type: Opaque
+stringData:
+  # Core — connect to Stalwart over JMAP
+  JMAP_SERVER_URL: "https://REPLACE-ME-prod-stalwart-not-yet-deployed.invalid"
+  SESSION_SECRET: "REPLACE_ME__openssl_rand_base64_32"
+  # Branding (theme defaults to VNClagoon in code; these set name + logo)
+  APP_NAME: "VNCmail+"
+  APP_SHORT_NAME: "VNCmail+"
+  LOGIN_COMPANY_NAME: "VNClagoon"
+  LOGIN_LOGO_DARK_URL: "/branding/vncmail-wordmark-on-dark.svg"
+  LOGIN_LOGO_LIGHT_URL: "/branding/vncmail-wordmark-on-light.svg"
+  APP_LOGO_DARK_URL: "/branding/vncmail-wordmark-on-dark.svg"
+  APP_LOGO_LIGHT_URL: "/branding/vncmail-wordmark-on-light.svg"
+  LOGIN_LOGO_MAX_HEIGHT: "52"
+  # Housekeeping
+  BULWARK_UPDATE_CHECK: "off"
+  # Data dirs default to /app/data/* (mounted to the PVCs) — no need to set them.

lib/smime-ca/ejbca.ts

@@ -210,7 +210,9 @@ function escapeDn(value: string): string {
     .replace(/([\\,+"<>;=])/g, '\\$1')
     .replace(/^([ #])/, '\\$1')
     .replace(/ $/, '\\ ')
-    // Control characters have no legitimate place in a DN.
+    // Control characters have no legitimate place in a DN — the class below
+    // is intentional, not a typo.
+    // eslint-disable-next-line no-control-regex
     .replace(/[\x00-\x1f\x7f]/g, '');
 }