Troubleshooting GitHub Plugin Crash During Terraform Plan A Comprehensive Guide

by StackCamp Team 80 views

Hey everyone! It looks like we've hit a snag with the GitHub plugin crashing during a Terraform plan. This can be super frustrating, especially when you're trying to automate your infrastructure. Let's dive into the details of this issue, explore the expected behavior, actual behavior, and the steps to reproduce it. We’ll also check out the debug and panic outputs to understand what's going on under the hood.

Expected Behavior

Ideally, a terraform plan command should run smoothly, showing you the changes that Terraform intends to make to your infrastructure without any hiccups. This includes creating, updating, or deleting resources as defined in your configuration files. A successful plan provides a clear roadmap before you apply any changes, ensuring everything goes as expected.

Actual Behavior

However, in this case, the GitHub plugin decided to take an unexpected coffee break midway through the terraform plan. Instead of completing the plan, the plugin stopped responding, leaving us with a broken process. This means we don't get to see the intended changes, and we can't be sure about the state of our infrastructure. This is a major buzzkill, especially when you're trying to deploy changes quickly and reliably.

Terraform Version and Affected Resources

Before we get deeper, let's nail down the specifics. The Terraform version being used here is v1.12.2 on a darwin_amd64 system. The GitHub provider versions in play are v6.6.0 from both registry.terraform.io/hashicorp/github and registry.terraform.io/integrations/github. Now, let's talk casualties – the resources that were caught in the crossfire:

  • github_repository_ruleset: This resource is responsible for managing rulesets within GitHub repositories, helping you enforce branch protection and other policies.
  • github_actions_environment_variable: This resource allows you to define environment variables for GitHub Actions, which are crucial for configuring your CI/CD pipelines.

When these resources fail during a Terraform plan, it can throw a wrench into your workflow, preventing you from managing your repository settings and CI/CD configurations effectively. This can lead to delays and make it harder to maintain a consistent and secure environment.

Steps to Reproduce

To reproduce this issue, the user simply ran terraform plan. It sounds straightforward, right? But sometimes, the simplest steps can lead to the most complex problems. Running this command triggered the plugin crash, which is definitely not what we want.

terraform plan

Debug Output

Unfortunately, the provided debug output section is empty. Debug output is super helpful because it usually contains detailed logs that can pinpoint the exact moment and cause of a crash. In this case, having a debug log would be like having a detective's magnifying glass, helping us zoom in on the issue. However, don't sweat it; we'll dig into the panic output next, which is like the crime scene report itself.

Panic Output

Alright, let's get to the juicy stuff – the panic output. This is where things get real. The panic output is essentially a crash report that tells us exactly what went wrong. It’s like the plugin’s final words before it went down. Let's break it down:

Plan: 9 to add, 1 to change, 0 to destroy.

Error: Request cancelled

  with module.github.module.github_repository["firmware-portal"].github_repository_ruleset.this["Default Branch - Commit Policy"],
  on ../../modules/github-repository/main.tf line 1, in resource "github_repository_ruleset" "this":
   1: resource "github_repository_ruleset" "this" {

The plugin.(*GRPCProvider).UpgradeResourceState request was cancelled.

Error: Request cancelled

  with module.github.module.github_repository["zlp"].github_repository_ruleset.this["Default Branch - Commit Policy"],
  on ../../modules/github-repository/main.tf line 1, in resource "github_repository_ruleset" "this":
   1: resource "github_repository_ruleset" "this" {

The plugin.(*GRPCProvider).ValidateResourceConfig request was cancelled.

Error: Plugin did not respond

  with module.github.module.github_repository["wifi-devices"].github_repository_ruleset.this["Default Branch - Deletion Protection"],
  on ../../modules/github-repository/main.tf line 1, in resource "github_repository_ruleset" "this":
   1: resource "github_repository_ruleset" "this" {

The plugin encountered an error, and failed to respond to the plugin.(*GRPCProvider).ReadResource call. The plugin logs may contain more details.

Error: Plugin did not respond

  with module.github.github_actions_environment_variable.wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_aws_account_id,
  on ../../modules/github/github-environments.tf line 156, in resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_aws_account_id":
 156: resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_aws_account_id" {

The plugin encountered an error, and failed to respond to the plugin.(*GRPCProvider).ReadResource call. The plugin logs may contain more details.

Error: GET https://api.github.com/repos/zainar/wifi-cloud/environments/wifi-prd-jpn/variables/AWS_REGION: 403 API rate limit of 5000 still exceeded until 2025-08-21 10:28:35 -0400 -04, not making remote request. [rate reset in 1m12s]

  with module.github.github_actions_environment_variable.wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_aws_region,
  on ../../modules/github/github-environments.tf line 163, in resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_aws_region":
 163: resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_aws_region" {


Error: GET https://api.github.com/repos/zainar/wifi-cloud/environments/wifi-prd-jpn/variables/ENVIRONMENT_NAME: 403 API rate limit of 5000 still exceeded until 2025-08-21 10:28:35 -0400 -04, not making remote request. [rate reset in 1m12s]

  with module.github.github_actions_environment_variable.wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_environment_name,
  on ../../modules/github/github-environments.tf line 170, in resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_environment_name":
 170: resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_environment_name" {


Error: Request cancelled

  with module.github.github_actions_environment_variable.wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_dashboard_bucket,
  on ../../modules/github/github-environments.tf line 177, in resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_dashboard_bucket":
 177: resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_dashboard_bucket" {

The plugin.(*GRPCProvider).ReadResource request was cancelled.

Error: Plugin did not respond

  with module.github.github_actions_environment_variable.wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_dashboard_distribution,
  on ../../modules/github/github-environments.tf line 184, in resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_dashboard_distribution":
 184: resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_dashboard_distribution" {

The plugin encountered an error, and failed to respond to the plugin.(*GRPCProvider).ReadResource call. The plugin logs may contain more details.

Error: Plugin did not respond

  with module.github.github_actions_environment_variable.wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_proxy_dashboard_bucket,
  on ../../modules/github/github-environments.tf line 191, in resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_proxy_dashboard_bucket":
 191: resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_proxy_dashboard_bucket" {

The plugin encountered an error, and failed to respond to the plugin.(*GRPCProvider).ReadResource call. The plugin logs may contain more details.

Error: GET https://api.github.com/repos/zainar/wifi-cloud/environments/wifi-prd-jpn/variables/PROXY_DASHBOARD_DISTRIBUTION_ID: 403 API rate limit of 5000 still exceeded until 2025-08-21 10:28:35 -0400 -04, not making remote request. [rate reset in 1m12s]

  with module.github.github_actions_environment_variable.wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_proxy_dashboard_distribution,
  on ../../modules/github/github-environments.tf line 198, in resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_proxy_dashboard_distribution":
 198: resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_proxy_dashboard_distribution" {


Error: GET https://api.github.com/repos/zainar/wifi-cloud/environments/wifi-prd-jpn/variables/EKS_CLUSTER_NAME: 403 API rate limit of 5000 still exceeded until 2025-08-21 10:28:35 -0400 -04, not making remote request. [rate reset in 1m12s]

  with module.github.github_actions_environment_variable.wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_cluster_name,
  on ../../modules/github/github-environments.tf line 205, in resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_cluster_name":
 205: resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "wifi-cloud_wifi-prd-jpn_cluster_name" {


Error: Plugin did not respond

  with module.github.github_actions_environment_variable.ilaas_ilaas-prd-apac_aws_account_id,
  on ../../modules/github/github-environments.tf line 548, in resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "ilaas_ilaas-prd-apac_aws_account_id":
 548: resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "ilaas_ilaas-prd-apac_aws_account_id" {

The plugin encountered an error, and failed to respond to the plugin.(*GRPCProvider).ReadResource call. The plugin logs may contain more details.

Error: Plugin did not respond

  with module.github.github_actions_environment_variable.ilaas_ilaas-prd-apac_zps_cloudfront_distribution,
  on ../../modules/github/github-environments.tf line 569, in resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "ilaas_ilaas-prd-apac_zps_cloudfront_distribution":
 569: resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "ilaas_ilaas-prd-apac_zps_cloudfront_distribution" {

The plugin encountered an error, and failed to respond to the plugin.(*GRPCProvider).ReadResource call. The plugin logs may contain more details.

Error: Request cancelled

  with module.github.github_actions_environment_variable.ilaas_ilaas-prd-apac_scrappy_cloudfront_distribution,
  on ../../modules/github/github-environments.tf line 583, in resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "ilaas_ilaas-prd-apac_scrappy_cloudfront_distribution":
 583: resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "ilaas_ilaas-prd-apac_scrappy_cloudfront_distribution" {

The plugin.(*GRPCProvider).ReadResource request was cancelled.

Error: Plugin did not respond

  with module.github.github_actions_environment_variable.ilaas_ilaas-prd-apac_scrappy_vite_aws_region,
  on ../../modules/github/github-environments.tf line 598, in resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "ilaas_ilaas-prd-apac_scrappy_vite_aws_region":
 598: resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "ilaas_ilaas-prd-apac_scrappy_vite_aws_region" {

The plugin encountered an error, and failed to respond to the plugin.(*GRPCProvider).ReadResource call. The plugin logs may contain more details.

Error: Plugin did not respond

  with module.github.github_actions_environment_variable.ilaas_ilaas-prd-apac_scrappy_cognito_identity_pool_id_ilaas_prd-apac,
  on ../../modules/github/github-environments.tf line 605, in resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "ilaas_ilaas-prd-apac_scrappy_cognito_identity_pool_id_ilaas_prd-apac":
 605: resource "github_actions_environment_variable" "ilaas_ilaas-prd-apac_scrappy_cognito_identity_pool_id_ilaas_prd-apac" {

The plugin encountered an error, and failed to respond to the plugin.(*GRPCProvider).ReadResource call.

The plugin logs may contain more details.

Stack trace from the terraform-provider-github_v6.6.0 plugin:

panic: runtime error: invalid memory address or nil pointer dereference
[signal SIGSEGV: segmentation violation code=0x1 addr=0x8 pc=0xb37d747]

goroutine 6591 [running]:
github.com/integrations/terraform-provider-github/v6/github.resourceGithubRepositoryRulesetRead(0xc000580800, {0xb56b8a0?, 0xc0002cf780?})
	github.com/integrations/terraform-provider-github/v6/github/resource_github_repository_ruleset.go:580 +0x567
github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-sdk/v2/helper/schema.(*Resource).read(0xb762e70?, {0xb762e70?, 0xc0006d62a0?}, 0xd?, {0xb56b8a0?, 0xc0002cf780?})
	github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-sdk/v2@v2.34.0/helper/schema/resource.go:811 +0x15f
github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-sdk/v2/helper/schema.(*Resource).RefreshWithoutUpgrade(0xc0004597a0, {0xb762e70, 0xc0006d62a0}, 0xc0000badd0, {0xb56b8a0, 0xc0002cf780})
	github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-sdk/v2@v2.34.0/helper/schema/resource.go:1117 +0x529
github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-sdk/v2/helper/schema.(*GRPCProviderServer).ReadResource(0xc000354738, {0xb762e70?, 0xc0006d61e0?}, 0xc00083d980)
	github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-sdk/v2@v2.34.0/helper/schema/grpc_provider.go:708 +0x6c5
github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-go/tfprotov5/tf5server.(*server).ReadResource(0xc00026b900, {0xb762e70?, 0xc000895980?}, 0xc000710e00)
	github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-go@v0.23.0/tfprotov5/tf5server/server.go:783 +0x309
github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-go/tfprotov5/internal/tfplugin5._Provider_ReadResource_Handler({0xb71c140, 0xc00026b900}, {0xb762e70, 0xc000895980}, 0xc00062fe00, 0x0)
	github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-go@v0.23.0/tfprotov5/internal/tfplugin5/tfplugin5_grpc.pb.go:482 +0x1a6
google.golang.org/grpc.(*Server).processUnaryRPC(0xc000197000, {0xb762e70, 0xc0008958f0}, {0xb767728, 0xc000276300}, 0xc00016d680, 0xc0004c6ae0, 0xbdf8688, 0x0)
	google.golang.org/grpc@v1.63.2/server.go:1369 +0xdf8
google.golang.org/grpc.(*Server).handleStream(0xc000197000, {0xb767728, 0xc000276300}, 0xc00016d680)
	google.golang.org/grpc@v1.63.2/server.go:1780 +0xe8b
google.golang.org/grpc.(*Server).serveStreams.func2.1()
	google.golang.org/grpc@v1.63.2/server.go:1019 +0x8b
created by google.golang.org/grpc.(*Server).serveStreams.func2 in goroutine 15
	google.golang.org/grpc@v1.63.2/server.go:1030 +0x125

Error: The terraform-provider-github_v6.6.0 plugin crashed!

This is always indicative of a bug within the plugin. It would be immensely
helpful if you could report the crash with the plugin's maintainers so that it
can be fixed. The output above should help diagnose the issue.%

Key Takeaways from the Panic Output

  1. Request Cancellations: Several requests were cancelled during the plan, specifically for github_repository_ruleset resources. This suggests there might be an issue with how the plugin is handling these rulesets.
  2. Plugin Did Not Respond: The plugin failed to respond to ReadResource calls for github_actions_environment_variable. This could mean the plugin got stuck while trying to fetch the state of these variables.
  3. API Rate Limiting: We see a bunch of 403 errors due to exceeding the GitHub API rate limit. This is a classic problem when dealing with APIs, but it’s especially pronounced here. The rate limit is being hit hard, and the plugin isn't handling it gracefully.
  4. Invalid Memory Address or Nil Pointer Dereference: This is the big one! The stack trace reveals a panic: runtime error: invalid memory address or nil pointer dereference. This means the plugin tried to access a memory location that didn't exist or was empty. It’s like trying to read a book that isn’t there – things are gonna crash!

Deep Dive into the Stack Trace

The stack trace gives us a breadcrumb trail to follow. It shows that the panic occurred in the github.com/integrations/terraform-provider-github/v6/github.resourceGithubRepositoryRulesetRead function. This function is responsible for reading the state of the github_repository_ruleset resource. The error suggests that there's a bug in this function that causes it to try and access invalid memory, leading to the crash.

The trace also shows that the crash happened during the ReadResource call within the Terraform Plugin SDK. This is a critical part of the plugin lifecycle, as it’s responsible for fetching the current state of resources from GitHub. If this fails, the entire plan can go south quickly.

Why is This Happening?

So, what could be causing this? Here are a few educated guesses:

  • Bug in Resource Reading: There might be a bug in the resourceGithubRepositoryRulesetRead function that causes it to mishandle certain responses from the GitHub API.
  • Nil Values: The plugin might be encountering a situation where it's expecting a value but getting a nil instead, leading to a dereference error.
  • Data Inconsistency: There could be inconsistencies in the data returned by the GitHub API, which the plugin isn’t handling correctly.
  • Rate Limiting Issues: While rate limiting is called out, it might also be exacerbating other issues. The plugin might not be handling rate limit errors gracefully, leading to unexpected behavior.

How to Fix It

Okay, so we know what's broken, but how do we fix it? Here are a few steps we can take:

  1. Report the Bug: The panic output explicitly tells us to report the crash to the plugin maintainers. This is crucial! They need to know about the issue so they can fix it.
  2. Check GitHub API Rate Limits: The 403 errors indicate we're hitting the API rate limits. We need to ensure we're not making too many requests. Strategies include using a personal access token with higher limits, implementing exponential backoff, or reducing the frequency of Terraform runs.
  3. Review Terraform Configuration: Double-check your Terraform configuration files. Ensure all required attributes are set and that there are no obvious errors that could be causing the plugin to crash.
  4. Upgrade or Downgrade the Plugin: Sometimes, bugs are specific to certain versions. Try upgrading to the latest version or downgrading to a known stable version to see if that resolves the issue.
  5. Implement Error Handling: If you’re feeling adventurous, you might want to add some error handling around the problematic resources. This won’t fix the underlying bug, but it might prevent the plan from crashing entirely.

Best Practices for Terraform and GitHub

To prevent issues like this in the future, let's talk about some best practices:

  • Use a Personal Access Token (PAT): When working with GitHub resources, always use a PAT. This gives you higher rate limits and more control over API access.
  • Implement Retries with Exponential Backoff: When you encounter API errors, especially rate limits, implement a retry mechanism with exponential backoff. This helps you avoid overwhelming the API.
  • Break Down Large Configurations: If you have a massive Terraform configuration, consider breaking it down into smaller, more manageable modules. This can reduce the load on the plugin and make debugging easier.
  • Monitor API Usage: Keep an eye on your API usage. GitHub provides tools to monitor your rate limit consumption. Use these tools to identify potential bottlenecks.
  • Keep Plugins Updated: Regularly update your Terraform plugins to the latest versions. Bug fixes and performance improvements are often included in updates.
  • Use Terraform Cloud or Enterprise: Consider using Terraform Cloud or Enterprise for managing your infrastructure. These platforms provide features like remote state management, concurrency controls, and better error handling.

Code of Conduct

Before we wrap up, it's worth mentioning the Code of Conduct. By participating in this project, we all agree to follow the project's Code of Conduct. This ensures a respectful and inclusive environment for everyone involved.

Conclusion

So, there you have it! We've dissected a nasty plugin crash during a Terraform plan. We've explored the error messages, stack traces, and potential causes. More importantly, we've discussed how to fix it and prevent it from happening again. Remember, Terraform is a powerful tool, but it's only as good as the plugins it uses. By understanding the issues and implementing best practices, we can keep our infrastructure automation running smoothly. Keep calm and Terraform on, folks!