internal/apply/apply.go

@@ -1407,6 +1407,25 @@ func applyPackage(ctx context.Context, sys system.System, r *declaration.Package
 	if err != nil {
 		return out, err
 	}
+	if r.Absent {
+		// Declared absent (novox/hq ADR 0175): removed when it is here, left alone when it is not.
+		if !installed {
+			out.Action = "unchanged"
+			out.Detail = "not installed, as declared"
+			return out, nil
+		}
+		if err := sys.RemovePackage(ctx, run, r.Package); err != nil {
+			return out, fmt.Errorf("removing %s: %w", r.Package, err)
+		}
+		if still, err := sys.PackageInstalled(ctx, run, r.Package); err != nil {
+			return out, err
+		} else if still {
+			return out, fmt.Errorf("%s was removed without error and the package database still has it", r.Package)
+		}
+		out.Action = "removed"
+		out.Detail = "declared absent; its configuration is left where the package manager leaves it"
+		return out, nil
+	}
 	if installed {
 		out.Action = "unchanged"
 		out.Detail = "already installed"

internal/apply/left_out_test.go

@@ -173,3 +173,42 @@ func TestACapabilityReachesTheRuntimeAndTheSpec(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("a capability is not part of the container's spec")
 	}
 }
+
+// A package may be declared absent (novox/hq ADR 0175): removed when it is installed, read back,
+// left alone when it is not.
+func TestAPackageDeclaredAbsentIsRemovedWhenPresentAndLeftWhenNot(t *testing.T) {
+	installed := true
+	var ran []string
+	run := func(_ context.Context, name string, args ...string) (string, error) {
+		ran = append(ran, name+" "+strings.Join(args, " "))
+		if name != "pacman" {
+			return "", nil
+		}
+		switch args[0] {
+		case "-Q":
+			if args[1] == "pacman" || installed {
+				return args[1] + " 1.0\n", nil
+			}
+			return "", errors.New("package not found")
+		case "-R":
+			installed = false
+		}
+		return "", nil
+	}
+	d := parseTrusted(t, `{"declaration":1,"resources":[{"id":"front-end","type":"package","package":"ufw","absent":true}]}`)
+	report, _, err := Apply(context.Background(), archHost(t), d, store.State{}, store.OriginCarried, run, nil, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if report.Outcomes[0].Action != "removed" || !strings.Contains(strings.Join(ran, "\n"), "pacman -R --noconfirm ufw") {
+		t.Fatalf("an installed package declared absent was not removed: %+v\n%v", report.Outcomes[0], ran)
+	}
+	ran = nil
+	report, _, err = Apply(context.Background(), archHost(t), d, store.State{}, store.OriginCarried, run, nil, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if report.Outcomes[0].Action != "unchanged" || strings.Contains(strings.Join(ran, "\n"), "-R") {
+		t.Fatalf("a package already absent was touched: %+v\n%v", report.Outcomes[0], ran)
+	}
+}

internal/apply/opening.go

@@ -76,6 +76,16 @@ func retireFirewall(ctx context.Context, d *declaration.Declaration, origin stri
 	if origin != store.OriginDeclared || d.Adoption != nil || rec == nil || rec.Kind != string(firewall.UFW) || !rec.WasActive {
 		return "", nil
 	}
+	if !firewall.Installed(ctx, run) {
+		// Uninstalled (novox/hq ADR 0175): retired for good, by the module that replaced it. Said
+		// once, and nothing is asked of a command that is not there.
+		if rec.RetiredBy != firewall.RetiredRemoved {
+			rec.RetiredBy = firewall.RetiredRemoved
+			log("  the found firewall (ufw) is no longer installed; the mesh's filter is what filters this machine")
+			return "removed: ufw is no longer installed; the mesh's filter is what filters this machine", nil
+		}
+		return "", nil
+	}
 	active := firewall.Active(ctx, run)
 	if !active && !(rec.Forward != nil && !rec.DisabledByMesh) {
 		// Inactive, and either the mesh's doing already or nobody's recorded here: said as found,

internal/apply/opening_test.go

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-host/internal/declaration"
 	"github.com/novox/mesh-host/internal/store"
@@ -522,3 +523,33 @@ func TestUfwIsNotRetiredUntilTheMeshsOwnFilterIsLoaded(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("ufw was not retired once the mesh's filter was loaded: active %v, %+v", u.active, state.Firewall)
 	}
 }
+
+// A front end that is no longer installed is recorded as removed, said once, and asked nothing of
+// (novox/hq ADR 0175).
+func TestAnUninstalledFrontEndIsRetiredForGood(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	u := &ufwMachine{installed: false, ruleset: "table inet mesh\n"}
+	known := store.State{Firewall: &store.FoundFirewall{Kind: "ufw", WasActive: true, DisabledByMesh: true,
+		RetiredBy: "mesh", FoundAt: time.Now()}}
+	converged := parse(t, `{"declaration":1,"resources":[`+withConf(dir)+`]}`)
+	report, state, err := applyWith(t, converged, known, u.run)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if state.Firewall.RetiredBy != "removed" || !strings.Contains(report.Firewall, "no longer installed") {
+		t.Fatalf("record %+v, said %q", state.Firewall, report.Firewall)
+	}
+	u.asked = nil
+	report, _, err = applyWith(t, converged, state, u.run)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if report.Firewall != "" {
+		t.Errorf("said again: %q", report.Firewall)
+	}
+	for _, a := range u.asked {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(a, "ufw") && a != "ufw status" {
+			t.Errorf("asked something of a front end that is not there: %v", u.asked)
+		}
+	}
+}

internal/declaration/declaration.go

@@ -870,6 +870,12 @@ type Package struct {
 	ID      string `json:"id"`
 	Type    Type   `json:"type"`
 	Package string `json:"package"`
+	// Absent declares that the package is NOT installed (novox/hq ADR 0175): the host removes it
+	// when it is, and leaves a machine that never had it alone. For the one case a module replaces
+	// software the machine was found with and the operator has decided it does not come back — the
+	// firewall front end a converged machine's filter module retired. Nothing to undo when the
+	// declaration drops it: the host does not install what a declaration stopped saying is absent.
+	Absent bool `json:"absent,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func (p *Package) Identity() string { return p.ID }

internal/firewall/filters.go

@@ -319,8 +319,17 @@ func Active(ctx context.Context, run Runner) bool {
 	return err == nil && statusActive(out)
 }
 
+// Installed says whether ufw is on this machine at all: a command that is not there is a front end
+// that was uninstalled (novox/hq ADR 0175), not one that is silent.
+func Installed(ctx context.Context, run Runner) bool {
+	_, err := run(ctx, "ufw", "status")
+	return !missing(err)
+}
+
 // Retirements of a found firewall, as the host records them.
 const (
 	RetiredByMesh  = "mesh"
 	RetiredFoundSo = "found-inactive"
+	// RetiredRemoved is a front end uninstalled by the module that replaced it (ADR 0175).
+	RetiredRemoved = "removed"
 )

internal/system/alpine.go

@@ -46,6 +46,11 @@ func (a alpine) PackageInstalled(ctx context.Context, run Runner, name string) (
 	return strings.TrimSpace(out) != "", nil
 }
 
+func (alpine) RemovePackage(ctx context.Context, run Runner, name string) error {
+	_, err := run(ctx, "apk", "del", name)
+	return err
+}
+
 func (alpine) InstallPackage(ctx context.Context, run Runner, name string) error {
 	_, err := run(ctx, "apk", "add", "--no-cache", name)
 	return err

internal/system/android.go

@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ func (a android) InstallPackage(context.Context, Runner, string) error {
 	return fmt.Errorf("%w: package", ErrUnsupported)
 }
 
+func (a android) RemovePackage(context.Context, Runner, string) error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("%w: package", ErrUnsupported)
+}
+
 func (a android) ServiceState(context.Context, Runner, string) (string, error) {
 	return "", fmt.Errorf("%w: service (init is not reachable without root)", ErrUnsupported)
 }

internal/system/arch.go

@@ -39,6 +39,14 @@ func (a arch) PackageInstalled(ctx context.Context, run Runner, name string) (bo
 	return true, nil
 }
 
+// RemovePackage removes one package and nothing it depends on: `-R`, not `-Rs`, because what else
+// relied on a dependency is not this declaration's to know. pacman keeps a configuration file the
+// operator changed as `.pacsave`, which is what "never flushed" comes to once the front end is gone.
+func (arch) RemovePackage(ctx context.Context, run Runner, name string) error {
+	_, err := run(ctx, "pacman", "-R", "--noconfirm", name)
+	return err
+}
+
 func (arch) InstallPackage(ctx context.Context, run Runner, name string) error {
 	out, err := run(ctx, "pacman", "-S", "--noconfirm", "--needed", name)
 	if err == nil {

internal/system/system.go

@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ type System interface {
 
 	PackageInstalled(ctx context.Context, run Runner, name string) (bool, error)
 	InstallPackage(ctx context.Context, run Runner, name string) error
+	// RemovePackage uninstalls one package, leaving its dependencies and anything the operator
+	// changed in its configuration where the package manager leaves them (novox/hq ADR 0175).
+	RemovePackage(ctx context.Context, run Runner, name string) error
 
 	// ServiceState is "running" or "stopped". A unit that does not exist is an error, never
 	// "stopped" — reporting absence as satisfaction is the fault this host exists to prevent.