Document packaged NetBox installation and release workflow

[pheus]

Change Type

Addition

Area

Installation/upgrade

Proposed Changes

Update the documentation to describe the packaged NetBox installation workflow.

The documentation should make clear that this is an additional installation option and does not replace the existing archive or git-clone workflows.

The documentation should also reflect the rollout phase:

• during the TestPyPI validation phase, the packaged workflow is experimental and not recommended for production use;
• once promoted and published to production PyPI, the packaged workflow can be documented as a supported production installation method.

User-facing documentation should cover:

• when to use the packaged install workflow;
• how the packaged install differs from archive and git-clone installs;
• the difference between installed application code, the virtual environment, local configuration, and mutable runtime data;
• that the virtual environment does not need to live under the NetBox instance root;
• how local configuration is handled for packaged installs;
• how to prepare a minimal packaged deployment;
• how to generate a secret key;
• how to run upgrade tasks with netbox upgrade;
• how to handle plugins and local Python requirements;
• how to upgrade a packaged deployment;
• how to migrate from an existing archive or git-clone layout;
• how service and web server configuration remain manual deployment tasks.

Maintainer documentation should cover:

• how package artifacts are built;
• how package artifacts are verified;
• how package metadata is derived;
• how package publishing works;
• which release checks must pass before publishing;
• how TestPyPI and production PyPI publishing fit into the release process.

The documentation should clearly state that:

• existing archive and git-clone workflows remain supported;
• package installation does not configure external services;
• package installation does not automatically enable plugins;
• local configuration and mutable runtime data should live outside the installed package;
• plugins must be installed into the same Python environment before running upgrade tasks;
• netbox upgrade is used for both fresh packaged installs and packaged upgrades;