Impossible to set boolean value for preferences via devfile

[tolusha]

Describe the bug

Impossible to set boolean value for preferences via devfile.
It is automatically converted into a string.

Che version

• latest
• nightly
• other: please specify

Steps to reproduce

1. Add preferences into devfile

  preferences:
   some_attribute: false

2. It is automatically converted into:

  preferences:
   some_attribute: 'false'

3. Start a workspace
4. Check user preferences:

{
   some_attribute: "false"
}

5. The value of the attribute is treated as string instead of boolean

Expected behavior

Expected boolean value for an attribute.

Runtime

• kubernetes (include output of kubectl version)
• Openshift (include output of oc version)
• minikube (include output of minikube version and kubectl version)
• minishift (include output of minishift version and oc version)
• docker-desktop + K8S (include output of docker version and kubectl version)
• other: (please specify)

Installation method

• chectl
• che-operator
• minishift-addon
• I don't know

Environment

• my computer
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • macOS
• Cloud
  • Amazon
  • Azure
  • GCE
  • other (please specify)
• other: please specify

Additional context

It is needed for #13698

[benoitf]

feature issue is for 7.1.0 so putting the same milestone there

[benoitf]

cc @skabashnyuk @ibuziuk

[sleshchenko]

Seems it duplicates #13302 but the title definitely is more precise here )

[mshaposhnik]

@tolusha am i correct - you mean the attributes of the root devfile object ? (there is no preferences field except the one in chePlugin type)?

[tolusha]

@mshaposhnik
I mean in the preferences field of the chePlugin.

components:
-
  type: chePlugin
  reference: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tolusha/plugins-registry/master/plugins/tolusha/cpptools/0.1/meta.yaml
  alias: cpp-plugin
  preferences:
    clangd.path: /usr/bin/clangd
    cdt.clangd.binaries.enable: false

[mshaposhnik]

ok

[tolusha]

#14174