Add ci log explorer idea (#184)

Author: chreekat

content/ideas/ci-log-explorer.md

@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+---
+title: Continuous Integration Log Explorer
+---
+
+## Goals
+
+Create a web-based tool that can be used to explore continuous integration test
+logs suitable for large projects with big workflows that are susceptible to rare
+intermittent failures.
+
+There are two components to this goal.
+
+1. Create a service that automatically inserts test logs into a full text search
+   database.
+
+2. Create a web tool for querying the full text search database and visualizing
+   results.
+
+## Background
+
+The Haskell compiler GHC has an old testsuite that is slowly lumbering into the
+modern era. As more aspects of GHC are tested automatically, rare intermittent
+failures that cause spurious test results are uncovered. As more infrastructure
+is added to support automation, the surface area for such spurious failures
+increases. Collectively, the intermittent failures affect many CI runs and can
+create a frustrating experience for would-be GHC contributors.
+
+One successful technique for combating intermittent failures is to collect data
+from many test runs and look for patterns. By finding the "fingerprint" of a
+particular failure, we can identify whether it is indeed spurious, what
+circumstances accompany the failure, and how frequently it occurs. This
+information can be used to identify the root cause and fix the failure. At the
+very least, it can be used to recover from the failure automatically, giving
+contributors a smoother experience.
+
+### Existing Tooling
+
+Some tooling to support this technique is found at
+https://gitlab.haskell.org/chreekat/spurious-failures/-/tree/master/local-tooling.
+It requires the user to manually download all job logs, and the "interface" is
+nothing more than a sqlite database. This project will improve on the idea.
+
+There is already a service that listens to job events, found at
+https://gitlab.haskell.org/chreekat/spurious-failures/-/tree/master/spuriobot.
+Therefore, the first component of the project goal (creating a service that
+automatically inserts test logs into a full text search database) will only need
+to extend that service with the log-insertion feature.
+
+## Outcomes
+
+Phase 1: The tool will be implemented and brought online with a basic user
+interface. It will only support GHC.
+
+Phase 2, option 1: Guided by user feedback, better visualizations will be added
+to the UI.
+
+Phase 2, option 2: The service that automatically inserts test logs into a full
+text search database will be extended to support Github workflows, allowing the
+tool to be used much more widely.
+
+Phase 2, option 3: *Use* the tool to characterize spurious failures in GHC.
+There is a large list of potential spurious failures that can be investigated.
+And maybe fix them!
+
+## Size
+
+The first deliverable, described in Phase 1, is **small**. By choosing from the
+Phase 2 options, however, the project can be extended to **medium** or **large**
+as suits the circumstances.
+
+## Required Skills
+
+* Read and write technical English
+* Haskell programming basics
+
+## Suitable for the Following Interests
+
+* devops
+* Haskell tooling
+* web app development
+* web services
+* data visualization
+
+## Project Mentor
+
+* Bryan Richter, Haskell Foundation DevOps engineer and author of existing tooling