Docs on pre-loading functions

Signed-off-by: Alex Ellis (OpenFaaS Ltd) <alexellis2@gmail.com>

Author: alexellis

docs/edge/overview.md

@@ -6,17 +6,24 @@ The handbook and reference documentation for OpenFaaS Edge are available in the
 
 Most of the [OpenFaaS Pro documentation](/docs/openfaas-pro/) and [Helm charts](https://github.com/openfaas/faas-netes/tree/master/chart) can be used or adapted, however you'll find some specifics here:
 
+## Packaging/deployment
+
 * [OpenFaaS Edge Deployment](/deployment/edge)
-* [Services](/edge/services)
-* [TLS](/edge/tls)
-* [Scale to Zero for OpenFaaS Edge](/edge/scale-to-zero)
+* [Upgrading OpenFaaS Edge - itself and its containers](/deployment/edge/#upgrading-openfaas-edge)
+* [Preloading functions for distribution](/edge/preloading.md)
+* [Air Gap](/edge/airgap)
 * [Custom DNS servers](/edge/custom-dns)
-* [Kafka Connector for OpenFaaS Edge](/edge/kafka-deployment)
-* [GPU support for services](/edge/gpus)
 * [Improve container security with gVisor](/edge/gvisor)
+
+## OpenFaaS Edge guides 
+
+* [Services](/edge/services) - stateful containers defined in `docker-compose.yaml`
+* [TLS](/edge/tls) - secure the gateway for requests from the Internet
+* [Scale to Zero for OpenFaaS Edge](/edge/scale-to-zero)
+* [Kafka Connector for OpenFaaS Edge](/edge/kafka-deployment)
+* [GPU support for services](/edge/gpus) - package i.e. Ollama and an LLM for use by functions
 * [OpenTelemetry](/edge/open-telemetry)
-* [Air Gap](/edge/airgap)
-* [Resource constraints](/reference/yaml/#function-memorycpu-limits)
+* [Resource constraints](/reference/yaml/#function-memorycpu-limits) - limit RAM/CPU consumption by functions
 
 ## Looking for something else?
 

docs/edge/preloading.md

@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+# Preloading Functions for Distribution
+
+OpenFaaS Edge is licensed for distribution of bespoke solutions to end customers. The product itself can shipped as a convenient DEB/RPM package, or pre-installed in a VM image.
+
+But when it comes to functions, you generally have to deploy these via `faas-cli`.
+
+Preloading is a solution to this problem.
+
+On the first boot of the `faasd-provider` service, any YAML files found will be deployed automatically.
+
+So before you install OpenFaaS Edge, create the: `/var/lib/faasd-provider/functions` folder, and place any number of OpenFaaS function YAML files within it.
+
+## A single stack.yaml
+
+You can ship a single stack.yaml file with all your functions defined separately within it.
+
+*stack.yaml*
+
+```yaml
+functions:
+  env:
+    image: ghcr.io/openfaas/env:latest
+    fprocess: env
+  nodeinfo:
+    image: ghcr.io/openfaas/nodeinfo:latest
+```
+
+You can leave in build data such as the template and handler folder, or you can trim it away for brevity. It won't be used at deployment time.
+
+Copy the files to the destination:
+
+```bash
+sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/faasd-provider/functions/
+sudo cp stack.yaml /var/lib/faasd-provider/functions/
+```
+
+## Multiple YAML files
+
+You could also create multiple YAML files - one per function:
+
+*env.yaml*
+
+```yaml
+functions:
+  env:
+    image: ghcr.io/openfaas/env:latest
+    fprocess: env
+```
+
+*nodeinfo.yaml*
+
+```yaml
+functions:
+  nodeinfo:
+    image: ghcr.io/openfaas/nodeinfo:latest
+    fprocess: nodeinfo
+```
+
+Copy the files to the destination:
+
+```bash
+sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/faasd-provider/functions/
+sudo cp nodeinfo.yaml /var/lib/faasd-provider/functions/
+sudo cp env.yaml /var/lib/faasd-provider/functions/
+```
+
+## Running the preload a second time
+
+By default, the preload will only run once, then a file is written out to prevent it from running again.
+
+To have the preload run a second time i.e. during testing, simply remove the run file: `sudo rm -rf /var/lib/faasd-provider/bootstrap.ran`.
+