Last updated December 03, 2024

This article covers how add-on providers handle and enable support for different Heroku Generations.

Differences Between Cedar and Fir Generations

Here are the differences between the generations of the Heroku platform that are relevant to add-on providers. To understand all differences between the generations, Heroku Generations.

Logging

Only Cedar supports add-ons writing to or accessing application logs.

If your add-on currently writes to application logs for Cedar-generation apps, but these logs aren’t a critical part of the add-on’s functionality, consider enabling support for Fir for the add-on while understanding this current logging limitation.

Heroku is working on new extensibility points for third-party add-ons to accept logs and additional telemetry from Heroku apps.

Buildpacks

The Fir generation uses Cloud Native Buildpacks (CNBs) instead of classic Heroku buildpacks. Classic buildpacks are not compatible with Fir. If an add-on relies on custom buildpacks for some of its functionality, you must use the equivalent CNBs for Fir-generation app support. If you created a custom classic buildpack you want to make a CNB equivalent of, see Creating Cloud Native Buildpacks from Classic Buildpacks.

Private Spaces and Regions

Cedar-generation apps can run on either Common Runtime or Private Spaces. Fir apps currently only exist in Private Spaces. See Supporting Private Spaces as an Add-on Partner for more info.

Test Your Add-on For Fir Compatibility

If you add-on uses one of the features listed under generational differences relevant to add-ons, test Fir compatibility with a separate staging or test add-on. Fir compatibility is at the add-on level and you can’t configure its support per plan.

Follow these steps to test add-on Fir compatibility:

1. Create a test or staging add-on if you don’t already have one. Keep the test add-on in Alpha stage.
2. Enable Fir support in the Settings tab of the test add-on in the Heroku Partner Portal.
3. Create a Fir space and a Fir app.
4. Provision an instance of the test add-on to the Fir app.
5. Validate that the test add-on works correctly when provisioned to a Fir app.
6. When you’re ready, enable Fir support in the Settings tab of the main add-on in the Partner Portal.

Enable Your Add-on to Support Fir

You can enable support for Fir in the Heroku Partner Portal in Settings tab for an add-on. You must enable support in the portal before users can install your add-on on Fir-generation apps. Ensure that you test for Fir compatibility first if your add-on uses one of the features listed under generational differences relevant to add-ons.

Additional Reading

• Heroku Generations
• Creating Cloud Native Buildpacks from Classic Buildpacks