fix(transpiler): add validation for circular type references (#1141)

- Added `CircularTypeReferenceException` and `InvalidTypeException` to
handle invalid or circular references.
- Enhanced transpiler to detect circular types and fall back to opaque
objects when necessary.
- Updated test suite with comprehensive circular reference scenarios.

closes #351

Author: kimpenhaus

docs/docs/operator/building-blocks/entities.mdx

@@ -152,8 +152,12 @@ public class EntitySpec
 ### Special Attributes
 
 - `[Ignore]`: Excludes a property or entity from CRD generation
-- `[PreserveUnknownFields]`: Preserves unknown fields in the Kubernetes object
-- `[EmbeddedResource]`: Marks a property as an embedded Kubernetes resource
+- `[PreserveUnknownFields]`: Allows unknown fields on the annotated object (`x-kubernetes-preserve-unknown-fields: true`). The known fields are still transpiled and validated, so you keep a structural schema for what you model while permitting extra fields. Works the same whether placed on a property or on a class/type: if the type cannot be represented (it contains a circular reference or an otherwise non-transpilable member), it gracefully falls back to an opaque `type: object` with `x-kubernetes-preserve-unknown-fields: true` instead of failing — making this the recommended way to model complex, externally generated, or self-referencing types.
+- `[EmbeddedResource]`: Marks a property as an embedded Kubernetes resource. The property type is never traversed; the schema is always an opaque embedded `type: object`.
+
+:::note
+The CRD transpiler maps property types recursively. A **circular type reference** that is not opted out via `[PreserveUnknownFields]` or `[Ignore]` cannot be represented as a finite OpenAPI schema and raises a descriptive `TranspilationFailedException` during generation. Annotate the offending property or type with `[PreserveUnknownFields]` or `[Ignore]`, or restructure the type to remove the cycle.
+:::
 
 ## Example with Multiple Attributes
 
@@ -264,4 +268,4 @@ subresources:
 
 :::note
 `[ScaleSubresource]` and the status subresource are controlled independently. A `Status` property activates `status: {}` regardless of `[ScaleSubresource]`, and `[ScaleSubresource]` adds `scale:` regardless of whether a `Status` property exists.
-:::
+:::

src/KubeOps.Transpiler/Crds.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+// Licensed to the .NET Foundation under one or more agreements.
+// The .NET Foundation licenses this file to you under the Apache 2.0 License.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+namespace KubeOps.Transpiler.Exceptions;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Raised when the CRD transpiler detects a circular type reference that cannot be represented as a
+/// finite OpenAPI schema. Derives from <see cref="InvalidOperationException"/> to preserve backwards
+/// compatibility for existing catch clauses.
+/// </summary>
+internal sealed class CircularTypeReferenceException : InvalidOperationException
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="CircularTypeReferenceException"/> class.
+    /// </summary>
+    public CircularTypeReferenceException()
+    {
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="CircularTypeReferenceException"/> class.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="message">The error message.</param>
+    public CircularTypeReferenceException(string? message)
+        : base(message)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="CircularTypeReferenceException"/> class.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="message">The error message.</param>
+    /// <param name="innerException">The exception that caused this exception.</param>
+    public CircularTypeReferenceException(string? message, Exception? innerException)
+        : base(message, innerException)
+    {
+    }
+}

src/KubeOps.Transpiler/Exceptions/CircularTypeReferenceException.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+// Licensed to the .NET Foundation under one or more agreements.
+// The .NET Foundation licenses this file to you under the Apache 2.0 License.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+namespace KubeOps.Transpiler.Exceptions;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Raised when the CRD transpiler encounters a type it cannot map to an OpenAPI schema.
+/// </summary>
+internal sealed class InvalidTypeException : InvalidOperationException
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="InvalidTypeException"/> class.
+    /// </summary>
+    public InvalidTypeException()
+    {
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="InvalidTypeException"/> class.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="message">The error message.</param>
+    public InvalidTypeException(string? message)
+        : base(message)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="InvalidTypeException"/> class.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="message">The error message.</param>
+    /// <param name="innerException">The exception that caused this exception.</param>
+    public InvalidTypeException(string? message, Exception? innerException)
+        : base(message, innerException)
+    {
+    }
+}

src/KubeOps.Transpiler/Exceptions/InvalidTypeException.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+// Licensed to the .NET Foundation under one or more agreements.
+// The .NET Foundation licenses this file to you under the Apache 2.0 License.
+// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
+
+namespace KubeOps.Transpiler.Exceptions;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Raised when an entity cannot be transpiled into a CRD. The message is prefixed with the affected
+/// entity; the concrete cause (for example a circular type reference or a non-transpilable type) is
+/// available via <see cref="Exception.InnerException"/>.
+/// </summary>
+public sealed class TranspilationFailedException : Exception
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="TranspilationFailedException"/> class.
+    /// </summary>
+    public TranspilationFailedException()
+    {
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="TranspilationFailedException"/> class.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="message">The error message.</param>
+    public TranspilationFailedException(string? message)
+        : base(message)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="TranspilationFailedException"/> class.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="message">The error message.</param>
+    /// <param name="innerException">The exception that caused this exception.</param>
+    public TranspilationFailedException(string? message, Exception? innerException)
+        : base(message, innerException)
+    {
+    }
+}