About Berkshelf

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Berkshelf is a dependency manager for Chef cookbooks. With it, you can easily depend on community cookbooks and have them safely included in your workflow. You can also ensure that your CI systems reproducibly select the same cookbook versions, and can upload and bundle cookbook dependencies without needing a locally maintained copy. Berkshelf is included in Chef Workstation.

Quick Start

Run chef generate cookbook -b or --berks to create a Berksfile in the root of the cookbook. The Berksfile will be placed alongside the cookbook’s metadata.rb file. As usual, add your cookbook’s dependencies to the metadata.rb file:

name 'my_first_cookbook'
version '0.1.0'
depends 'apt', '~> 5.0'

The default Berksfile will contain the following:

source 'https://supermarket.chef.io'
metadata

Now, when you run berks install, the apt cookbook will be downloaded from Supermarket into the cache:

berks install
Resolving cookbook dependencies...
Fetching 'my_first_cookbook' from source at .
Fetching cookbook index from https://supermarket.chef.io...
Installing apt (5.0.0)
Using my_first_cookbook (0.1.0) from source at .
Installing compat_resource (12.16.2)

In this example, the compat_resource cookbook is also installed since it’s a dependency of the apt cookbook. Running the install command also creates a Berksfile.lock, which represents exactly which cookbook versions Berkshelf installed. This file ensures that someone else can check the cookbook out of git and get exactly the same dependencies as you.

You can now upload all cookbooks to your Chef Infra Server with berks upload:

berks upload
Uploaded apt (5.0.0) to: 'https://api.chef.io:443/organizations/example'
Uploaded compat_resource (12.16.2) to: 'https://api.chef.io:443/organizations/example'
Uploaded my_first_cookbook (0.1.0) to: 'https://api.chef.io:443/organizations/example'

The Berksfile

A Berksfile describes the set of sources and dependencies needed to use a cookbook. It is used in conjunction with the berks command.

Syntax

A Berksfile is a Ruby file, in which sources, dependencies, and options may be specified. Berksfiles are modeled closely on Bundler’s Gemfile. The syntax is as follows:

source "https://supermarket.chef.io"
metadata
cookbook "NAME" [, "VERSION_CONSTRAINT"] [, SOURCE_OPTIONS]

Source Keyword

A source defines where Berkshelf should look for cookbooks. Sources are processed in the order that they are defined in, and processing stops as soon as a suitable cookbook is found. Locations include a private or public Supermarket, Chef Infra Server, or local Chef repository.

By default, a Berksfile has a source for Chef’s public Supermarket:

source "https://supermarket.chef.io"

To add a private Supermarket, which will be preferred:

source "https://supermarket.example.com"
source "https://supermarket.chef.io"

To add a Chef Infra Server:

source "https://supermarket.chef.io"
source :chef_server

To add a local Chef repository:

source "https://supermarket.chef.io"
source chef_repo: ".."

The location and authentication details for the Chef Infra Server will be taken from the user’s config.rb by default.

To add multiple Chef Infra Servers:

source "https://supermarket.chef.io"
source chef_server: "https://mychefserver.example.com/organizations/one", client_name: "one-client", client_key: "/path/to/one-client.pem"
source chef_server: "https://mychefserver.example.com/organizations/two", client_name: "two-client", client_key: "/path/to/two-client.pem"

To use an Artifactory server as a source:

source artifactory: "https://artifactory.example.com/api/chef/nameofrepo", api_key: "XZg6tefUZYfiglmSbQ1s1e6habk"

If the api_key option is not given, it will use the value of the $ARTIFACTORY_API_KEY environment variable by default.

Metadata Keyword

The metadata keyword causes Berkshelf to process the local cookbook metadata. This ensures that the dependencies of the cookbook are resolved by Berkshelf. Using the metadata keyword requires that the Berksfile be placed in the root of the cookbook, next to metadata.rb.

Cookbook Keyword

The cookbook keyword allows the user to define where a cookbook is installed from, or to set additional version constraints. It can also be used to install additional cookbooks, for example to use during testing.

The format of a cookbook stanza is as follows:

cookbook "NAME" [, "VERSION_CONSTRAINT"] [, SOURCE_OPTIONS]

The simplest form is:

cookbook "library-cookbook"

This ensures that a cookbook named library-cookbook is installed by berkshelf.

Version constraints are the second parameter:

cookbook "library-cookbook", "~> 0.1.1"

These are identical to the version constraints in a cookbook metadata file.

Source options are used to specify the location to acquire a cookbook from, or to place a cookbook in a group. By default, cookbooks are acquired from the default sources, but it’s possible to override this on a case by case basis. Often this is used to get a development cookbook from Git, or to use another cookbook in a monolithic cookbook repository.

Path Location

The path location enables Berkshelf to use a cookbook located on the same system. It does not cache the target cookbook, ensuring that the latest version is always used. The target must be a single cookbook with a metadata.rb.

cookbook "library-cookbook", "~> 0.1.1", path: "../library-cookbook"

Git Location

The git location enables Berkshelf to use acquire a cookbook from a git repository.

cookbook "library-cookbook", "~> 0.1.1", git: "https://github.com/example/library-cookbook.git"

The user can specify a git branch or a tag (the options are synonymous) using an optional argument:

cookbook "library-cookbook", "~> 0.1.1", git: "https://github.com/example/library-cookbook.git", branch: "smartos-dev"
cookbook "library-cookbook", "~> 0.1.1", git: "https://github.com/example/library-cookbook.git", tag: "1.2.3"

The user can also specify a revision:

cookbook "library-cookbook", "~> 0.1.1", git: "https://github.com/example/library-cookbook.git", ref: "eef7e65806e7ff3bdbe148e27c447ef4a8bc3881"

If a git repository contains many cookbooks, the user can specify the path to the desired cookbook using the rel option:

cookbook "library-cookbook", "~> 0.1.1", git: "https://github.com/example/cookbook-repo.git", rel: "library-cookbook"

GitHub Location

If a cookbook is in GitHub, you can use the github: shorthand to refer to it:

cookbook "library-cookbook", "~> 0.1.1", github: "example/library-cookbook"

Any other git options are valid for a GitHub location.

Groups

Adding cookbooks to a group is useful should you wish to exclude certain cookbooks from upload or vendoring.

Groups can be defined via blocks:

group :test do
  cookbook "test-cookbook", path: "test/fixtures/test"
end

Groups can also be specified inline:

cookbook "test-cookbook", path: "test/fixtures/test", group: :test

To exclude a group when using berks, use the --except flag:

berks install --except test

Solver Keyword

It is possible to configure which engine to use for the solve dependency resolution system.

By default, the solver selection depends on your environment. When the dep_selector gem is installed, as in the case of Chef Workstation, the gecode solver is used. Otherwise, the ruby solver is utilized by default.

The gecode solver matches the engine used by the Chef Infra Server, so will more closely reflect the behavior of the Chef Infra Server in selecting cookbooks:

solver :gecode

The ruby solver can give better results in some situations, notably when Berkshelf times out when trying to build a dependency set.

solver :ruby

Berkshelf CLI

The Berkshelf CLI is the interface to Berkshelf.

Common Options

-c PATH, --config PATH

The path to the Berkshelf configuration file.

-d, --debug

Use to print debug information. Default value: false.

-F JSON, --format JSON

Use to specify the output format to be used. Default value: human Possible values: base, human, json, and null.

-q, --quiet

Use to silence all informational output. Default value: false.

berks apply

Use berks apply to apply Berksfile version locks to the named environment on the Chef Infra Server.

Syntax

This subcommand has the following syntax:

berks apply ENVIRONMENT (options)

Options

This command has the following options:

-b LOCK_FILE_PATH, --lockfile LOCK_FILE_PATH

The path to the Berksfile lock file from which Berksfile version locks are applied.

-f JSON_FILE_PATH, --envfile PATH

The path to an environment file (in JSON format) to which Berksfile version locks are applied.

--ssl-verify

Use to enable (true) or disable (false) SSL verification when applying Berksfile version locks to an environment.

berks contingent

Use berks contingent to list all cookbooks in a Berksfile that depend on the named cookbook.

Syntax

This subcommand has the following syntax:

berks contingent COOKBOOK (options)

Options

This command has the following options:

-b PATH, --berksfile PATH

The path to the Berksfile in which the cookbook is located.

berks cookbook

Use berks cookbook to create a skeleton for a new cookbook.

berks info

Use berks info to display the name, author, copyright, and dependency information for the named cookbook.

Syntax

This subcommand has the following syntax:

berks info COOKBOOK (options)

Options

This command has the following options:

-b PATH, --berksfile PATH

The path to the Berksfile in which the cookbook is located.

berks init

Use berks init to initialize Berkshelf to the specified directory.

berks install

Use berks install to install cookbooks into the cache. This command generates the Berkshelf lock file that ensures consistency.

Syntax

This subcommand has the following syntax:

berks install (options)

Options

This command has the following options:

-b PATH, --berksfile PATH

The path to the Berksfile in which the cookbook is located.

-e [GROUP, GROUP, ...], --except [GROUP, GROUP, ...]

An array of cookbook groups that will not be listed.

-o [GROUP, GROUP, ...], --only [GROUP, GROUP, ...]

An array of cookbook groups to be listed. When this option is used, cookbooks that exist in groups not listed will not be listed.

berks list

Use berks list to list cookbooks and their dependencies.

Syntax

This subcommand has the following syntax:

berks list (options)

Options

This command has the following options:

-b PATH, --berksfile PATH

The path to the Berksfile in which the cookbook is located.

-e [GROUP, GROUP, ...], --except [GROUP, GROUP, ...]

An array of cookbook groups that will not be listed.

-o [GROUP, GROUP, ...], --only [GROUP, GROUP, ...]

An array of cookbook groups to be listed. When this option is used, cookbooks that exist in groups not listed will not be listed.

berks outdated

Use berks outdated to list dependencies for the named cookbook, and then check if there are new versions available for version constraints that may exist.

Syntax

This subcommand has the following syntax:

berks outdated COOKBOOK (options)

Options

This command has the following options:

-b PATH, --berksfile PATH

The path to the Berksfile in which the cookbook is located.

-e [GROUP, GROUP, ...], --except [GROUP, GROUP, ...]

An array of cookbook groups that will not be checked for version constraints.

-o [GROUP, GROUP, ...], --only [GROUP, GROUP, ...]

An array of cookbook groups to be checked for version constraints. When this option is used, cookbooks that exist in groups not listed will not be checked for version constraints.

berks package

Use berks package to vendor, and then archive the dependencies of a Berksfile.

Syntax

This subcommand has the following syntax:

berks package PATH (options)

Options

This command has the following options:

-b PATH, --berksfile PATH

The path to the Berksfile to be vendored, and then archived.

-e [GROUP, GROUP, ...], --except [GROUP, GROUP, ...]

An array of cookbook groups that will not be vendored, and then archived.

-o [GROUP, GROUP, ...], --only [GROUP, GROUP, ...]

An array of cookbook groups to be vendored, and then archived. When this option is used, cookbooks that exist in groups not listed will not be vendored or archived.

berks search

Use berks search to search the remote source for cookbooks that match the search query. The query itself will match partial cookbook names.

Syntax

This subcommand has the following syntax:

berks search QUERY (options)

Options

This command has the following options:

--source URL

The URL at which remote cookbooks are located. Default value: https://supermarket.chef.io.

berks show

Use berks show to show the path to the named cookbook.

Syntax

This subcommand has the following syntax:

berks show COOKBOOK (options)

Options

This command has the following options:

-b PATH, --berksfile PATH

The path to the Berksfile in which the named cookbook is defined.

berks update

Use berks update to update the named cookbook or cookbooks (and any dependencies).

Syntax

This subcommand has the following syntax:

berks update COOKBOOK (options)

Options

This command has the following options:

-b PATH, --berksfile PATH

The path to the Berksfile in which the named cookbook is defined.

-e [GROUP, GROUP, ...], --except [GROUP, GROUP, ...]

An array of cookbook groups that will not be updated.

-o [GROUP, GROUP, ...], --only [GROUP, GROUP, ...]

An array of cookbook groups to be updated. When this option is used, cookbooks that exist in groups not listed will not be updated.

berks upload

Use berks upload to upload the named cookbook to the Chef Infra Server.

Syntax

This subcommand has the following syntax:

berks upload COOKBOOK (options)

Options

This command has the following options:

-b PATH, --berksfile PATH

The path to the Berksfile in which the named cookbook is defined.

-e [GROUP, GROUP, ...], --except [GROUP, GROUP, ...]

An array of cookbook groups that will not be uploaded.

--force

Use to upload any named cookbook even if that cookbook exists on the Chef Infra Server and is frozen.

--halt-on-frozen

Use to exit the command with a non-zero exit code if this version of a cookbook already exists on the Chef Infra Server.

-o [GROUP, GROUP, ...], --only [GROUP, GROUP, ...]

An array of cookbook groups to be uploaded. When this option is used, cookbooks that exist in groups not listed will not be uploaded.

--no-freeze

A frozen cookbook requires changes to that cookbook to be submitted as a new version of that cookbook. Use this option to prevent this cookbook from being frozen. Default value: false (i.e. “frozen”).

--ssl-verify

Use to enable (true) or disable (false) SSL verification when uploading cookbooks to the Chef Infra Server.

-s, --skip-syntax-check

Use to skip Ruby syntax checking when uploading a cookbook to the Chef Infra Server. Default value: false.

berks vendor

Use berks vendor to vendor groups of cookbooks (as specified by group name) into a directory.

Syntax

This subcommand has the following syntax:

berks vendor PATH (options)

Options

This command has the following options:

-b PATH, --berksfile PATH

The path to the Berksfile from which cookbooks will be vendored.

--delete

Use to clean the directory in which vendored cookbooks will be placed prior to executing this command.

-e [GROUP, GROUP, ...], --except [GROUP, GROUP, ...]

An array of cookbook groups that will not be vendored.

-o [GROUP, GROUP, ...], --only [GROUP, GROUP, ...]

An array of cookbook groups to be vendored. When this option is used, cookbooks that exist in groups not listed will not be vendored.

berks verify

Use berks verify to perform a validation of the contents of resolved cookbooks.

Syntax

This subcommand has the following syntax:

berks verify (options)

Options

This command has the following options:

-b PATH, --berksfile PATH

The path to the Berksfile from which resolved cookbooks are validated.

berks version

Use berks version to display the version of Berkshelf.

berks viz

Use berks viz to generate a dependency graph image file.

Syntax

This subcommand has the following syntax:

berks viz (options)

Options

This command has the following options:

-b PATH, --berksfile PATH

The path to the Berksfile for which the dependency graph is built.

-o NAME, --outfile NAME

The name of the file to which output is saved. Default value: graph.png.