In Chef 11.8, we’re excited to introduce local mode with `chef-client -z`. Designed to get people up and running with Chef as quickly as possible, local mode harnesses the power of chef-zero to let you run recipes and work with the full power of Chef locally without the need to set up a server, register and grab keys, configure the client, or switch to root. It is designed to handle many scenarios, including:
1. Beginners: Local mode lets a new user run their first recipe as fast as possible: install Chef, write recipe, `chef-client -z -o cookbookname`, done!
2. Rapid Recipe Development: with local mode, you can `chef-client`, change your recipe/data bags/roles/whatever, and `chef-client` again with no steps in between.
3. Solo Use: Makes it easy to configure a local workstation of server with Chef, while allowing an easy transition to a real Chef server to handle multiple remote servers.
Here’s the most basic scenario for getting started with local mode:
1. Install Chef
2. Create `cookbooks/helloworld/recipes/default.rb`:
[ruby]
file “#{ENV[‘HOME’]}/x.txt” do
content ‘HELLO WORLD’
end
[/ruby]
3. Run chef-client:
$ chef-client -z -o helloworld
[2013-10-30T16:39:59-07:00] WARN: No config file found or specified on command line, using command line options.
Starting Chef Client, version 11.8.0.rc.1
[2013-10-30T16:40:01-07:00] WARN: Run List override has been provided.
[2013-10-30T16:40:01-07:00] WARN: Original Run List: ]
[2013-10-30T16:40:01-07:00] WARN: Overridden Run List: ]
resolving cookbooks for run list: ["helloworld"]
Synchronizing Cookbooks:
- helloworld
Compiling Cookbooks...
Converging 1 resources
Recipe: helloworld::default
* file[/Users/jkeiser/x.txt] action create
- update content in file /Users/jkeiser/x.txt from 9b96a1 to 787ec7
--- /Users/jkeiser/x.txt 2013-10-15 10:52:19.000000000 -0700
+++ /var/folders/87/lgq7l8yj6yg5j6323hc0jn7h0000gn/T/.x.txt20131030-5422-6h1dud 2013-10-30 16:40:01.000000000 -0700
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-hi there
+HELLO WORLD
Chef Client finished, 1 resources updatedNo muss, no fuss, you have just run your first recipe!
`chef-client -z` supports the full range of Chef concepts including data bags, roles, environments and even search. To add other types of thing, just make files for them:
clients/NAME.json cookbooks/NAME/... data_bags/BAG_NAME/NAME.json environments/NAME.json nodes/NAME.json roles/NAME.json users/NAME.json
When you’ve developed your recipes for a while and outgrow local mode, you’ll naturally want to move to Hosted Chef or to a Chef Server of your own. This is where `chef-client -z` gives you a clear path. When it’s time to move, just make a `.chef/knife.rb` in the current directory and use `knife upload`:
knife upload /
All your cookbooks, data bags, roles, nodes, and everything are on the server. To the cloud!
knife works in local mode too! For example, if you want to set your node’s run list, you can use `knife node list -z` to find your node’s name and then run:
knife node run_list add -z recipe[helloworld]
After this,
chef-client -z
with no other parameters will always run “helloworld”.
Local mode has a special feature embedded: when your recipes save data back to the Chef server, the data goes back into your repository! So if your recipe creates or updates a data bag, or changes a node attribute, or tags a node, the data will go straight back into your local filesystem and the next time `chef-client -z` or `knife -z` run, they will be aware of it.
Try it out! One thing this means is that after your first chef-client run, you will see a `nodes/MYHOST.json` file containing your node data.
chef-solo still exists, and this obviously has some overlap there. In *most* cases where you are using chef-solo, you will be able to use chef-client -z in its place, since chef-client has all of chef-solo’s features and more. Only if your recipes specifically test for :solo mode will things be different, since chef-client does not set this variable.
As always, issues and feature requests can be filed at tickets.opscode.com. Check out the mailing lists or IRC if you want to discuss or contribute. Please direct angry mobs at @jkeiser2.