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Chef

Chef converges nodes with a Ruby DSL: recipes declare resources, chef-client pulls a run-list and makes the box match. This course covers cookbooks, attribute precedence, templates, data bags, Test Kitchen with InSpec, and Policyfiles. The server holds keys and the run-list; a cookbook that looks idempotent can still restart a service on every run if the resource is written that way.

Intermediate3 sections · 12 lessons · ~6h total · 13-question self-test
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01

Chef fundamentals

4 lessons
01What Chef is & the pull modelClient/server, agent-based convergence.12 min02The tools & workstation setupchef-client, knife, Workstation.12 min03Resources & recipesThe declarative Ruby building blocks.12 min04The chef-client run & convergenceCompile, converge, idempotency.12 min
02

Attributes, templates & cookbooks

4 lessons
01Attributes & precedenceWhere node values come from.14 min02Templates & filesERB templates from node data.12 min03Cookbook structure & dependenciesBerkshelf, metadata, versioning.12 min04Nodes, run-lists & rolesWhat a node should become.12 min
03

Secrets, testing & hardening

4 lessons
01Data bags & encrypted secretsShared data and secrets, encrypted.14 min02Test Kitchen & InSpecTest cookbooks before they ship.12 min03Policyfiles & environmentsPin exactly what a node runs.12 min04Securing the Chef server & clientsKeys, RBAC, and the pull model’s risks.14 min

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Final exam
Test yourself on everything
13 questions drawn from all 3 sections — every answer explained as you pick.
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