Developing Local Chef Cookbooks on Linux from Pluralsight

Developing Chef cookbooks requires an understanding of the many tools which are available to you via Chef Workstation. This course leverages hands-on demos to explore the options available for developing cookbook solutions for Linux.

The Chef repo, with its patterns of cookbooks and accompanying assets, is the foundation for building robust solutions to deploy to your managed infrastructure.

In this course, Developing Local Chef Cookbooks on Linux , you'll learn in-depth skills that are critical in your role as a developer and engineer, exploring what’s possible with the Chef Workstation tools and testing platforms which are available to you, as well as implementing the foundational concepts of Chef, including test-driven development and automation.

First, you’ll look at the core components of the Chef repo, cookbook structure, and the tools available with Chef Workstation.

Next, you’ll explore test-driven development with the full range of testing platforms, including Test Kitchen and Cookstyle, ChefSpec and InSpec.

Finally, you’ll build out solutions using more advanced concepts including custom resources, templates, and data bags.

When you’re finished with the course, you’ll have the skills and knowledge to effectively use Chef Workstation to develop cookbooks which are designed to configure and manage Linux systems, which is needed to effectively manage a Linux-based infrastructural ecosystem.

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview

Authoring Chef Cookbooks

Working with Chef Workstation

Working with Test Kitchen

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides a strong foundation in Chef through hands-on demos, exploring the tools and testing platforms available

In-depth coverage of the Chef repo, cookbook structure, and essential concepts like test-driven development and automation

Taught by James Bannan, an experienced instructor in Chef Workstation

Focuses specifically on developing cookbooks for Linux, providing learners with specialized knowledge

May require prior knowledge of Linux systems and Chef concepts

Reviews summary

Practical chef cookbooks for linux

According to students, this course offers a highly practical and hands-on approach to developing Chef cookbooks on Linux, particularly excelling in its coverage of test-driven development with ChefSpec and InSpec. Many found the instructor's explanations clear and the demos insightful, making complex topics accessible for experienced professionals. However, a significant number of learners noted that some course material feels outdated regarding specific Chef component versions, potentially leading to setup issues. The course is best suited for those with prior Linux or sysadmin experience, as it can be challenging for absolute beginners due to assumed knowledge and fast pacing in certain sections. Despite concerns about currency, recent reviews still highlight its strong foundational value.

Instructor explains complex topics clearly and effectively.

"The instructor explained complex concepts clearly."

"As a seasoned ops engineer, I found the instructor's demos were spot-on."

"The instructor knows their stuff."

"The explanations are generally good, but the flow could be improved."

Comprehensive coverage of Chef's test-driven development tools.

"I particularly appreciated the depth on Test Kitchen and InSpec."

"The focus on TDD with ChefSpec and InSpec is brilliant and very practical."

"The TDD aspect was particularly well-covered. Perfect for anyone in a DevOps role."

"I learned a lot about Test Kitchen setups and how to write good tests."

Excellent hands-on labs and practical demonstrations.

"The hands-on labs were incredibly useful and the instructor explained complex concepts clearly."

"The practical examples were great."

"As a seasoned ops engineer, I found the instructor's demos were spot-on, and the coverage of custom resources was particularly insightful."

"The labs are really hands-on and make me think."

"The hands-on approach and detailed explanations make complex topics easy to grasp."

Best for experienced professionals, challenging for beginners.

"I think a bit more background on Linux fundamentals would help absolute beginners."

"I'd say it's best for those with some prior scripting or sysadmin experience. It might be challenging for total newcomers to automation."

"I found this course somewhat difficult to follow. It assumes a lot of prior knowledge, especially with Linux and general automation concepts."

"The instructor moved very quickly through some crucial sections, and the examples didn't always clarify things for me."

Some material and tools may be outdated, causing issues.

"Some of the material feels a bit dated now, especially regarding specific versions of Chef components. I wish there was an update."

"This course is completely outdated! Many of the commands and versions shown do not work anymore. It was a frustrating experience."

"Some of the tools used in the demos seemed a bit out of date with the latest Chef Workstation versions. This led to some setup issues for me."

"Not recommended unless it gets a major update."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Developing Local Chef Cookbooks on Linux with these activities:

Attend a Chef Community Gathering

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Expand your professional network and gain insights by attending a Chef community gathering, connecting with experts and fellow learners.

Browse courses on Networking

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Research upcoming Chef community events.
Register and attend an event.
Introduce yourself to others and engage in discussions.

Explore Chef Workstation Tools

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Enhance your proficiency in using Chef Workstation tools to develop effective cookbook solutions.

Browse courses on Chef Workstation

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Follow tutorials on Chef Workstation's features.
Experiment with different tools to identify their capabilities.
Apply tools in practice cookbook development scenarios.

Test-Driven Development with ChefSpec

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Sharpen your test-driven development skills using ChefSpec to ensure the reliability and correctness of your cookbooks.

Browse courses on Test-Driven Development

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Write unit tests for cookbook resources using ChefSpec.
Execute tests and analyze results.
Refactor code to improve test coverage and maintainability.

Three other activities

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Build a Cookbook Using Custom Resources and Data Bags

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Apply your knowledge to create a comprehensive cookbook that incorporates custom resources and data bags, demonstrating your proficiency in advanced cookbook development.

Browse courses on Custom Resources

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Design custom resources to extend cookbook functionality.
Create and manage data bags to store sensitive or reusable data.
Integrate custom resources and data bags into a complete cookbook solution.
Test and deploy the cookbook in a realistic environment.

Become a Peer Mentor

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Strengthen your understanding by mentoring a fellow learner, providing guidance and support while reinforcing your own knowledge.

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Identify opportunities to mentor within the course or community.
Prepare materials and resources to support your mentees.
Provide regular guidance, feedback, and encouragement.

Contribute to the Chef Community

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Deepen your involvement in the Chef community by contributing to open-source projects, gaining valuable experience and giving back to the ecosystem.

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Identify areas within the Chef community where you can contribute.
Explore documentation and resources to understand contribution guidelines.
Make code or documentation improvements and submit pull requests.

Career center

Learners who complete Developing Local Chef Cookbooks on Linux will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Systems Analyst

Systems Analysts design, build, and maintain computer systems. This course can help lead to success in this career role because it teaches the fundamentals of Chef, including test-driven development and automation, which are essential for Systems Analysts to use to manage and configure Linux systems. Additionally, the course covers more advanced concepts such as custom resources, templates, and data bags, which are commonly used by Systems Analysts to automate complex tasks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Analyst

DevOps Engineer

DevOps Engineers bridge the gap between development and operations teams. This course can help lead to success in this career role because it teaches the fundamentals of Chef, including test-driven development and automation, which are essential for DevOps Engineers to use to manage and configure Linux systems. Additionally, the course covers more advanced concepts such as custom resources, templates, and data bags, which are commonly used by DevOps Engineers to automate complex tasks.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer

Systems Administrator

Systems Administrators set up, deploy, and maintain computer systems. This course can help lead to success in this career role because it teaches the fundamentals of Chef, including test-driven development and automation, which are essential for managing and configuring Linux systems. Additionally, the course covers more advanced concepts such as custom resources, templates, and data bags, which are commonly used by Systems Administrators to automate complex tasks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Administrator

Cloud Engineer

Cloud Engineers design, build, and manage cloud-based infrastructure. This course may be useful for Cloud Engineers who want to learn how to use Chef to automate the configuration and management of Linux systems in the cloud. The course covers the core components of the Chef repo, cookbook structure, and the tools available with Chef Workstation, which are essential for developing and maintaining Chef cookbooks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Engineer

Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software systems. This course may be useful for Software Engineers who want to learn how to use Chef to automate the configuration and management of Linux systems. The course covers the core components of the Chef repo, cookbook structure, and the tools available with Chef Workstation, which are essential for developing and maintaining Chef cookbooks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Business Analyst

Business Analysts analyze business needs and design solutions to meet those needs. This course may be useful for Business Analysts who want to learn how to use Chef to automate the configuration and management of Linux systems. The course covers the core components of the Chef repo, cookbook structure, and the tools available with Chef Workstation, which are essential for developing and maintaining Chef cookbooks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Project Manager

Project Managers plan, execute, and close projects. This course may be useful for Project Managers who want to learn how to use Chef to automate the configuration and management of Linux systems. The course covers the core components of the Chef repo, cookbook structure, and the tools available with Chef Workstation, which are essential for developing and maintaining Chef cookbooks.

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Technical Writer

Technical Writers create documentation for technical products and services. This course may be useful for Technical Writers who want to learn how to use Chef to automate the configuration and management of Linux systems. The course covers the core components of the Chef repo, cookbook structure, and the tools available with Chef Workstation, which are essential for developing and maintaining Chef cookbooks.

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Sales Engineer

Sales Engineers sell technical products and services. This course may be useful for Sales Engineers who want to learn how to use Chef to automate the configuration and management of Linux systems. The course covers the core components of the Chef repo, cookbook structure, and the tools available with Chef Workstation, which are essential for developing and maintaining Chef cookbooks.

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Solutions Architect

Solutions Architects design and implement solutions to meet business needs. This course may be useful for Solutions Architects who want to learn how to use Chef to automate the configuration and management of Linux systems. The course covers the core components of the Chef repo, cookbook structure, and the tools available with Chef Workstation, which are essential for developing and maintaining Chef cookbooks.

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Consultant

Consultants provide advice and guidance to clients on a variety of topics. This course may be useful for Consultants who want to learn how to use Chef to automate the configuration and management of Linux systems. The course covers the core components of the Chef repo, cookbook structure, and the tools available with Chef Workstation, which are essential for developing and maintaining Chef cookbooks.

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Network Engineer

Network Engineers design, build, and maintain computer networks. This course may be useful for Network Engineers who want to learn how to use Chef to automate the configuration and management of Linux-based network devices. The course covers the core components of the Chef repo, cookbook structure, and the tools available with Chef Workstation, which are essential for developing and maintaining Chef cookbooks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Engineer

Security Engineer

Security Engineers design, implement, and maintain security systems. This course may be useful for Security Engineers who want to learn how to use Chef to automate the configuration and management of Linux systems. The course covers the core components of the Chef repo, cookbook structure, and the tools available with Chef Workstation, which are essential for developing and maintaining Chef cookbooks.

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Data Engineer

Data Engineers design, build, and maintain data systems. This course may be useful for Data Engineers who want to learn how to use Chef to automate the configuration and management of Linux-based data systems. The course covers the core components of the Chef repo, cookbook structure, and the tools available with Chef Workstation, which are essential for developing and maintaining Chef cookbooks.

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Database Administrator

Database Administrators design, build, and maintain databases. This course may be useful for Database Administrators who want to learn how to use Chef to automate the configuration and management of Linux-based databases. The course covers the core components of the Chef repo, cookbook structure, and the tools available with Chef Workstation, which are essential for developing and maintaining Chef cookbooks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator