Getting Started with Chef Fluency from Pluralsight

Using Chef to define and configure your systems requires an understanding of what’s possible as well as the tools you will have at your disposal. In this course, you will learn the fundamentals to develop configuration management solutions with Chef.

Chef gives you the ability to define complex configuration management solutions, bringing your entire fleet of servers under automated, code-driven control with robust and independent testing and auditing. In this course, Getting Started with Chef Fluency, you will begin understanding what’s possible with the Chef platforms and tools which are available to you, as well as becoming familiar with the foundational concepts of Chef, including test-driven development and automation is critical in your role as a Chef developer and engineer. First, you’ll look at the core components of Chef, including Chef Workstation and Chef Infra Server. Then, you’ll explore the Chef design philosophy which brings native Ruby functionality into your Chef recipes. Finally, you’ll bring all this knowledge and learning together by exploring test-driven development Test Kitchen and InSpec. By the end of this course, you'll be developing custom Chef resources to easily deploy complex configuration management solutions.

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview

Understanding Basic Chef Terminology

Working with Basic Chef Functions

Integrating Chef Design Philosophy

Managing Continuous Delivery

Defining Custom Chef Resources

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Introduces core components like Chef Workstation and Chef Infra Server, which are essential tools for Chef development and engineering

Emphasizes the importance of working with configurations for managing a fleet of systems under automated control, addressing a common challenge in devops

Covers real-world challenges such as managing continuous delivery, which is crucial for implementing modern development practices

Provides students with practical knowledge of developing custom Chef resources, equipping them with valuable skills for building complex configuration management solutions

Suitable for those with a foundational understanding of configuration management concepts and looking to enhance their skills in Chef specifically

May require prerequisite knowledge of Ruby, as it is the native language used in Chef, which could limit accessibility for those without prior knowledge

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 Getting Started with Chef Fluency with these activities:

Review the Chef documentation

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The Chef documentation is a valuable resource for learning about the latest features and best practices.

Browse courses on Chef

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Visit the Chef documentation website.
Read the documentation for the Chef version you are using.
Focus on the sections that are most relevant to your current tasks.

Create a cheat sheet or reference guide for Chef

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Having a cheat sheet or reference guide can help you quickly find the information you need when working with Chef.

Browse courses on Chef

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Gather the most important information about Chef.
Organize the information in a logical way.
Create a cheat sheet or reference guide that you can easily access.

Join a Chef Users group

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Engaging with others who are also using Chef can provide valuable insights and support.

Browse courses on Chef

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Find a Chef Users group online or in your local area.
Attend meetings or online discussions.
Ask questions and share your experiences.

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Practice writing Chef recipes

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Writing Chef recipes is a critical skill for managing your systems. Practicing regularly will help you improve your proficiency.

Browse courses on Chef

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Choose a simple task to automate, such as installing a package or creating a user.
Write a Chef recipe to automate the task.
Test your recipe on a test system.
Refine your recipe as needed.

Practice using Chef to configure a web server

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Configuring a web server with Chef is a common task for system administrators. Practicing this skill will help you become more proficient.

Browse courses on Chef

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Set up a test environment with a web server.
Use Chef to install and configure the web server software.
Test the web server to make sure it is working properly.

Create a blog post or article about your experiences with Chef

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Sharing your knowledge with others can help you solidify your understanding of Chef and contribute to the community.

Browse courses on Chef

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Choose a topic related to Chef that you are knowledgeable about.
Write a blog post or article that shares your insights and experiences.
Publish your blog post or article online.
Promote your blog post or article on social media and other channels.

Create a presentation or demo about Chef

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Creating a presentation or demo can help you solidify your understanding of Chef and share your knowledge with others.

Browse courses on Chef

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Choose a topic related to Chef that you are knowledgeable about.
Create a presentation or demo that shares your insights and experiences.
Deliver your presentation or demo to an audience.

Contribute to the Chef open source project

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Contributing to the Chef open source project is a great way to give back to the community and learn more about Chef.

Browse courses on Chef

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Find an issue or feature request that you are interested in working on.
Create a pull request with your changes.
Work with the Chef team to get your pull request merged.

Career center

Learners who complete Getting Started with Chef Fluency will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

DevOps Engineer

DevOps Engineers are responsible for bridging the gap between development and operations teams. They work to ensure that new software is deployed quickly and efficiently, while also maintaining the stability of the production environment. The course, Getting Started with Chef Fluency, can help you prepare for this role by teaching you the fundamentals of Chef, a configuration management tool that can be used to automate many of the tasks that DevOps Engineers are responsible for. By learning Chef, you will be able to work more efficiently and effectively with both development and operations teams.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer

Cloud Engineer

Cloud Engineers are responsible for designing, building, and managing cloud computing environments. They work to ensure that cloud-based applications are running smoothly and efficiently. The course, Getting Started with Chef Fluency, can help you prepare for this role by teaching you the fundamentals of Chef, a configuration management tool that can be used to automate many of the tasks that Cloud Engineers are responsible for. By learning Chef, you will be able to work more efficiently and effectively in the cloud.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Engineer

Infrastructure Architect

Infrastructure Architects are responsible for designing and building the infrastructure that supports an organization's IT systems. They work to ensure that the infrastructure is scalable, reliable, and secure. The course, Getting Started with Chef Fluency, can help you prepare for this role by teaching you the fundamentals of Chef, a configuration management tool that can be used to automate many of the tasks that Infrastructure Architects are responsible for. By learning Chef, you will be able to design and build infrastructure more efficiently and effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Infrastructure Architect

Systems Administrator

In this role, you will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of computer systems, including hardware and software. You will also be responsible for ensuring that the systems are running smoothly and efficiently. The course, Getting Started with Chef Fluency, can help you prepare for this role by teaching you the fundamentals of Chef, a configuration management tool that can automate many of the tasks that you will be responsible for as a Systems Administrator. By learning Chef, you will be able to manage your systems more efficiently and effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Administrator

Security Engineer

Security Engineers are responsible for protecting an organization's IT systems from security threats. They work to identify and mitigate security risks, and to ensure that the organization's IT systems are compliant with security regulations. The course, Getting Started with Chef Fluency, can help you prepare for this role by teaching you the fundamentals of Chef, a configuration management tool that can be used to automate many of the tasks that Security Engineers are responsible for. By learning Chef, you will be able to work more efficiently and effectively to protect your organization's IT systems from security threats.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Engineer

Software Engineer

Software Engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining software applications. They work to ensure that software applications are reliable, efficient, and secure. The course, Getting Started with Chef Fluency, can help you prepare for this role by teaching you the fundamentals of Chef, a configuration management tool that can be used to automate many of the tasks that Software Engineers are responsible for. By learning Chef, you will be able to develop and maintain software applications more efficiently and effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Database Administrator

Database Administrators are responsible for managing and maintaining databases. They work to ensure that databases are reliable, efficient, and secure. The course, Getting Started with Chef Fluency, can help you prepare for this role by teaching you the fundamentals of Chef, a configuration management tool that can be used to automate many of the tasks that Database Administrators are responsible for. By learning Chef, you will be able to manage and maintain databases more efficiently and effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

Network Engineer

Network Engineers are responsible for designing, building, and maintaining computer networks. They work to ensure that networks are reliable, efficient, and secure. The course, Getting Started with Chef Fluency, can help you prepare for this role by teaching you the fundamentals of Chef, a configuration management tool that can be used to automate many of the tasks that Network Engineers are responsible for. By learning Chef, you will be able to design, build, and maintain networks more efficiently and effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Engineer

Systems Analyst

Systems Analysts are responsible for analyzing and designing computer systems. They work to ensure that systems are efficient, effective, and meet the needs of the organization. The course, Getting Started with Chef Fluency, can help you prepare for this role by teaching you the fundamentals of Chef, a configuration management tool that can be used to automate many of the tasks that Systems Analysts are responsible for. By learning Chef, you will be able to analyze and design systems more efficiently and effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Analyst

IT Consultant

IT Consultants are responsible for providing advice and guidance to organizations on how to use IT to achieve their business goals. They work to help organizations identify and implement IT solutions that can improve their efficiency, effectiveness, and profitability. The course, Getting Started with Chef Fluency, can help you prepare for this role by teaching you the fundamentals of Chef, a configuration management tool that can be used to help organizations improve their IT systems. By learning Chef, you will be able to provide better advice and guidance to organizations on how to use IT to achieve their business goals.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Consultant

IT Manager

IT Managers are responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating the activities of an organization's IT department. They work to ensure that the IT department is meeting the needs of the organization and that IT systems are running smoothly and efficiently. The course, Getting Started with Chef Fluency, can help you prepare for this role by teaching you the fundamentals of Chef, a configuration management tool that can be used to automate many of the tasks that IT Managers are responsible for. By learning Chef, you will be able to manage an IT department more efficiently and effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Manager

Technical Writer

Technical Writers are responsible for writing documentation for software and hardware products. They work to ensure that documentation is clear, concise, and accurate. The course, Getting Started with Chef Fluency, can help you prepare for this role by teaching you the fundamentals of Chef, a configuration management tool that can be used to help automate the documentation process. By learning Chef, you will be able to write technical documentation more efficiently and effectively.

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Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for managing the development and launch of software and hardware products. They work to ensure that products meet the needs of the market and that they are delivered on time and within budget. The course, Getting Started with Chef Fluency, can help you prepare for this role by teaching you the fundamentals of Chef, a configuration management tool that can be used to help automate the product development and launch process. By learning Chef, you will be able to manage products more efficiently and effectively.

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Sales Engineer

Sales Engineers are responsible for selling software and hardware products to businesses. They work to help businesses identify and implement IT solutions that can improve their efficiency, effectiveness, and profitability. The course, Getting Started with Chef Fluency, may help you prepare for this role by teaching you the fundamentals of Chef, a configuration management tool that can be used to help businesses improve their IT systems. By learning Chef, you will be able to provide better advice and guidance to businesses on how to use IT to achieve their business goals.

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IT Auditor

IT Auditors are responsible for assessing the security and compliance of IT systems. They work to ensure that IT systems are compliant with applicable laws and regulations. The course, Getting Started with Chef Fluency, may help you prepare for this role by teaching you the fundamentals of Chef, a configuration management tool that can be used to help automate the IT auditing process. By learning Chef, you will be able to assess the security and compliance of IT systems more efficiently and effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Auditor