berks

Install cookbook dependencies into a local repo

$ berks install

$ berks update [cookbook]

$ berks upload [cookbook]

$ berks contingent [cookbook]

berks COMMAND [options]

install
    Install the cookbooks specified in the Berksfile.

upload
    Upload the cookbooks to the Chef Server.

vendor
    Vendor (copy) the cookbooks to a local directory.

init
    Initialize a new Berksfile in the current directory.

search
    Search for cookbooks on the Chef Supermarket.

update
    Update a specific cookbook or all cookbooks in the Berksfile.

--berksfile=PATH
    Specify the path to the Berksfile (defaults to `Berksfile`).

--chef-server-url=URL
    Specify the URL of the Chef Server.

--config=PATH
    Specify the path to the Berkshelf configuration file.

Berkshelf is a dependency manager for Chef cookbooks. It allows you to manage cookbook dependencies in a portable and reproducible way. Think of it like Bundler for Ruby or Maven for Java, but specifically for Chef cookbooks.

Berkshelf provides a simple workflow for discovering, sharing, and using Chef cookbooks. It allows you to define cookbook dependencies in a `Berksfile` and resolve them from various sources, including the Chef Supermarket, Git repositories, and local directories. It also includes the `berks` command-line tool, which simplifies the process of managing dependencies and uploading cookbooks to a Chef Server.

Berkshelf is considered deprecated in favor of Policyfiles, which are built directly into Chef. While Berkshelf still functions, new projects are encouraged to use Policyfiles.

Berkshelf relies on Ruby and Bundler, so ensure those are installed and configured correctly.

The Berksfile is a Ruby file that defines the cookbook dependencies for a Chef project. It specifies the names of the cookbooks and the sources from which they should be resolved. The Berksfile is typically located in the root directory of a Chef project.

Berkshelf supports multiple sources for cookbooks, including the Chef Supermarket, Git repositories, and local directories. This allows you to use cookbooks from a variety of sources and to manage your own private cookbooks.

1. Create a Berksfile and define your cookbook dependencies.
2. Run `berks install` to resolve and install the dependencies.
3. Run `berks upload` to upload the cookbooks to the Chef Server.

Berkshelf was created to address the challenges of managing cookbook dependencies in Chef. Before Berkshelf, managing dependencies was often manual and error-prone, leading to inconsistencies and deployment issues. It was initially developed as an open-source project to provide a more robust and automated solution for cookbook dependency management.

Berkshelf quickly gained popularity in the Chef community and became the de facto standard for managing cookbook dependencies. It evolved over time to support various sources for cookbooks and to integrate with other Chef tools and services. However, now Chef suggests Policyfiles as a replacement.

chef-client(1), knife(1), bundler(1)