knife

Bootstrap a new node

$ knife bootstrap [fqdn_or_ip]

$ knife node list

$ knife node show [node_name]

$ knife node edit [node_name]

$ knife role edit [role_name]

$ knife data bag show [data_bag_name] [data_bag_item]

$ knife cookbook upload [cookbook_name]

knife [SUBCOMMAND] [OPTIONS]

--config FILE
    Path to knife configuration file (knife.rb)

--log-level LEVEL
    Logging level: debug|info|warn|error|fatal

--log-location FILE
    Path to log file

-c FILE, --config FILE
    Configuration file path

-i, --initial
    Install without Chef Server interaction

-j JSON, --json-attribute JSON
    Load attribute file as JSON

-F FORMAT, --format FORMAT
    Output format: summary|json|yaml|pprint

--override-runlist RUN_LIST
    Override node's run list

-E ENVIRONMENT, --environment ENVIRONMENT
    Set Chef environment

--validation-client-name NAME
    Validation client name

--node-ssl-verify
    Verify SSL peer (default true)

-V, --version
    Display version

-h, --help
    Show help

Knife is the command-line interface for Chef, an automation platform used for configuration management, application deployment, and infrastructure orchestration. It enables interaction with a Chef Server to manage resources like cookbooks, recipes, nodes, roles, environments, and data bags.

Administrators use knife to bootstrap nodes, upload cookbooks, search and edit node attributes, execute commands remotely, and perform bulk operations. Subcommands like knife cookbook upload, knife node list, and knife ssh streamline DevOps workflows.

Configuration occurs via a knife.rb file specifying the Chef Server URL, client key, and validation client. Knife supports plugins for extended functionality and formats output in JSON, YAML, or text. It's Ruby-based, requiring the Chef DK or Workstation for installation, and is pivotal in hybrid cloud environments for idempotent infrastructure as code.

Requires Chef Workstation or gem installation; not a standard Linux utility. Needs valid knife.rb and private key. Subcommand-specific options vary; use knife SUBCOMMAND -h for details.

knife cookbook (manage cookbooks), knife node (node CRUD), knife role (roles), knife bootstrap (node init), knife ssh (remote exec)

Edit ~/.chef/knife.rb:
log_level :info
log_location STDOUT
node_name 'client'
client_key '/path/to/key.pem'
chef_server_url 'https://server/organizations/org'

Developed by Opscode (now Chef Software) in 2009 with Chef 0.8 release. Evolved through Chef versions, integrating cloud plugins (EC2, Rackspace). Became core to Chef Infra Client; latest at Chef 18+ with modern auth (Chef Automate). Widely used in enterprise automation since early 2010s.

chef-client(8), chef-solo(8), ohai(8)