[chef] Re: Question about recipes

[Sean OMeara < >]

TL;DR - Chef will probably do nothing on the second run.

Actual answer -

Chef will parse the recipe, compiling a "resource collection" that
looks something like:

[ 'package[apache]', 'file[yourconfig]', 'service[apache]' ]

Then, it will process the resources individually, in the order
generated by the recipe. Each resource will independently check to see
if it needs to take action to fix its subject through a provider,
potentially changing the system as it goes.

The package resource will consult the package manager to test if it
needs to install apache.
Think `if [rpm -qa | grep apache]` of  `if [dpkg -L | grep apache]`
under the hood.

The file resource (and its cousins template, remote_file,
cookbook_file, etc) will take checksums in memory and against the file
on disk. If they differ, the one in memory wins and gets written,
leaving you a diff in your output. (logs, why-run, etc)

'service[apache]' will check to see if apache is running and fix it if
it isn't, etc.

hope that helps

-s

On Mon, Nov 5, 2012 at 9:02 AM, Jens Skott 
<
 >
 wrote:
> I have a question about RPM:s and config files with chef.
> Im sorry if im writing a question I should find the answer to on the
> site but have not found any information regarding it or I could just
> have missed it.
>
> The question I have is. If I write a recipe that installs a RPM
> package trough yum, then deploys config files in specific directories
> and then restarts the enables and starts the service. Then have a
> dependency on apache recipe and does and action [:restart] on httpd
> service.
>
> What does the chef recipe actualy do the second time chef runs? Does
> it reinstalls the RPM and config files then restarts the httpd
> service? Or does it do a diff to see if its the same package and skip
> the installation and configfiles but restarts httpd?
>
> Anyone who can enlighten me or point me to a RTFM page? =)
>
> Jens Skott
> Tel: +46-8-5142 4396
> Schibsted Centralen IT