Chef is an open-source automation platform that treats infrastructure as code. It allows users to automate how infrastructure is configured, deployed and managed across any environment using a powerful DSL written in Ruby. Key features of Chef include server provisioning, automation of infrastructure changes, and management of configurations through recipes and cookbooks which are shared through an online community. Linecook is presented as an alternative to Chef for server automation that uses shell scripts instead of Ruby code and relies on established tools like SSH, VirtualBox, and bash instead of requiring installation of the Chef platform.

1. Linecook
(A Chef Alternative)
Simon Chiang

2. Chef

3. Ruby
Chef

4. Opscode
Ruby
Chef

5. “Systems Integration
Framework” Opscode
Ruby
Chef

6. “Systems Integration
Framework” Opscode
Ruby
Open Source Chef

7. “Systems Integration
Framework” Opscode
Ruby
Open Source Chef
Automated

8. “Systems Integration
Framework” Opscode
Ruby
Open Source Chef
Scalable
Automated

9. “Systems Integration
Framework” Opscode
Ruby
Server Provisioning
Open Source Chef
Scalable
Automated

10. “Systems Integration
Framework” Opscode
Ruby
Server Provisioning
Open Source Chef
Scalable
Automated
Community

11. “Systems Integration
Framework” Opscode
Ruby
Server Provisioning
Open Source Chef
Scalable
Automated
Community
Hotness

12. An alternative to
shell scripts

13. Never a quick
Quickstart
“Before installing Chef, you should take a moment to
understand the various "flavors" of chef: client-server,
chef-solo, and the Opscode Platform. Deciding which
one is right for you will impact your installation
process. You may also want to take a quick look at
Chef's architecture to get an idea of what you're
installing before you proceed.”
http://wiki.opscode.com/display/chef/Installation

14. Not a script,
but sort of...
[lib/chef/provider/package/zypper.rb] @ 0.10.0.rc.0
def install_package(name, version)
if version
run_command(
:command => "zypper -n --no-gpg-checks install -l #{name}=#{version}"
)

15. Not a script,
but sort of...
[lib/chef/provider/package/zypper.rb] @ 0.10.0.rc.0
def install_package(name, version)
if version
run_command(
:command => "zypper -n --no-gpg-checks install -l #{name}=#{version}"
)
Fixed options :(

16. Not a script,
but sort of...
[lib/chef/provider/package/zypper.rb] @ 0.10.0.rc.0
def install_package(name, version)
if version
run_command(
:command => "zypper -n --no-gpg-checks install -l #{name}=#{version}"
)
Fixed options :(
Error for version=""
https://github.com/opscode/chef/pull/27

17. Many moving parts
http://wiki.opscode.com/display/chef/Architecture

18. Many moving parts
http://wiki.opscode.com/display/chef/Vagrant
http://wiki.opscode.com/display/chef/Architecture

19. Many moving parts
http://wiki.opscode.com/display/chef/Vagrant
http://community.opscode.com/cookbooks
http://wiki.opscode.com/display/chef/Architecture

20. Alternative?

21. Shell Scripts!

22. Linecook
A Shell Script Generator

23. Established Tools
(bash, ssh, gems, VirtualBox)

24. Start with a Script
End with a Script

25. Pretty quick
Quickstart
Make a server
Make a script
Run script on server

26. Pretty quick
Quickstart
Make a server 1
Make a script
Run script on server

27. Pretty quick
Quickstart
Make a server 1
Make a script
Run script on server 2

28. Pretty quick
Quickstart
Make a server 1
Make a script 3
Run script on server 2

29. An ERB Trick...

30. How to Make a Server
VirtualBox
Install OS
SSH Key Exchange localhost

31. How to Make a Server
VirtualBox VirtualBox
Install OS
SSH Key Exchange localhost

32. How to Make a Server
abox-ubuntu
VirtualBox VirtualBox
Install OS
SSH Key Exchange localhost

33. How to Make a Server
abox-ubuntu
VirtualBox VirtualBox
Install OS
SSH Key Exchange localhost

34. Port Forwarding
abox-ubuntu
VBoxManage modifyvm abox
--natpf1 'abox-ssh,tcp,,
2220,,22' VirtualBox
Access VM by ssh to
localhost
localhost
ssh -p 2220 linecook@localhost

35. Lather, rinse
abox-ubuntu
VBoxManage modifyvm bbox
--natpf1 'bbox-ssh,tcp,, bbox-ubuntu
2221,,22' ...
Repeat as needed
localhost
ssh -p 2221 linecook@localhost
ssh -p 2220 linecook@localhost

36. Advantages
No special prerequisites on servers
Fast Access (fast enough for TDD)
Cmdline control
Multiple VMs
Snapshots

37. How to Run Scripts
cat > script.sh <<"DOC"
echo "# $(whoami)@$(hostname): hello
world!"
DOC
chmod +x script.sh
scp -P 2220 script.sh linecook@localhost:/tmp/script.sh
ssh -p 2220 linecook@localhost -- /tmp/script.sh
# linecook@abox-ubuntu: hello world!

38. Redundany
cat > script.sh <<"DOC"
echo "# $(whoami)@$(hostname): hello
world!"
DOC
chmod +x script.sh
scp -P 2220 script.sh linecook@localhost:/tmp/script.sh
ssh -p 2220 linecook@localhost -- /tmp/script.sh
# linecook@abox-ubuntu: hello world!

39. Use SSH Config
mkdir config
cat > config/ssh <<"DOC"
Host abox
Port 2220
User linecook
Hostname localhost
DOC
scp -F config/ssh script.sh abox:/tmp/script.sh
ssh -F config/ssh abox -- /tmp/script.sh
# linecook@abox-ubuntu: hello world!

40. Multiple Hosts
cat > config/ssh <<"DOC"
Host abox
Port 2220
Host bbox
Port 2221
Host *
User linecook
Hostname localhost
DOC
scp -F config/ssh script.sh bbox:/tmp/script.sh
ssh -F config/ssh bbox -- /tmp/script.sh
# linecook@bbox-ubuntu: hello world!

41. Redundancy
cat > config/ssh <<"DOC"
Host abox
Port 2220
Host bbox
Port 2221
Host *
User linecook
Hostname localhost
DOC
scp -F config/ssh script.sh bbox:/tmp/script.sh
ssh -F config/ssh bbox -- /tmp/script.sh
# linecook@bbox-ubuntu: hello world!

42. Redundancy
cat > config/ssh <<"DOC"
Host abox
Port 2220
Host bbox
Port 2221
Host *
User linecook
Hostname localhost
DOC
scp -F config/ssh script.sh bbox:/tmp/script.sh
ssh -F config/ssh bbox -- /tmp/script.sh
# linecook@bbox-ubuntu: hello world!

43. Make a “Package”
Run with Linecook
[config/ssh] [packages/abox/script.sh]
Host abox echo "# $(whoami)@$(hostname): hello
Port 2220 world!"
[packages/bbox/script.sh]
Host bbox
echo "# $(whoami)@$(hostname): Hullo
Port 2221
Wurld!"
Host *
User linecook
Hostname localhost
linecook run --script script.sh --remote-dir /tmp abox bbox
# linecook@abox-ubuntu: hello world!
# linecook@bbox-ubuntu: Hullo Wurld!

44. Leverge Defaults
[config/ssh] [packages/abox/run]
Host abox echo "# $(whoami)@$(hostname): hello
Port 2220 world!"
[packages/bbox/run]
Host bbox
echo "# $(whoami)@$(hostname): Hullo
Port 2221
Wurld!"
Host *
User linecook script: run
Hostname localhost remote dir: ~/linecook
hosts: *
linecook run
# linecook@abox-ubuntu: hello world!
# linecook@bbox-ubuntu: Hullo Wurld!

45. Easy Way To Test!
[packages/abox/run]
echo "hello world" > /tmp/message.txt
[packages/abox/test]
if [ $(cat /tmp/message.txt) == "hello world" ]
then echo "# success"
else echo "# fail"
fi
linecook run --script test
# fail
linecook run
linecook run --script test
# success

46. Cmdline Dev Cycle
linecook start
linecook run
linecook run --script test
linecook ssh abox
linecook snapshot modified
linecook stop
linecook start --snapshot modified
...

47. Advantages
Standard use of SSH
One standard config file
Ordinary inputs (directories, scripts)
Multiple VMs
Flexible!

48. How to Make a Script

49. How to Make a Script
(boring alert)

50. Start with a Script
[packages/abox/run]
echo "# I will not manually configure my server"
linecook run
# I will not manually configure my server

51. Convert to Recipe
[packages/abox.yml]
linecook:
package:
recipes:
A package file
run: abox
[recipes/abox.rb]
target <<"SCRIPT"
echo "# I will not manually configure my server"
SCRIPT

52. Convert to Recipe
[packages/abox.yml]
linecook:
package: A tempfile
recipes: (packages/abox/run)
run: abox
[recipes/abox.rb]
target <<"SCRIPT"
echo "# I will not manually configure my server"
SCRIPT

53. Simplify
[packages/abox.yml] If default, no
{}
manifest needed
[recipes/abox.rb]
target <<"SCRIPT"
echo "# I will not manually configure my server"
SCRIPT

54. Build and Run
[packages/abox.yml]
{}
[recipes/abox.rb]
target <<"SCRIPT"
echo "# I will not manually configure my server"
SCRIPT
linecook build
linecook run
# I will not manually configure my server

55. Ok... that was boring.

56. Use Recipe as
Context for ERB

57. ERB Compiles to Ruby
require 'erb'
compiler = ERB::Compiler.new("<>")
compiler.put_cmd = "target<<"
compiler.insert_cmd = "target<<"
compiler.compile "got <%= obj %>"
# => "target<<"got "; target<<(( obj ).to_s)"

58. InstanceEval for Context
class Recipe
attr_accessor :target
def initialize
@target = ""
end
def obj
"milk"
end
end
code = "target<<"got "; target<<(( obj ).to_s)"
recipe = Recipe.new
recipe.instance_eval(code)
recipe.target
# => "got milk"

59. Make a Module
module Helper
def get(obj)
target<<"got "; target<<(( obj ).to_s)
end
end
recipe = Recipe.new
recipe.extend Helper
recipe.instance_eval %q{
get "milk"
target << ", "
get "cookies"
}
recipe.target
# => "got milk, got cookies"

60. Make a Module
module Helper
def get(obj)
target<<"got "; target<<(( obj ).to_s)
end
end
recipe = Recipe.new
recipe.extend Helper
recipe.instance_eval %q{
get "milk"
target << ", "
get "cookies"
This is a recipe!
}
recipe.target
# => "got milk, got cookies"

61. Helpers
[helpers/example/echo.erb]
Write an echo statement
(str)
--
echo "<%= str %>"
[recipes/abox.rb]
helpers "example"
echo "# I will not manually configure my server"

62. Helpers
[helpers/example/echo.erb] [lib/example.rb]
Write an echo statement module Example
(str) # Write an echo ...
-- def echo(str)
echo "<%= str %>" target<< "echo ";...
end
end
[recipes/abox.rb]
helpers "example"
echo "# I will not manually configure my server"

63. Helpers
[helpers/example/echo.erb] [lib/example.rb]
Write an echo statement module Example
(str) # Write an echo ...
-- def echo(str)
echo "<%= str %>" target<< "echo ";...
end
end
[recipes/abox.rb]
helpers "example"
echo "# I will not manually configure my server"

64. Helpers
[helpers/example/echo.erb] [lib/example.rb]
Write an echo statement module Example
(str) # Write an echo ...
-- def echo(str)
echo "<%= str %>" target<< "echo ";...
end
end
[recipes/abox.rb]
helpers "example"
echo "# I will not manually configure my server"

65. Helpers
[helpers/example/echo.erb] [lib/example.rb]
Write an echo statement module Example
(str) # Write an echo ...
-- def echo(str)
echo "<%= str %>" target<< "echo ";...
end
end
[recipes/abox.rb]
helpers "example"
echo "# I will not manually configure my server"

66. Helpers
[helpers/example/echo.erb] [lib/example.rb]
Write an echo statement module Example
(str) # Write an echo ...
-- def echo(str)
echo "<%= str %>" target<< "echo ";...
end
end
[recipes/abox.rb]
helpers "example"
echo "# I will not manually configure my server"

67. Helpers
[helpers/example/echo.erb] [lib/example.rb]
Write an echo statement module Example
(str) # Write an echo ...
-- def echo(str)
echo "<%= str %>" target<< "echo ";...
end
end
[recipes/abox.rb]
helpers "example"
echo "# I will not manually configure my server"

68. Helpers
[helpers/example/echo.erb]
Write an echo statement
(str)
-- require "example"
echo "<%= str %>" extend Example
[recipes/abox.rb]
helpers "example"
echo "# I will not manually configure my server"

69. Helpers
[helpers/example/echo.erb]
Write an echo statement
(str)
--
echo "<%= str %>"
[recipes/abox.rb]
helpers "example"
echo "# I will not manually configure my server"
linecook build
linecook run
# I will not manually configure my server

70. Capture (no write)
[helpers/example/color.erb]
Add color to a string
(color, str)
codes = Hash[*%W{red 0;31 white 1;37 blue 0;34}]
--
033[<%= codes[color.to_s] %>m<%= str %>033[0m
[recipes/abox.rb]
helpers "example"
msg = "# I will not manually configure my server"
echo _color("blue", msg)

71. Capture (no write)
[helpers/example/color.erb]
Add color to a string
(color, str)
codes = Hash[*%W{red 0;31 white 1;37 blue 0;34}]
--
033[<%= codes[color.to_s] %>m<%= str %>033[0m
[recipes/abox.rb]
helpers "example"
msg = "# I will not manually configure my server"
echo _color("blue", msg)
Prefix with underscore
String output used as input

72. Capture (no write)
[helpers/example/color.erb]
Add color to a string
(color, str)
codes = Hash[*%W{red 0;31 white 1;37 blue 0;34}]
--
033[<%= codes[color.to_s] %>m<%= str %>033[0m
[recipes/abox.rb]
helpers "example"
msg = "# I will not manually configure my server"
echo _color("blue", msg)
linecook build
linecook run
# I will not manually configure my server

73. Recipes are Ruby
[recipes/abox.rb]
helpers "example"
msg = "# I will not manually configure my server"
3.times do
echo _color("blue", msg)
end
linecook build
linecook run
# I will not manually configure my server
# I will not manually configure my server
# I will not manually configure my server

74. Advantages
Easily extensible DSL
Produces ordinary modules
Test as any other Ruby
Distribute as Gems (versions, bundler)
Reprocessing of output
Also, kind of cool...

75. Linebook
(Standard Library for Linecook)

76. Logic + Pipelines
[recipes/demo.rb]
helpers 'linebook/shell'
unless_ _file?('/tmp/message') do
cat.to('/tmp/message').heredoc do
writeln 'hello world!'
end
end
cat('/tmp/message')

77. Logic + Pipelines
[packages/demo/run]
if ! [ -f "/tmp/message" ]
then
cat > /tmp/message << HEREDOC_0
hello world!
HEREDOC_0
fi
cat "/tmp/message"

78. Under Construction
Exit status checks, ‘stack trace’
Helpers for login/su
User and File Management
Server-side testing (assert_script)
Installs, config, deployments, etc.

79. No need to wait!

80. Linecook
Attributes
Helpers
Recipes Packages
Files
Templates
Server

81. Learn More
GitHub:
pinnacol/linecook.git
pinnacol/linebook.git
Me:
github.com/thinkerbot
@thinkerbot

82. Thanks Pinnacol!

83. Thanks Derailed!

84. Questions?