An environment is a way to map an organization’s real-life workflow to what can be configured and managed when using Chef server. Every organization begins with a single environment called the _default environment, which cannot be modified (or deleted). Additional environments can be created to reflect each organization’s patterns and workflow. For example, creating production, staging, testing, and development environments. Generally, an environment is also associated with one (or more) cookbook versions.
The knife environment subcommand is used to manage environments within a single organization on the Chef server.
Note
Review the list of common options available to this (and all) knife subcommands and plugins.
Use the compare argument to compare the cookbook version constraints that are set on one (or more) environments.
This argument has the following syntax:
$ knife environment compare [ENVIRONMENT_NAME...] (options)
This argument has the following options:
-a, --all
-m, --mismatch
The following examples show how to use this knife subcommand:
Compare cookbook versions in a single environment
To compare cookbook versions for a single environment:
$ knife environment compare development
to return something similar to:
development apache 2.3.1 windows 4.1.2
Compare cookbook versions for multiple environments
To compare cookbook versions for multiple environments:
$ knife environment compare development staging
to return something similar to:
development staging apache 2.3.1 1.2.2 windows 4.1.2 1.0.0 postgresql 1.0.0 1.0.0
Compare cookbook versions for all environments
To compare all cookbook versions for all environments:
$ knife environment compare --all
to return something similar to:
staging development ulimit latest latest redisio latest latest journly latest latest aws latest latest test latest latest unicorn latest latest sensu latest latest runit latest latest templater latest latest powershell latest latest openssl latest latest rbenv latest latest rabbitmq latest latest postgresql latest latest mysql latest latest ohai latest latest git latest latest erlang latest latest ssh_known_hosts latest latest nginx latest latest database latest latest yum latest latest xfs latest latest apt latest latest dmg latest latest chef_handler latest latest windows 1.0.0 4.1.2
Use the create argument to add an environment object to the Chef server. When this argument is run, knife will open $EDITOR to enable editing of the ENVIRONMENT description field (unless a description is specified as part of the command). When finished, knife will add the environment to the Chef server.
This argument has the following syntax:
$ knife environment create ENVIRONMENT_NAME -d DESCRIPTION
This argument has the following options:
--description DESCRIPTIONNote
See knife.rb for more information about how to add certain knife options as settings in the knife.rb file.
The following examples show how to use this knife subcommand:
Create an environment
To create an environment named dev with a description of The development environment.:
$ knife environment create dev --description "The development environment."
Use the delete argument to delete an environment from a Chef server.
This argument has the following syntax:
$ knife environment delete ENVIRONMENT_NAME
This command does not have any specific options.
The following examples show how to use this knife subcommand:
Delete an environment
To delete an environment named dev, enter:
$ knife environment delete dev
Type Y to confirm a deletion.
Use the edit argument to edit the attributes of an environment. When this argument is run, knife will open $EDITOR to enable editing of ENVIRONMENT attributes. When finished, knife will update the Chef server with those changes.
This argument has the following syntax:
$ knife environment edit ENVIRONMENT_NAME
This command does not have any specific options.
The following examples show how to use this knife subcommand:
Edit an environment
To edit an environment named devops, enter:
$ knife environment edit devops
Use the from file argument to add or update an environment using a JSON or Ruby DSL description.
This argument has the following syntax:
$ knife environment from file FILE (options)
This argument has the following options:
-a, --all
Note
See knife.rb for more information about how to add certain knife options as settings in the knife.rb file.
The following examples show how to use this knife subcommand:
Create an environment from a JSON file
To add an environment using data contained in a JSON file:
$ knife environment from file "path to JSON file"
Use the list argument to list all of the environments that are currently available on the Chef server.
This argument has the following syntax:
$ knife environment list -w
This argument has the following options:
-w, --with-uri
The following examples show how to use this knife subcommand:
View a list of environments
To view a list of environments:
$ knife environment list -w
Use the show argument to display information about the specified environment.
This argument has the following syntax:
$ knife environment show ENVIRONMENT_NAME
This argument has the following options:
-a ATTR, --attribute ATTR
The following examples show how to use this knife subcommand:
Show environments
To view information about the dev environment enter:
$ knife environment show dev
to return:
% knife environment show dev chef_type: environment cookbook_versions: default_attributes: description: json_class: Chef::Environment name: dev override_attributes: \\ \\ \\ \\
Show environments as JSON
To view information in JSON format, use the -F common option as part of the command like this:
$ knife environment show devops -F json
Other formats available include text, yaml, and pp.
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https://docs-archive.chef.io/release/12-13/knife_environment.html