Learn PUPPET with Real Code Examples

Puppet uses a declarative language (Puppet DSL) to describe the desired state of infrastructure.

Supports agent/master and agentless (Puppet Bolt) modes for managing nodes.

Ensures consistency across servers by automatically enforcing configurations.

Integrates with cloud providers, virtualization, and container platforms.

Widely used in enterprise IT and DevOps for automated provisioning and compliance.

Resources, classes, and modules for defining state

Manifest files to describe desired system configurations

PuppetDB for storing and querying system state

Hiera for hierarchical configuration data

Facter for gathering system facts dynamically

Resource - a unit of configuration

Class - groups of resources

Module - reusable configuration bundle

Manifest - file with Puppet code

Fact - system data collected by Facter

Manifests directory (`manifests/`) for `.pp` files

Modules directory (`modules/`) with classes and resources

Hiera configuration (`hiera.yaml`)

Puppetfile for module dependencies

PuppetDB and reports for state tracking

Write manifests to define node configurations

Organize manifests into modules

Use Hiera for externalized configuration

Deploy manifests via Puppet Master or Bolt

Apply changes on nodes and verify enforcement

Beginner: Configure a single server

Intermediate: Manage multi-node environment

Advanced: Build reusable modules and classes

Expert: Orchestrate large enterprise deployments

Architect: Integrate Puppet with CI/CD and compliance pipelines

Puppet vs Chef -> Declarative vs procedural DSL

Puppet vs Ansible -> Agent-based vs agentless

Puppet vs SaltStack -> Stronger DSL vs event-driven execution

Puppet vs Terraform -> Configuration management vs provisioning

Puppet vs CFEngine -> Modern modules and community vs older tool

2005 - Puppet initial release

2008 - Puppet Enterprise launched

2011 - Facter integrated for dynamic facts

2015 - Puppet 4 introduces modern DSL and Hiera integration

2023 - Puppet 8 with enhanced Bolt and orchestration features

Resource - element of system configuration

Class - group of resources

Module - reusable bundle of manifests

Manifest - file defining node configuration

Fact - data about node collected by Facter