knife_node.md

+++ title = "knife node" draft = false

aliases = ["/knife_node.html"]

[menu] [menu.docs] title = "knife node" identifier = "chef_workstation/chef_workstation_tools/knife/knife_node.md knife node" parent = "chef_workstation/chef_workstation_tools/knife" weight = 210 +++

[edit on GitHub]

{{% node %}}

{{% knife_node_summary %}}

{{< note >}}

{{% knife_common_see_common_options_link %}}

{{< /note >}}

bulk delete

Use the bulk delete argument to delete one or more nodes that match a pattern defined by a regular expression. The regular expression must be within quotes and not be surrounded by forward slashes (/).

Syntax

This argument has the following syntax:

knife node bulk delete REGEX

Options

This command does not have any specific options.

Examples

The following examples show how to use this knife subcommand:

Bulk delete nodes

Use a regular expression to define the pattern used to bulk delete nodes:

knife node bulk delete "^[0-9]{3}$"

Type Y to confirm a deletion.

create

Use the create argument to add a node to the Chef Infra Server. Node data is stored as JSON on the Chef Infra Server.

Syntax

This argument has the following syntax:

knife node create NODE_NAME

Options

This command does not have any specific options.

Examples

The following examples show how to use this knife subcommand:

Create a node

To add a node named node1, enter:

knife node create node1

In the $EDITOR enter the node data in JSON:

{
   "normal": {
   },
   "name": "foobar",
   "override": {
   },
   "default": {
   },
   "json_class": "Chef::Node",
   "automatic": {
   },
   "run_list": [
      "recipe[zsh]",
      "role[webserver]"
   ],
   "chef_type": "node"
}

When finished, save it.

delete

Use the delete argument to delete a node from the Chef Infra Server. If using Chef Client 12.17 or later, you can delete multiple nodes using this subcommand.

{{< note >}}

Deleting a node will not delete any corresponding API clients.

{{< /note >}}

Syntax

This argument has the following syntax:

knife node delete NODE_NAME

Options

This command does not have any specific options.

Examples

The following examples show how to use this knife subcommand:

Delete a node

To delete a node named node1, enter:

knife node delete node1

edit

Use the edit argument to edit the details of a node on a Chef Infra Server. Node data is stored as JSON on the Chef Infra Server.

Syntax

This argument has the following syntax:

knife node edit NODE_NAME (options)

Options

This argument has the following options:

-a, --all

: Display a node in the $EDITOR. By default, attributes that are default, override, or automatic, are not shown.

Examples

The following examples show how to use this knife subcommand:

Edit a node

To edit the data for a node named node1, enter:

knife node edit node1 -a

Update the role data in JSON:

{
   "normal": {
   },
   "name": "node1",
   "override": {
   },
   "default": {
   },
   "json_class": "Chef::Node",
   "automatic": {
   },
   "run_list": [
      "recipe[devops]",
      "role[webserver]"
   ],
   "chef_type": "node"
}

When finished, save it.

environment set

Use the environment set argument to set the environment for a node without editing the node object.

Syntax

This argument has the following syntax:

knife node environment_set NODE_NAME ENVIRONMENT_NAME (options)

Options

This command does not have any specific options.

Examples

None.

from file

Use the from file argument to create a node using existing node data as a template.

Syntax

This argument has the following syntax:

knife node from file FILE

Options

This command does not have any specific options.

Examples

The following examples show how to use this knife subcommand:

Create a node using a JSON file

To add a node using data contained in a JSON file:

knife node from file "PATH_TO_JSON_FILE"

list

Use the list argument to view all of the nodes that exist on a Chef Infra Server.

Syntax

This argument has the following syntax:

knife node list (options)

Options

This argument has the following options:

-w, --with-uri

: Show the corresponding URIs.

{{< note >}}

{{% knife_common_see_all_config_options %}}

{{< /note >}}

Examples

The following examples show how to use this knife subcommand:

View a list of nodes

To verify the list of nodes that are registered with the Chef Infra Server, enter:

knife node list

to return something similar to:

i-12345678
rs-123456

policy set

Use the policy set argument to set the policy group and policy name for a node.

Syntax

This argument has the following syntax:

knife node policy set NODE POLICY_GROUP POLICY_NAME

Examples

Set the policy group and policy name for a node named test-node:

knife node policy set test-node 'test-group' 'test-name'

run_list add

{{% node_run_list %}}

{{% knife_node_run_list_add %}}

{{% node_run_list_format %}}

Syntax

{{% knife_node_run_list_add_syntax %}}

{{< warning >}}

{{% knife_common_windows_quotes %}}

{{< /warning >}}

{{< note >}}

{{% knife_common_windows_quotes_module %}}

{{< /note >}}

Options

{{% knife_node_run_list_add_options %}}

{{< note >}}

{{% knife_common_see_all_config_options %}}

{{< /note >}}

Examples

The following examples show how to use this knife subcommand:

Add a role

{{% knife_node_run_list_add_role %}}

Add roles and recipes

{{% knife_node_run_list_add_roles_and_recipes %}}

Add a recipe with a FQDN

{{% knife_node_run_list_add_recipe_with_fqdn %}}

Add a recipe with a cookbook

{{% knife_node_run_list_add_recipe_with_cookbook %}}

Add the default recipe

{{% knife_node_run_list_add_default_recipe %}}

run_list remove

{{% knife_node_run_list_remove %}}

Syntax

{{% knife_node_run_list_remove_syntax %}}

Options

This command does not have any specific options.

{{< note >}}

{{% knife_common_see_all_config_options %}}

{{< /note >}}

Examples

The following examples show how to use this knife subcommand:

Remove a role

{{% knife_node_run_list_remove_role %}}

Remove a run-list

{{% knife_node_run_list_remove_run_list %}}

run_list set

{{% knife_node_run_list_set %}}

Syntax

{{% knife_node_run_list_set_syntax %}}

{{< warning >}}

{{% knife_common_windows_quotes %}}

{{< /warning >}}

{{< note >}}

{{% knife_common_windows_quotes_module %}}

{{< /note >}}

Options

This command does not have any specific options.

Examples

None.

show

Use the show argument to display information about a node.

Syntax

This argument has the following syntax:

knife node show NODE_NAME (options)

Options

This argument has the following options:

-a ATTR, --attribute ATTR

: The attribute (or attributes) to show.

-F json, --format=json

: Display output as JSON.

-l, --long

: Display all attributes in the output.

-m, --medium

: Display normal attributes in the output.

-r, --run-list

: Show only the run-list.

Examples

The following examples show how to use this knife subcommand:

Show all data about nodes

To view all data for a node named build, enter:

knife node show build

to return:

Node Name:   build
Environment: _default
FQDN:
IP:
Run List:
Roles:
Recipes:
Platform:

Show basic information about nodes

To show basic information about a node, truncated and nicely formatted:

knife node show NODE_NAME

Show all data about nodes, truncated

To show all information about a node, nicely formatted:

knife node show -l NODE_NAME

Show attributes

To list a single node attribute:

knife node show NODE_NAME -a ATTRIBUTE_NAME

where ATTRIBUTE_NAME is something like kernel or platform.

To list a nested attribute:

knife node show NODE_NAME -a ATTRIBUTE_NAME.NESTED_ATTRIBUTE_NAME

where ATTRIBUTE_NAME is something like kernel and NESTED_ATTRIBUTE_NAME is something like machine.

Show the FQDN

To view the FQDN for a node named i-12345678, enter:

knife node show i-12345678 -a fqdn

to return:

fqdn: ip-10-251-75-20.ec2.internal

Show a run-list

To view the run-list for a node named dev, enter:

knife node show dev -r

Show as JSON data

To view information in JSON format, use the -F common option; use a command like this for a node named devops:

knife node show devops -F json

Other formats available include text, yaml, and pp.

Show as raw JSON data

To view node information in raw JSON, use the -l or --long option:

knife node show -l -F json NODE_NAME

and/or:

knife node show -l --format=json NODE_NAME