CHEF-CLIENT(8)

NAME
chef-client - Runs a client node connecting to a chef-server.

SYNOPSIS
chef-client (options)

-S, --server CHEFSERVERURL
    The chef server URL

-c, --config CONFIG
    The configuration file to use

-d, --daemonize
    Daemonize the process

-g, --group GROUP
    Group to set privilege to

-i, --interval SECONDS
    Run chef-client periodically, in seconds

-j, --json-attributes JSON_ATTRIBS
    Load attributes from a JSON file or URL

-E, --environment ENVIRONMENT
    Set the Chef Environment on the node

-l, --log_level LEVEL
    Set the log level (debug, info, warn, error, fatal)

-L, --logfile LOGLOCATION
    Set the log file location, defaults to STDOUT - recommended for daemonizing

-V, --verbose
    Ensures logging goes to STDOUT as well as to other configured log location(s).

-N, --node-name NODE_NAME
    The node name for this client

-K, --validation_key KEY_FILE
    Set the validation key file location, used for registering new clients

-k, --client_key KEY_FILE
    Set the client key file location

-s, --splay SECONDS
    The splay time for running at intervals, in seconds

-u, --user USER
    User to set privilege to

-P, --pid PIDFILE
    Set the PID file location, defaults to /tmp/chef-client.pid

--once
    Cancel any interval or splay options, run chef once and exit

-v, --version
    Show chef version

-h, --help
    Show this message

DESCRIPTION
The Chef Client is where almost all of the work in Chef is done. It communicates with the Chef Server via REST, authenticates via Signed Header Authentication, and compiles and executes Cookbooks.

A Chef Client does work on behalf of a Node. A single Chef Client can run recipes for multiple Nodes.

Clients are where all the action happens - the Chef Server and Chef Expander are largely services that exist only to provide the Client with information.

SEE ALSO
Full documentation for Chef and chef-client is located on the Chef wiki, http://wiki.opscode.com/display/chef/Home.

AUTHOR
Chef was written by Adam Jacob adam@ospcode.com of Opscode (http://www.opscode.com), with contributions from the community. This manual page was written by Joshua Timberman joshua@opscode.com with help2man. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and / or modify this document under the terms of the Apache 2.0 License.

On Debian systems, the complete text of the Apache 2.0 License can be found in /usr/share/common-licenses/Apache-2.0.