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chef-infrachefdk

Installing Gem into ChefDK via Chef

I want to install a Gem (kitchen-docker) into ChefDK's Gem path.

What is the best way to install this Gem via Chef itself? Is there a more clever solution than the following?

execute "chef gem install kitchen-docker" do
  user "jenkins"
  not_if "chef gem list | grep ^kitchen-docker"
end

Some background information: I want to use ChefDK in Jenkins on our CI server to do cookbook testing. The CI server itself should be provisioned by Chef, of course.

Solution

  • Apparently, in order to install a chef gem system-wide (into /opt/chefdk/), the parameter --no-user-install of the gem command can be used through the gem_package resource:

    gem_package "kitchen-docker" do
  gem_binary "/opt/chefdk/embedded/bin/gem"
  options "--no-user-install"
end

    This installs the gem and makes it available to all users running chefdk on the system.