---
name: "chef-shell"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "chef"
version: "13.8.7-4"
release: "Debian 10 (Buster)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/chef-shell"
---

# chef-shell(1)

The man page for the chef-shell command line tool. chef-shell is a recipe debugging tool that allows the use of breakpoints within recipes. chef-shell runs as an Interactive Ruby (IRb) session. chef-shell supports both recipe and attribute file syntax, as well as interactive debugging features. NOTE: The chef-shell executable is run as a command-line tool.

## NAME

chef-shell - The man page for the chef-shell command line tool.

chef-shell is a recipe debugging tool that allows the use of breakpoints within recipes. chef-shell runs as an Interactive Ruby (IRb) session. chef-shell supports both recipe and attribute file syntax, as well as interactive debugging features.

**NOTE:**

chef-shell is the new name for Shef as of Chef 11.x. chef-shell is backwards compatible and aside from the name change, has the same set of functionality as with previous releases.

The chef-shell executable is run as a command-line tool.

## MODES

chef-shell is tool that allows knife to be run using an Interactive Ruby (IRb) session. chef-shell currently supports recipe and attribute file syntax, as well as interactive debugging features. chef-shell has three run modes:

| | |
| --- | --- |
| Mode | Description |
| Standalone | No cookbooks are loaded, and the run list is empty. This mode is the default. |
| Solo | chef-shell acts as a chef-solo client. It attempts to load the chef-solo configuration file and JSON attributes. If the JSON attributes set a run list, it will be honored. Cookbooks will be loaded in the same way that chef-solo loads them. chef-solo mode is activated with the **-s** or **--solo** command line option, and JSON attributes are specified in the same way as for chef-solo, with **-j /path/to/chef-solo.json**. |
| Client | chef-shell acts as a chef-client. During startup, it reads the chef-client configuration file and contacts the Chef server to get attributes and cookbooks. The run list will be set in the same way as normal chef-client runs. chef-client mode is activated with the **-z** or **--client** options. You can also specify the configuration file with **-c CONFIG** and the server URL with **-S SERVER\_URL**. |

## OPTIONS

This command has the following syntax:

```
chef-shell OPTION VALUE OPTION VALUE ...
```

This command has the following options:

- **-a, --standalone**

  Use to run chef-shell in standalone mode.

- **-c CONFIG, --config CONFIG**

  The configuration file to use.

- **-h, --help**

  Shows help for the command.

- **-j PATH, --json-attributes PATH**

  The path to a file that contains JSON data.

  Use this option to define a **run\_list** object. For example, a JSON file similar to:

  ```
  "run_list": [
    "recipe[base]",
    "recipe[foo]",
    "recipe[bar]",
    "role[webserver]"
  ],
  ```

  may be used by running **chef-client -j path/to/file.json**.

  In certain situations this option may be used to update **normal** attributes.

  **WARNING:**

  Any other attribute type that is contained in this JSON file will be treated as a **normal** attribute. For example, attempting to update **override** attributes using the **-j** option:

  ```
  {
    "name": "dev-99",
    "description": "Install some stuff",
    "override_attributes": {
      "apptastic": {
        "enable_apptastic": "false",
        "apptastic_tier_name": "dev-99.bomb.com"
      }
    }
  }
  ```

  will result in a node object similar to:

  ```
  {
    "name": "maybe-dev-99",
    "normal": {
    "name": "dev-99",
      "description": "Install some stuff",
      "override_attributes": {
        "apptastic": {
          "enable_apptastic": "false",
          "apptastic_tier_name": "dev-99.bomb.com"
        }
      }
    }
  }
  ```

- **-l LEVEL, --log-level LEVEL**

  The level of logging that will be stored in a log file.

- **-s, --solo**

  Use to run chef-shell in chef-solo mode.

- **-S CHEF\_SERVER\_URL, --server CHEF\_SERVER\_URL**

  The URL for the Chef server.

- **-v, --version**

  The version of the chef-client.

- **-z, --client**

  Use to run chef-shell in chef-client mode.

## AUTHOR

Chef