📦 package

📦 package

Install, remove, or manage system packages using the OS package manager (apt, yum, dnf, etc.).

⚡ Actions

Action Description
:install Install the package (default)
:remove Remove the package
:nothing Do nothing (use with notifications)

📋 Attributes

Attribute Type Default Description
name String Resource name Package name (auto-set from resource name)
version String — Specific version to install
options String — Additional package manager options

💡 The name attribute uses default_name — it automatically takes the value you pass as the resource name (e.g., package 'nginx' sets name to "nginx").

🔍 How It Works

  1. Query — Checks if the package is installed via the system package manager
  2. Compare — If version is specified, compares against the currently installed version
  3. Install/Remove — Runs the appropriate package manager command
  4. Idempotent — Won’t reinstall if already at the desired version

🔬 Dry-Run Behavior

In dry-run mode, the current package state is fully queried. You see exactly which packages would be installed or removed, and version changes. No packages are actually installed or removed.

📖 Examples

Install a package

package 'nginx'

Install with a specific version

package 'sl' do
  version '3.03-17'
end

Install multiple packages

%w[git curl wget vim].each do |pkg|
  package pkg
end

Install with options

package 'nginx' do
  options '--force-yes'
end

Remove a package

package 'apache2' do
  action :remove
end

Notify a service on install

package 'nginx' do
  notifies :restart, 'service[nginx]'
end