Bolt 2.28.0 is now available

[Puppet Product Updates]

VERSION 2.28.0 in this release ✨  new features Hiera configuration files now include a plan_hierarchy key that allows you to configure a hierarchy that Hiera will use outside of an apply block. A hierarchy under the plan_hierarchy key does not support interpolations, as interpolations are only supported when running in an apply block. This allows you to separate a statically configured hierarchy from one that includes interpolations. To learn more about using Hiera in plans, see Using Hiera data in a manifest block. 🔧  bug fixes Bolt again properly detects when it is being run from a gem install and will emit a helpful warning. We recommend installing Bolt as a package, as gem installs do not include a lot of helpful bundled content. Bolt now correctly initializes all instances of its logger. Previously, the logger was initialized incorrectly, causing anyone using the BoltSpec library to run into an error. VIEW FULL RELEASE NOTES in the works We're improving the workflow for managing Puppet module dependencies in Bolt projects. Spoiler alert: we do the dependency resolution for you! We're also gearing up for Hacktoberfest 2020 by prepping a Bolt content wishlist. Reach out on Slack if you have requests for tasks, plans, or inventory plugins!    We're looking at adding threading capabilities to plans. nuts and bolts Each month, we'll highlight a different Bolt feature and cover the details on what it is, why you might want to use it, and how it can be used in your workflows. September's highlighted feature is: Bolt inventory! What is a Bolt inventory? The inventory is a YAML file in your Bolt project that describes the targets that you run Bolt commands on, along with any data and configuration for the targets. Targets in an inventory can belong to one or more groups, allowing you to share data and configuration across multiple targets and to specify multiple targets for your Bolt commands without the need to list each target individually. Why should I use a Bolt inventory? Inventories allow you to quickly and easily reference groups of targets from the command line, and set unique configuration on each target or group of targets. Inventories also let you share connection information with other members of your organization, and load dynamic inventory from a variety of sources like AWS, PuppetDB, or a command line prompt. How do I create a Bolt inventory? To create a new Bolt inventory, all you need to do is create a file named  inventory.yaml in your project directory (next to bolt-project.yaml) or specify a file using --inventoryfile. How do I create my own inventory plugin? Want to load dynamic inventory from a new source? First, see if there's already an awesome third-party plugin for it. If you don't find it there, checkout our guide to writing plugins. VIEW THE DOCUMENTATION Bolt Documentation