How do you create pretty json in CHEF (ruby)

Question

How would you make an erb template that has human readable json?

The following code works, but it makes a flat json file

default.rb

default['foo']['bar'] = { :herp => 'true', :derp => 42 }

recipe.rb

template "foo.json" do
  source 'foo.json.erb'
  variables :settings => node['foo']['bar'].to_json
  action :create
end

foo.json.erb

<%= @settings %>

Similar SO questions
Chef and ruby templates - how to loop though key value pairs?
How can I "pretty" format my JSON output in Ruby on Rails?

If your erb is just a single <%= @something %> you'd be better off using the file resource. — ZombieDev
– ZombieDev, Commented Jul 31, 2015 at 14:13

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 12:03:05Z

9

As pointed out by this SO Answer .erb templates are great for HTML, and XML, but is not good for json.

Luckily, CHEF uses its own json library which has support for this using .to_json_pretty

@coderanger in IRC, pointed out that you can use this library right inside the recipe. This article shows more extensively how to use chef helpers in recipes.

default.rb

# if ['foo']['bar'] is null, to_json_pretty() will error
default['foo']['bar'] = {}

recipe/foo.rb

pretty_settings = Chef::JSONCompat.to_json_pretty(node['foo']['bar'])

template "foo.json" do
  source 'foo.json.erb'
  variables :settings => pretty_settings
  action :create
end

Or more concise as pointed out by YMMV

default.rb

# if ['foo']['bar'] is null, to_json_pretty() will error
default['foo']['bar'] = {}

recipe/foo.rb

template "foo.json" do
  source 'foo.json.erb'
  variables :settings => node['foo']['bar']
  action :create
end

templates/foo.json.erb

<%= Chef::JSONCompat.to_json_pretty(@settings) %>

edited May 23, 2017 at 12:03

CommunityBot

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answered Jun 26, 2015 at 23:15

spuder

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1 Comment

lamont Over a year ago

You should also be able to do this in your erb template: <%= Chef::JSONCompat.to_json_pretty(@settings) %>. I kind of like that because it turns the responsibility of the format of the string into the view logic in the template. YMMV.

sandstrom · Accepted Answer · 2016-04-12 07:31:35Z

6

Something like this would also work:

file "/var/my-file.json" do
  content Chef::JSONCompat.to_json_pretty(node['foo']['bar'].to_hash)
end

edited Apr 12, 2016 at 7:31

answered Mar 29, 2016 at 12:18

sandstrom

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Comments

STA · Accepted Answer · 2021-02-01 05:55:30Z

0

<%= Chef::JSONCompat.to_json_pretty(@settings) %> Works like Charm !!

edited Feb 1, 2021 at 5:55

STA

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answered Feb 1, 2021 at 3:11

devulapally naveenkashyap

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