Full Table of Contents¶

Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Salt open-core?
- What ports should I open on my firewall?
- My script runs every time I run a state.highstate. Why?
- When I run test.ping, why don't the Minions that aren't responding return anything? Returning False would be helpful.
- How does Salt determine the Minion's id?
- I'm using gitfs and my custom modules/states/etc are not syncing. Why?
- Why aren't my custom modules/states/etc. available on my Minions?
- Module X isn't available, even though the shell command it uses is installed. Why?
Introduction to Salt
- The 30 second summary
- Simplicity
- Parallel execution
- Building on proven technology
- Python client interface
- Fast, flexible, scalable
- Open
Installation
- Quick Install
- Platform-specific installation instructions
- Dependencies
- Optional Dependencies
Configuring Salt
- Master Configuration
- Minion Configuration
- Running Salt
- Key Management
- Sending Commands
- What's Next?
Developing Salt
- Sending a GitHub pull request
- Keeping Salt Forks in Sync
- Posting patches to the mailing list
- Installing Salt for development
  - Running a self-contained development version
- Using easy_install to Install Salt
  - Running the tests
- Editing and previewing the documentation
Targeting
- Matching the minion id
- Grains
- Node groups
- Compound matchers
- Batch Size
Salt tutorials
- Bootstrapping Salt on Linux EC2 with Cloud-Init
  - Used With Boto
  - Additional Notes
- Salt as a Cloud Controller
- Using cron with Salt
  - Use cron to initiate a highstate
- Automatic Updates / Frozen Deployments
- Opening the Firewall up for Salt
- GitFS Backend Walkthrough
- Remote execution tutorial
  - Order your minions around
- Multi Master Tutorial
- Pillar Walkthrough
- Preseed Minion with Accepted Key
- Salt Masterless Quickstart
  - Bootstrap Salt Minion
  - Create State Tree
- Standalone Minion
  - Telling Salt Call to Run Masterless
  - Running States Masterless
- How Do I Use Salt States?
- States tutorial, part 1
- States tutorial, part 2
- States tutorial, part 3
- States tutorial, part 4
- Salt Stack Walkthrough
Access Control System
External Authentication System
- Tokens
Pillar of Salt
- Declaring the Master Pillar
- Pillar namespace flattened
- Including Other Pillars
- Viewing Minion Pillar
- Pillar "get" Function
- Refreshing Pillar Data
- Targeting with Pillar
- Master Config In Pillar
Master Tops System
Job Management
- The Minion proc System
- Functions in the saltutil Module
- The jobs Runner
Salt Scheduling
- Scheduler With Returner
Running the Salt Master as Unprivileged User
Troubleshooting
- Running in the Foreground
- What Ports do the Master and Minion Need Open?
- Using salt-call
- Too many open files
- Salt Master Stops Responding
- Salt and SELinux
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
- Common YAML Gotchas
- Live Python Debug Output
YAML Idiosyncrasies
- Spaces vs Tabs
- Indentation
  - Nested Dicts (key=value)
- True/False, Yes/No, On/Off
- Integers are Parsed as Integers
- YAML does not like "Double Short Decs"
- YAML support only plain ASCII
- Underscores stripped in Integer Definitions
Community
- Mailing List
- IRC
  - Salt development
- Follow on Github
- The Red45 Blog
- Example Salt States
- Follow on ohloh
- Other community links
- Developing Salt
Salt Based Projects
- Salt Sandbox
Salt Event System
- Listening for Events
- Firing Events
- Firing Events From Code
The Salt Mine
- Mine Functions
- Mine Interval
Salt Virt - The Salt Stack Cloud Controller
- Salt Virt Tutorial
- The Salt Virt Runner
- Based on Live State Data
Virtual Machine Network Profiles
- Define More Profiles
Salt SSH
- Salt SSH Roster
- Calling Salt SSH
  - Raw Shell Calls
- States Via Salt SSH
- Targeting with Salt SSH
- Running Salt SSH as non-root user
Salt Rosters
- How Rosters Work
  - Targets Data
Running The Tests
- Writing Tests
Integration Tests
Unit Tests
Integration Tests
- Integration Classes
- Examples
  - Module Example via ModuleCase Class
  - Shell Example via ShellCase
Reactor System
- Event System
- Mapping Events to Reactor SLS Files
- Fire an event
- Understanding the Structure of Reactor Formulas
Salt Formulas
- Installation
  - Adding a Formula as a GitFS remote
  - Adding a Formula directory manually
- Usage
- Writing Formulas
Salt Conventions
- Salt Formulas
- SaltStack Packaging Guide
- Salt Release Process
  - Feature Release Process
  - Maintenance and Bugfix Releases
- Salt Coding Style
SaltStack Packaging Guide
- Source Files
- Single Package
- Split Package
  - Salt Common
  - Salt Master
  - Salt Syndic
  - Salt Minion
  - Salt SSH
  - Salt Doc
  - Name
Salt Release Process
- Feature Release Process
- Maintenance and Bugfix Releases
Salt Coding Style
- Strings
- Imports
  - Absolute Imports
- Vertical is Better
- Indenting
- Code Churn
Salt Stack Git Policy
- New Code Entry
- Release Branching
  - Feature Release Branching
  - Point Releases
Salt Development Guidelines
- Deprecating Code
- Dunder Dictionaries
- External Pillars
- Logging Internals
- Modular Systems
  - Execution Modules
  - State Modules
  - Auth
  - Fileserver
  - Grains
  - Output
  - Pillar
  - Renderers
  - Returners
  - Runners
  - Tops
  - Wheel
- Package Providers
Logging
- Available Configuration Settings
External Logging Handlers
- Logstash Logging Handler
  - UDP Logging Handler
  - ZeroMQ Logging Handler
- Sentry Logging Handler
  - Threaded Transports
Logstash Logging Handler
- UDP Logging Handler
- ZeroMQ Logging Handler
  - Log Level
  - HWM
Sentry Logging Handler
- Threaded Transports
Introduction to Extending Salt
- Client API
- Adding Loadable Plugins
Modules
- Modules Are Easy to Write!
- Cross Calling Modules
- Preloaded Modules Data
  - Grains Data
  - Module Configuration
- Printout Configuration
- Virtual Modules
- Documentation
  - Adding Documentation to Salt Modules
  - Add Module metadata
- How Functions are Read
  - Objects Loaded Into the Salt Minion
  - Objects NOT Loaded into the Salt Minion
- Useful Decorators for Modules
  - Depends Decorator
- Examples of Salt Modules
Full list of builtin execution modules
- salt.modules.pkg
- salt.modules.sys
- salt.modules.aliases
- salt.modules.alternatives
- salt.modules.apache
- salt.modules.apt
- salt.modules.archive
- salt.modules.at
- salt.modules.augeas_cfg
- salt.modules.bluez
- salt.modules.brew
- salt.modules.bridge
- salt.modules.bsd_shadow
- salt.modules.cassandra
- salt.modules.cmdmod
- salt.modules.config
- salt.modules.cp
- salt.modules.cron
- salt.modules.daemontools
- salt.modules.darwin_sysctl
- salt.modules.data
- salt.modules.ddns
- salt.modules.debconfmod
- salt.modules.debian_service
- salt.modules.dig
- salt.modules.disk
- salt.modules.djangomod
- salt.modules.dnsmasq
- salt.modules.dnsutil
- salt.modules.dpkg
- salt.modules.ebuild
- salt.modules.eix
- salt.modules.eselect
- salt.modules.event
- salt.modules.extfs
- salt.modules.file
- salt.modules.freebsd_sysctl
- salt.modules.freebsdjail
- salt.modules.freebsdkmod
- salt.modules.freebsdpkg
- salt.modules.freebsdservice
- salt.modules.gem
- salt.modules.gentoo_service
- salt.modules.gentoolkitmod
- salt.modules.git
- salt.modules.glance
- salt.modules.grains
- salt.modules.groupadd
- salt.modules.grub_legacy
- salt.modules.guestfs
- salt.modules.hg
- salt.modules.hosts
- salt.modules.img
- salt.modules.iptables
- salt.modules.key
- salt.modules.keyboard
- salt.modules.keystone
- salt.modules.kmod
- salt.modules.launchctl
- salt.modules.layman
- salt.modules.ldapmod
- salt.modules.linux_acl
- salt.modules.linux_lvm
- salt.modules.linux_sysctl
- salt.modules.localemod
- salt.modules.locate
- salt.modules.logrotate
- salt.modules.lxc
- salt.modules.makeconf
- salt.modules.match
- salt.modules.mdadm
- salt.modules.mine
- salt.modules.modjk
- salt.modules.mongodb
- salt.modules.monit
- salt.modules.moosefs
- salt.modules.mount
- salt.modules.munin
- salt.modules.mysql
- salt.modules.netbsd_sysctl
- salt.modules.netbsdservice
- salt.modules.network
- salt.modules.nfs3
- salt.modules.nginx
- salt.modules.nova
- salt.modules.npm
- salt.modules.nzbget
- salt.modules.openbsdpkg
- salt.modules.openbsdservice
- salt.modules.osxdesktop
- salt.modules.pacman
- salt.modules.pam
- salt.modules.parted
- salt.modules.pecl
- salt.modules.pillar
- salt.modules.pip
- salt.modules.pkg_resource
- salt.modules.pkgin
- salt.modules.pkgng
- salt.modules.pkgutil
- salt.modules.portage_config
- salt.modules.postgres
- salt.modules.poudriere
- salt.modules.ps
- salt.modules.publish
- salt.modules.puppet
- salt.modules.pw_group
- salt.modules.pw_user
- salt.modules.qemu_img
  - Qemu-img Command Wrapper
- salt.modules.qemu_nbd
  - Qemu Command Wrapper
- salt.modules.quota
- salt.modules.rabbitmq
- salt.modules.rbenv
- salt.modules.reg
- salt.modules.ret
- salt.modules.rh_ip
- salt.modules.rh_service
- salt.modules.rpm
- salt.modules.rvm
- salt.modules.s3
- salt.modules.saltutil
- salt.modules.seed
- salt.modules.selinux
- salt.modules.service
- salt.modules.shadow
- salt.modules.smartos_imgadm
- salt.modules.smartos_vmadm
- salt.modules.smf
- salt.modules.solaris_group
- salt.modules.solaris_shadow
- salt.modules.solaris_user
- salt.modules.solarispkg
- salt.modules.solr
  - Apache Solr Salt Module
- salt.modules.sqlite3
- salt.modules.ssh
- salt.modules.state
- salt.modules.status
- salt.modules.supervisord
- salt.modules.svn
- salt.modules.sysbench
- salt.modules.sysmod
- salt.modules.system
- salt.modules.systemd
- salt.modules.test
- salt.modules.timezone
- salt.modules.tls
- salt.modules.tomcat
- salt.modules.upstart
- salt.modules.useradd
- salt.modules.virt
- salt.modules.virtualenv
- salt.modules.win_disk
- salt.modules.win_file
- salt.modules.win_groupadd
- salt.modules.win_network
- salt.modules.win_pkg
- salt.modules.win_service
- salt.modules.win_shadow
- salt.modules.win_status
- salt.modules.win_system
- salt.modules.win_useradd
- salt.modules.xapi
- salt.modules.yumpkg
- salt.modules.yumpkg5
- salt.modules.zfs
- salt.modules.zpool
- salt.modules.zypper
Returners
- Using Returners
- Writing a Returner
  - Examples
Full list of builtin returner modules
- salt.returners.carbon_return
- salt.returners.cassandra_return
- salt.returners.local
- salt.returners.mongo_future_return
- salt.returners.mongo_return
- salt.returners.mysql
- salt.returners.postgres
- salt.returners.redis_return
- salt.returners.sentry_return
- salt.returners.smtp_return
- salt.returners.sqlite3
- salt.returners.syslog_return
File State Backups
- Backed-up Files
- Interacting with Backups
Extending External SLS Data
- The Extend Declaration
- Extend is a Top Level Declaration
- The Requisite "in" Statement
- Rules to Extend By
Failhard Global Option
- State Level Failhard
- Global Failhard
Highstate data structure definitions
- The Salt State Tree
- Large example
Include and Exclude
- Include
- Relative Include
- Exclude
State Enforcement
- State management
- Understanding the Salt State System Components
State System Layers
- Function Call
- Low Chunk
- Low State
- High Data
- SLS
- HighState
- OverState
Remote Control States
- Creating States Trigger Remote Executions
- Calling Multiple State Runs
Ordering States
- State Auto Ordering
- Requisite Statements
- The Order Option
OverState System
- The Over State SLS
- Adding Functions To Overstate
- Executing the Over State
State Providers
- Setting a Provider in the Minion Config File
- Arbitrary Module Redirects
Requisites
- Requisite and Requisite in types
  - Require
  - Require an entire sls file
  - Watch
  - Prereq
  - Use
  - Require In
  - Watch In
  - Prereq In
Startup States
- Examples:
State Testing
- Default Test
The Top File
- Environments
- Other Ways of Targeting Minions
- How Top Files Are Compiled
SLS Template Variable Reference
- Salt
- Opts
- Pillar
- Grains
- env
- sls
State Modules
- States are Easy to Write!
- Using Custom State Modules
- Cross Calling Modules
- Return Data
- Test State
- Watcher Function
- Mod_init Interface
Full list of builtin state modules
- salt.states.alias
  - Configuration of email aliases.
- salt.states.alternatives
  - Configuration of the alternatives system
- salt.states.apt
  - Package management operations specific to APT- and DEB-based systems
- salt.states.augeas
  - Configuration management using Augeas
- salt.states.cmd
  - Execution of arbitrary commands
- salt.states.cron
  - Management of cron, the Unix command scheduler.
- salt.states.debconfmod
  - Management of debconf selections.
- salt.states.disk
- salt.states.eselect
  - Management of Gentoo configuration using eselect
- salt.states.file
  - Operations on regular files, special files, directories, and symlinks.
- salt.states.gem
  - Installation of Ruby modules packaged as gems.
- salt.states.git
  - Interaction with Git repositories.
- salt.states.grains
  - Manage grains on the minion.
- salt.states.group
  - Management of user groups.
- salt.states.hg
  - Interaction with Mercurial repositories.
- salt.states.host
  - Management of addresses and names in hosts file.
- salt.states.iptables
  - Management of iptables
- salt.states.keyboard
  - Management of keyboard layouts
- salt.states.kmod
  - Loading and unloading of kernel modules.
- salt.states.layman
  - Management of Gentoo Overlays using layman
- salt.states.libvirt
- salt.states.locale
- salt.states.lvm
  - Management of Linux logical volumes
- salt.states.makeconf
  - Management of Gentoo make.conf
- salt.states.mdadm
  - Managing software RAID with mdadm
- salt.states.modjk_worker
- salt.states.module
  - Execution of Salt modules from within states
- salt.states.mongodb_database
- salt.states.mongodb_user
  - Management of Mongodb users
- salt.states.mount
  - Mounting of filesystems.
- salt.states.mysql_database
  - Management of MySQL databases (schemas).
- salt.states.mysql_grants
  - Management of MySQL grants (user permissions).
- salt.states.mysql_user
  - Management of MySQL users.
- salt.states.network
  - Configuration of network interfaces.
- salt.states.npm
  - Installation of NPM Packages
- salt.states.pecl
  - Installation of PHP Extensions Using pecl
- salt.states.pip
  - Installation of Python Packages Using pip
- salt.states.pkg
  - Installation of packages using OS package managers such as yum or apt-get
- salt.states.pkgng
  - Manage package remote repo using FreeBSD pkgng
- salt.states.pkgrepo
  - Management of package repos
- salt.states.portage_config
  - Management of Portage package configuration on Gentoo
- salt.states.postgres_database
  - Management of PostgreSQL databases.
- salt.states.postgres_group
  - Management of PostgreSQL groups (roles).
- salt.states.postgres_user
  - Management of PostgreSQL users (roles).
- salt.states.quota
  - Management of POSIX Quotas
- salt.states.rabbitmq_user
- salt.states.rabbitmq_vhost
- salt.states.rbenv
  - Managing Ruby installations with rbenv.
- salt.states.rvm
  - Managing Ruby installations and gemsets with Ruby Version Manager (RVM).
- salt.states.selinux
  - Management of SELinux rules.
- salt.states.service
  - Starting or restarting of services and daemons.
- salt.states.ssh_auth
  - Control of entries in SSH authorized_key files.
- salt.states.ssh_known_hosts
  - Control of SSH known_hosts entries.
- salt.states.stateconf
  - Stateconf System
- salt.states.supervisord
  - Interaction with the Supervisor daemon.
- salt.states.svn
  - Manage SVN repositories
- salt.states.sysctl
  - Configuration of the Linux kernel using sysctrl.
- salt.states.timezone
  - Management of timezones
- salt.states.tomcat
- salt.states.user
  - Management of user accounts.
- salt.states.virtualenv
  - Setup of Python virtualenv sandboxes.
Renderers
- Multiple Renderers
- Composing Renderers
- Writing Renderers
- Examples
Full list of builtin renderer modules
- salt.renderers.jinja
- salt.renderers.json
- salt.renderers.mako
- salt.renderers.py
- salt.renderers.pydsl
- salt.renderers.stateconf
- salt.renderers.wempy
- salt.renderers.yaml
Pillars
Full list of builtin pillar modules
- salt.pillar.cmd_json
- salt.pillar.cmd_yaml
- salt.pillar.cobbler
- salt.pillar.django_orm
  - Configuring the django_orm ext_pillar
  - Module Documentation
- salt.pillar.git_pillar
- salt.pillar.hiera
- salt.pillar.libvirt
- salt.pillar.mongo
- salt.pillar.pillar_ldap
- salt.pillar.puppet
- salt.pillar.reclass_adapter
Master Tops
Full list of builtin master tops modules
- salt.tops.cobbler
  - Cobbler Tops
  - Module Documentation
- salt.tops.ext_nodes
  - External Nodes Classifier
- salt.tops.mongo
- salt.tops.reclass_adapter
Salt Runners
- Writing Salt Runners
- Examples
Full list of runner modules
- salt.runners.cache
- salt.runners.doc
- salt.runners.fileserver
- salt.runners.jobs
- salt.runners.launchd
- salt.runners.manage
- salt.runners.network
- salt.runners.search
- salt.runners.state
- salt.runners.virt
- salt.runners.winrepo
Full list of builtin wheel modules
- salt.wheel.config
- salt.wheel.file_roots
- salt.wheel.key
- salt.wheel.pillar_roots
Full list of builtin auth modules
- salt.auth.keystone
- salt.auth.ldap
- salt.auth.pam
- salt.auth.stormpath_mod
Full list of builtin output modules
- salt.output.grains
- salt.output.highstate
- salt.output.json_out
- salt.output.key
- salt.output.nested
- salt.output.no_out
- salt.output.no_return
- salt.output.overstatestage
- salt.output.pprint_out
- salt.output.raw
- salt.output.txt
- salt.output.virt_query
- salt.output.yaml_out
Python client API
- LocalClient
- Salt Caller
- RunnerClient
- WheelClient
Peer Communication
- Peer Configuration
- Peer Runner Communication
- Using Peer Communication
Client ACL system
- Permission Issues
Salt Syndic
- Configuring the Syndic
- Running the Syndic
File Server Backends
- Environments
Dynamic Module Distribution
- Sync Via States
- Sync Via the saltutil Module
File Server Configuration
- Environments
- Directory Overlay
- Local File Server
Salt File Server
- The cp Module
- File Server Client API
  - FileClient Class
Full list of builtin fileserver modules
- salt.fileserver.gitfs
- salt.fileserver.hgfs
- salt.fileserver.roots
- salt.fileserver.s3fs
Configuration file examples
- Example master configuration file
- Example minion configuration file
Configuring the Salt Master
- Primary Master Configuration
- Master Security Settings
- Master Module Management
  - runner_dirs
  - cython_enable
- Master State System Settings
- Master File Server Settings
- Pillar Configuration
  - pillar_roots
  - ext_pillar
- Syndic Server Settings
- Peer Publish Settings
  - peer
  - peer_run
- Node Groups
- Master Logging Settings
- Include Configuration
  - default_include
  - include
Configuring the Salt Minion
- Minion Primary Configuration
- Minion Module Management
- State Management Settings
- File Directory Settings
- Security Settings
  - open_mode
- Thread Settings
- Minion Logging Settings
- Include Configuration
  - default_include
  - include
- Frozen Build Update Settings
  - update_url
  - update_restart_services
Salt code and internals
- Contents
  - Exceptions
  - salt.exceptions
Network Topology
- Servers
- PUB/SUB
- Return
Windows Software Repository
- Operation
- Usage
- Generate Repo Cache File
- Install Windows Software
- Uninstall Windows Software
- Standalone Minion Salt Windows Repo Module
- Git Hosted Repo
- Troubleshooting
Command Line Reference
- Using the Salt Command
salt
- Synopsis
- Description
- Options
- See also
salt-master
- Synopsis
- Description
- Options
  - Logging Options
- See also
salt-minion
- Synopsis
- Description
- Options
  - Logging Options
- See also
salt-key
- Synopsis
- Description
- Options
- See also
salt-cp
- Synopsis
- Description
- Options
  - Logging Options
  - Target Selection
- See also
salt-call
- Synopsis
- Description
- Options
  - Logging Options
  - Output Options
- See also
salt-run
- Synopsis
- Description
- Options
  - Logging Options
- See also
salt-ssh
- Synopsis
- Description
- Options
- See also
salt-syndic
- Synopsis
- Description
- Options
  - Logging Options
- See also
Release notes and upgrade instructions
- Salt 0.17.4 Release Notes
- Salt 0.17.2 Release Notes
- Salt 0.17.1 Release Notes
  - SSH Enhancements
  - Security Updates
  - Fix Reference
- Salt 0.17.0 Release Notes
  - Major Features
- Salt 0.16.4 Release Notes
- Salt 0.16.3 Release Notes
- Salt 0.16.2 Release Notes
  - Windows
  - Grains
  - Pillar
  - Peer Publishing
  - Minion
  - User/Group Management
  - File Management
  - Package/Repository Management
  - Service Management
  - Networking
  - SSH
  - pip
  - MySQL
  - PostgreSQL
  - Miscellaneous
- Salt 0.16.0 Release Notes
  - Major Features
- Salt 0.15.1 Release Notes
  - Security Updates
- Salt 0.15.0 Release Notes
  - Major Features
- Salt 0.14.0 Release Notes
  - Major Features
- Salt 0.13.0 Release Notes
  - Major Features
  - Noteworthy Changes
- Salt 0.12.0 Release Notes
  - Major Features
- Salt 0.11.0 Release Notes
  - Major Features
  - Notable Changes
- Salt 0.10.5 Release Notes
  - Major Features
  - Noteworthy Changes
- Salt 0.10.4 Release Notes
  - Major Features
  - Security
- Salt 0.10.3 Release Notes
  - Major Features
  - Security Fix
- Salt 0.10.2 Release Notes
  - Major Features
  - Test Updates
  - Many Fixes
- Salt 0.10.0 Release Notes
  - Major Features
  - State Call Data Files
  - Turning Off the Job Cache
  - Test Updates
  - Many Fixes
- Salt 0.9.9 Release Notes
  - Major Features
  - New Tests
- Salt 0.9.8 Release Notes
  - Upgrade Considerations
  - Major Features
  - In Progress Development
- Salt 0.9.7 Release Notes
  - Major Features
- Salt 0.9.6 Release Notes
  - New Features
- Salt 0.9.5 Release Notes
  - Community
  - Major Features
  - Packaging Updates
  - Refinement
- Salt 0.9.4 Release Notes
  - Download!
  - New Features
- Salt 0.9.3 Release Notes
  - Download!
  - New Features
  - Module and State Additions
- Salt 0.9.2 Release Notes
  - Download!
  - New Features
  - Notable Bug Fixes
- Salt 0.9.0 Release Notes
  - Download!
  - New Features
  - New Modules
- Salt 0.8.9 Release Notes
  - Download!
  - New Features
  - New Modules
- Salt 0.8.8 release notes
- Salt 0.8.7 release notes
- Salt 0.8.0 release notes
  - Salt-cp -
  - Cython minion modules -
  - Dynamic Returners -
  - Configurable Minion Modules -
  - Advanced Minion Threading:
- Salt 0.7.0 release notes
- Salt 0.6.0 release notes

Current Salt release: 0.17.4

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