inspec/docs/glossary.md

InSpec Glossary

Basic Syntax

describe foo('/path/to/foo.txt') do
    its('blah') { should cmp '123' }
    it { should exist }
    it { should be_reasonable }
    it { should_not be_ridiculous }
end

Basic Elements:

describe foo, where

• foo is the resource

describe foo ('/path/to/foo.txt'), where

• '/path/to/foo.txt' is the resource parameter

Tests:

its('blah') { should cmp '123' } is an individual test, where

• blah is a property
• { should cmp '123' } is a condition statement
• should is the condition
• cmp is the matcher
• '123' is the expected result

{ should exist } is a condition statement, where

• should is the condition
• exist is the matcher

{ should be_reasonable } is a condition statement, where

• should is the condition
• be_reasonable is the matcher

{ should_not be_ridiculous } is a negative condition statement, where

• should_not is the negative condition
• be_ridiculous is the matcher

Advanced Syntax

describe foos('/path/to/foo.txt', ssl_verify: true).where { names == 'blah' } do
    its('jared') { should cmp >= 123 }
    its('jared.sort.first.monkey') { should be `loud` }
    its(['jared', 'monkey.with.dots']) { should be `loud` }
end

Advanced Elements:

describe foos, where

• foos is a plural resource

describe foos ('/path/to/foo.txt', ssl_verify: true), where

• '/path/to/foo.txt' and ssl_verify: true are the resource parameters. Resources take one or more parameters.

Filters:

describe foos ('/path/to/foo.txt', ssl_verify: true).where { names == 'blah' }

• .where { names == 'blah' } is an example of a filter.
• { names == 'blah' } is an example of a filter clause
• Some resources support one or more filters.
• Filters are used on plural resources.
• Some resources, such as etc_hosts are explicitly plural, while others, such as passwd are implicitly plural.

{ names == 'my-name' && spots == true } are filter criteria

• names compares output to blah
• has spots evaluates to true or false

Properties:

its('jared') { should cmp >= 123 }

• jared is the property

{ should cmp >= 123 } is a conditional statement that uses a matcher with an operator and expected value.

• cmp is the matcher
• >= is the operator (some matchers accept operators)
• 123 is the expected value

Properties with advanced usage:

Some properties may have advanced usage:

its ('jared.sort.first.monkey') { should be loud }

• jared.sort.first.monkey is an example of the jared property with an advanced usage