puppet-agent:tldr:8e9b7

The command "puppet agent --test" is used to manually trigger a Puppet agent run in test mode.

Puppet is a configuration management tool used to manage the configuration and automation of systems. It follows a client-server architecture, where a Puppet agent runs on the client machines and retrieves configuration instructions, called manifests, from a central Puppet server.

When the "puppet agent --test" command is executed on a Puppet agent, it initiates a test run. During this run, the agent contacts the Puppet server to request the latest manifest updates and checks if any changes need to be applied to the system configuration.

The test mode is useful for troubleshooting or verifying the expected changes that will be made by Puppet before running it in production. It allows you to see which changes Puppet would make without actually applying them.

During the test run, the Puppet agent fetches the manifest updates, evaluates them, and reports back to the Puppet server with the changes it would make, including any additions, modifications, or deletions of resources. This report provides valuable information on the impact of the changes and helps ensure that the Puppet manifests are correctly written.

Overall, the "puppet agent --test" command is a command-line tool in Puppet that allows you to simulate the execution of Puppet agent runs in test mode, giving you a preview of the changes that would be applied to your system configuration.