website: templates introduction

a2f437fd · Mitchell Hashimoto · 3e7ee60a · a2f437fd · a2f437fd
Commit a2f437fd authored Jun 08, 2013 by Mitchell Hashimoto
Showing with 74 additions and 4 deletions

website/source/docs/templates/introduction.html.markdown website/source/docs/templates/introduction.html.markdown +63 -0

website/source/layouts/docs.erb website/source/layouts/docs.erb +11 -4

No files found.
--- a/website/source/docs/templates/introduction.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/templates/introduction.html.markdown
+---
+layout: "docs"
+---
+
+# Templates
+
+Templates are JSON files that configure the various components of Packer
+in order to create one or more machine images. Templates are portable, static,
+and readable and writable by both humans and computers. This has the added
+benefit of being able to not only create and modify templates by hand, but
+also write scripts to dynamically create or modify templates.
+
+Templates are given to commands such as `packer build`, which will
+take the template and actually run the builds within it, producing
+any resulting machine images.
+
+## Template Structure
+
+A template is a JSON object that has a set of keys configuring various
+components of Packer. The available keys within a template are listed below.
+Along with each key, it is noted whether it is required or not.
+
+* `builders` (_required_) is an array of one or more objects that defines
+  the builders that will be used to create machine images for this template,
+  and configures each of those builders. For more information on how to define
+  and configure a builder, read the sub-section on
+  [configuring builders in templates](/docs/templates/builders.html).
+
+* `provisioners` (optional) is an array of one or more objects that defines
+  the provisioners that will be used to install and configure software for
+  the machines created by each of the builders. This is an optional field.
+  If it is not specified, then no provisioners will be run. For more
+  information on how to define and configure a provisioner, read the
+  sub-section on [configuring provisioners in templates](/docs/templates/provisioners.html).
+
+## Example Template
+
+Below is an example of a basic template that is nearly fully functional. It is just
+missing valid AWS access keys. Otherwise, it would work properly with
+`packer build`.
+
+<pre class="prettyprint">
+{
+  "builders": [
+    {
+      "type": "amazon-ebs",
+      "access_key": "...",
+      "secret_key": "...",
+      "region": "us-east-1",
+      "source_ami": "ami-de0d9eb7",
+      "ssh_username": "ubuntu",
+      "ami_name": "packer {{.CreateTime}}"
+    }
+  ],
+
+  "provisioners": [
+    {
+      "type": "shell",
+      "path": "setup_things.sh"
+    }
+  ]
+}
+</pre>
--- a/website/source/layouts/docs.erb
+++ b/website/source/layouts/docs.erb
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 				padding-bottom: 40px;
 			}
 		</style>
+
+		<script src="https://google-code-prettify.googlecode.com/svn/loader/run_prettify.js"></script>
 	</head>

 	<body>
@@ -26,11 +28,16 @@
 						<ul class="nav nav-list">
 							<li><a href="/docs/what-is-packer.html">What is Packer?</a></li>
 							<li><a href="/docs/installation.html">Installation</a></li>
-
-							<li class="nav-header">Basics</li>
 							<li><a href="/docs/basics/terminology.html">Terminology</a></li>
-							<li><a href="#">Command-Line</a></li>
-							<li><a href="#">Templates</a></li>
+
+							<li class="nav-header">Command-Line</li>
+							<li><a href="#">Introduction</a></li>
+							<li><a href="#">Build</a></li>
+
+							<li class="nav-header">Templates</li>
+							<li><a href="/docs/templates/introduction.html">Introduction</a></li>
+							<li><a href="#">Builders</a></li>
+							<li><a href="#">Provisioners</a></li>

 							<li class="nav-header">Builders</li>
 							<li><a href="#">EC2 (AMI)</a></li>