When was the last time you logged in to the Puppet Forge? If you are not a module publisher, you are probably thinking: “Wait. I can log in to the Forge?”

Yes. You can log in to the Forge. By doing so, you unlock a series of new features that are designed to significantly improve the user experience. You can now track your downloaded modules and determine whether they are current. You can now save your personal search filters to help accelerate searches. The new user experience starts when you create a user profile and log in.

Download tracking

Up until now, the Forge served as a repository for thousands of Puppet modules, but its status as a mere repository belies the vast potential of the Forge. To remedy this situation, the Puppet Forge team is launching its first user profile feature: download tracking.

As the name suggests, you can log in to view a snapshot of your Forge module downloads and compare the downloaded versions with the latest published versions. You can also view information about changes in the module that were made after your most recent download so that you can make an informed decision about a possible upgrade. If your module estate contains deprecated or deleted modules, that information is highlighted as well. By using this feature, you can help to ensure that your Puppet infrastructure is updated and reliable.

To get started, log in, visit your profile by clicking your profile icon at the upper right section of your screen, go to the Manage download reporting section in the Downloads tab, and turn on the Download report toggle. Then upload your Puppetfile to the Forge. Within seconds, you can view your module inventory status. (Before these updates, this process would have involved walking through each module individually and trying to analyze what has changed – a challenging activity for a small number of modules, let alone for an enterprise-wide infrastructure.) To continue syncing your downloads to your profile, create an API token and add it to your Puppet Bolt or r10k project file. The next time you log in to the Forge and view the Downloads section, you’ll see an updated view of your version status.

Enhanced search capabilities

Are you tired of repeatedly applying the same filters to find modules? Now you can save up to 10 active searches as part of your user profile. With this feature, you can place your cursor in the search field and then access your customized searches with one click.

You can watch this short video and get a quick sneak peek into the new updates, before trying it out for yourself.

Feedback

The Puppet Forge team is grateful to all the Puppet users who've contributed suggestions for developing the Forge over the years. Now, the team invites you to try the new features and report any issues or suggestions for improvements. You can post comments in the #forge-modules Slack channel of the Puppet Community. You can also log any issues you faced in the forge_issues Github repository.

Create a profile and log in today

This is just the beginning. The Forge team has ambitious plans that can be achieved only with your collaboration and input. If you haven't already, create an account on the Forge. Join the global Puppet community on a journey to realize the full potential of the Forge for infrastructure management.