Glossary
This page defines the terms that the Russet documentation uses.
AutoPkg
Section titled “AutoPkg”The open source tool, written in Python, that runs recipes to download, package, and import software. The documentation calls it Python AutoPkg when it contrasts AutoPkg with Russet.
Built-in processor
Section titled “Built-in processor”A processor that’s part of Russet itself. Russet implements AutoPkg’s built-in processors and some processors that recipe repositories commonly supply. For the list, see Processors.
The folder where Russet keeps downloads, build products, receipts, and run
results. By default, it’s ~/Library/Russet/Cache.
Catalog
Section titled “Catalog”A Munki file that lists the items that a group of Munki clients can install,
such as testing or production.
Check phase
Section titled “Check phase”The part of a recipe before its EndOfCheckPhase step. russet run --check
runs only this part, which usually checks for and downloads a new version.
Compatibility version
Section titled “Compatibility version”The AutoPkg version that Russet implements, 3.0.0. russet version prints
it, and recipes compare their MinimumVersion with it.
Custom processor
Section titled “Custom processor”A processor that a recipe repository supplies as a Python file. Russet doesn’t run custom processors.
Distribution version
Section titled “Distribution version”The version of a Russet release, such as 0.1.0. A release archive records it
in RELEASE.json. An archive that you build from source doesn’t have one.
Helper services
Section titled “Helper services”Two launchd services on macOS, russet-server and russet-installd, that
run as root to build packages and install software for recipes. launchd starts
them as russet --server and russet --installd.
An open source tool for managing software on Mac computers. Russet imports software into Munki repositories.
Munki repository
Section titled “Munki repository”The folder that Munki clients download software and metadata from. Russet supports file-based Munki repositories only.
Override
Section titled “Override”A recipe in your overrides folder that names a parent recipe, changes its input values, and records its trust information.
Parent recipe
Section titled “Parent recipe”A recipe that another recipe builds on. A child recipe inherits its parent’s input variables and processors and adds its own.
Pkginfo file
Section titled “Pkginfo file”A Munki file that describes one version of one item, such as its name, version, installer item, and catalogs.
Processor
Section titled “Processor”A step in a recipe that does one task, such as downloading a file or verifying a code signature.
Receipt
Section titled “Receipt”A property list that Russet writes after each recipe runs. It records the recipe’s input and each processor’s input and output.
Recipe
Section titled “Recipe”A property list or YAML file that describes how to download, package, or import a piece of software. A recipe lists processors and their inputs.
Recipe list
Section titled “Recipe list”A file that names recipes to run in one command, one per line. A recipe list can also be a property list.
Recipe map
Section titled “Recipe map”A file that indexes the recipes in your search folders by name and
identifier. By default, it’s ~/Library/Russet/recipe_map.json.
Recipe repository
Section titled “Recipe repository”A Git repository of recipes. russet repo-add clones recipe repositories
into ~/Library/Russet/RecipeRepos by default.
Rollback generation
Section titled “Rollback generation”A folder that an installer creates for each installation. It holds the files that the installation replaced, so that a rollback can restore them.
Trust information
Section titled “Trust information”The ParentRecipeTrustInfo dictionary in an override. It records hashes of
the parent recipes and related files, so that Russet can detect changes. For
details, see Recipe trust.