layout	title	published	sorting	alias
printable	Markdown cheatsheet	true	1	markdown-cheatsheet.html

Markdown formatting is simple, and the CFEngine generator adds a few things to make it even simpler. Here's a list of the most commonly used formats.

Basic formatting

Remember

"Always pull never push"

Basic formatting

One
Paragraph

Two
Paragraphs

One Paragraph

Two Paragraphs

**Bold** Bold

*Italic* Italic

Links

Link within documentation and to known pages

You can link to any documentation page using [linktext][PageTitle].

Link to a specific section of a known page

You can link to any documentation page section using [linktext][PageTitle#section].

When linking to a section, you should use the section name as it is rendered on the page.

For example, On the [functions][Functions] page we can link to the [collecting functions][Functions#collecting functions] section using [collecting functions][Functions#collecting functions].

Sometimes (because ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, maybe the page linked to hasn't been parsed yet) a page may not be automatically known. In this case an entry in _references.md.

Special characters in link targets

See generator/_scripts/cfdoc_linkresolver.py for how various characters are changed to dashes (--, ,:,.,(,)) and erased ("). Dashes are removed from the beginning and end of links as well.

Most (¯\_(ツ)_/¯) special characters are okay. For example:

Link targets with / (forward slashes) work
- [Export/import][Settings#Export/import] == [Export/import][Settings#Export/import]

Anchors with underscores are problematic, may need to be escaped.

For example services_autorun in the MPF documentation the underscore needs to be escaped with a \.

**See also:** [`services_autorun` in the Masterfiles Policy Framework][Masterfiles Policy Framework#services\_autorun]

See also: [services_autorun in the Masterfiles Policy Framework][Masterfiles Policy Framework#services_autorun]

But not always! For example

**See also:** [cf_lock.lmdb][CFEngine directory structure#state/cf_lock.lmdb]

See also: [cf_lock.lmdb][CFEngine directory structure#state/cf_lock.lmdb]

Backticks are problematic. It seems impossible to link to anchors that contain backticks.

Link to CFEngine keyword

The documentation pre-processor will create those automatically.

`classes` and `readfile()`

[classes][classes] and readfile()

However, the preprocess will not create links if the code word is in triple backticks:

No links: ```classes``` and ```readfile()```

No links: classes and readfile()

Link to external URL

[Markdown Documentation](http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/)

Markdown Documentation

Lists

Unordered lists - Markdown supports other markers than the asterisk, but in

CFEngine we use only *.

* Item 1
* Item 2
   * Item 2a
* Multi paragraph item

    Four spaces indented

Item 1
Item 2
- Item 2a
Multi paragraph item

Four spaces indented

Ordered lists - the numbers you use don't matter.

1. first
1. second
9. Third

first
second
Third

Nested lists

* Item 1
  1. First
  2. First
    1. 1.2.1
* Item 2
  * Item 2a (2 spaces)

      I am indented 4 spaces

* Multi paragraph item

    I am indented four spaces

Item 1
1. First
2. First
3. 1.2.1
Item 2
- Item 2a (2 spaces)
  
  I am indented 4 spaces
Multi paragraph item

I am indented four spaces

Tables

Wiki-syntax for tables is supported, and you can be a bit sloppy about it, although it's better to align the | properly.

| Header | Left aligned | Centered | Right aligned |
|--------|:-------------|:--------:|--------------:|
|text    | text | X | 234 |

Header	Left aligned	Centered	Right aligned
text	text	X	234

Code

Inline code

This renders as `inline code`.

This renders as inline code.

This also renders as ```inline code```.

This also renders as inline code.

See the note above on implicit linking - single backticks will link, triple backticks won't.

Code Blocks

Start a code block using triple backticks:

```
some code
in a block
```

some code
in a block

You can also create a code block by indenting your code by 4 spaces, however this does not support syntax highlighting and triple backticks are preferred.

To turn on syntax highlighting, specify the language ("brush") directly after the opening three backticks. Syntax highlighting is provided by pygments. Find all available lexers here.

Command code blocks

python3 -v

This code block will have command in the header and corresponding icon.

Command code block with output

To have a component that shows command, and it's output you need to place output code block following command one.

uname

Linux

You might also specify output syntax highlighting by adding language after the starting backticks and placing [output] in the first line. This line won't be shown in the resulted HTML.

curl --user admin:admin https://test.cfengine.com/api/user

[output]
{
  "meta": {
    "page": 1,
    "count": 1,
    "total": 1,
    "timestamp": 1350994249d
  },
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "calvin",
      "external": true,
      "roles": [
        "Huguenots", "Marketing"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

These two blocks will be joined into one element on the UI.

File code block

You can specify file name of the code block by adding [file=Name of the file] in the first line. This line won't be shown in the resulting HTML (it will be converted to the heading / frame).

[file=policy.cf]
bundle agent hello_world
{
  meta:
    "tags"
      slist => { "autorun" };
  vars:
    "github_path"
      string => "/tmp/github.com";
}

The resulting code block will show policy.cf as the filename.

CFEngine code blocks

If you want CFEngine syntax highlighting, use

```cf3
# CFEngine block

bundle agent example()
{
}
```

# CFEngine code block

bundle agent example()
{
}

Other frequently used syntax highlighters shown below.

Bash script code blocks

    ```bash
    #!/bin/bash
    echo hi
    for i in `seq 1 10`;
    do
      echo $i
    done
    ```

#!/bin/bash
echo hi
for i in `seq 1 10`;
do
  echo $i
done

Console blocks

    ```console
    root@policy_server # /etc/init.d/cfengine3 stop
    ```

root@policy_server # /etc/init.d/cfengine3 stop

SQL code blocks

    ```sql
    SELECT
         FileChanges.FileName,
         Count(Distinct(FileChanges.HostKey)) AS DistinctHostCount,
         COUNT(1) AS ChangeCount
      FROM
         FileChanges JOIN Contexts
      WHERE
         Contexts.ContextName='ubuntu'
      GROUP BY
         FileChanges.FileName
      ORDER BY
         ChangeCount DESC
    ```

SELECT
     FileChanges.FileName,
     Count(Distinct(FileChanges.HostKey)) AS DistinctHostCount,
     COUNT(1) AS ChangeCount
  FROM
     FileChanges JOIN Contexts
  WHERE
     Contexts.ContextName='ubuntu'
  GROUP BY
     FileChanges.FileName
  ORDER BY
     ChangeCount DESC

Diff code blocks

    ```diff
    diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
    index 92555a2..b49c0bb 100644
    --- a/README.md
    +++ b/README.md
    @@ -377,8 +377,12 @@ As a general note, avoiding abbreviations provides better readability.

     * follow the [Policy style guide](guide/writing-and-serving-policy/policy-style.markdown)
       in examples and code snippets
    -* always run it through Pygments plus the appropriate lexer (only cf3
    -  supported for now)
    +* always run it through Pygments plus the appropriate lexer
    +
    +Most important are the `cf3` lexer, as well as `bash`, `console`,
    +`diff`, `shell-session` and `postgresql`. But Jekyll supports
    +[many more lexers](http://pygments.org/docs/lexers/)
    +
     * avoid custom color schemes and hand-coded HTML
     * document the example after the example code
    ```

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 92555a2..b49c0bb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -377,8 +377,12 @@ As a general note, avoiding abbreviations provides better readability.

 * follow the [Policy style guide](guide/writing-and-serving-policy/policy-style.markdown)
   in examples and code snippets
-* always run it through Pygments plus the appropriate lexer (only cf3
-  supported for now)
+* always run it through Pygments plus the appropriate lexer
+
+Most important are the `cf3` lexer, as well as `bash`, `console`,
+`diff`, `shell-session` and `postgresql`. But Jekyll supports
+[many more lexers](http://pygments.org/docs/lexers/)
+
 * avoid custom color schemes and hand-coded HTML
 * document the example after the example code

JSON code blocks

{% raw %}

{
  "classes":{
    "services_autorun": [ "any" ]
  }
}

{% endraw %}

{
  "classes":{
    "services_autorun": [ "any" ]
  }
}

YAML Code Blocks

{% raw %}

---
  classes:
    services_autorun:
      - "any"

{% endraw %}

---
  classes:
    services_autorun:
      - "any"

Code blocks and lists

If you want to include a code block within a list, put two tabs (8 spaces) in front of the entire block (4 to make the paragraph part of the list item, and 4 for it a code block):

* List item with code

        <code goes here>

List item with code
```
  <code goes here>
```

You can also use backticks (and get syntax highlighting) - just make sure the backticks are indented once:

1. First

    ```cf3
    # CFEngine block

    bundle agent example()
    {
    }
    ```

2. Second
3. Third

First

# CFEngine block

bundle agent example()
{
}

Second
Third

Headers

Horizontal bar

***

# Level 1

CFEngine extensions

Example policy from core

Examples from cfengine/core can be rendered using the CFEngine_include_example macro.

Lines inside src starting with #@ are interpreted as markdown.
Wrap macro in raw and endraw tags if the file contains mustache. This allows it to be rendered correctly.

[\%CFEngine_include_example(class-automatic-canonificiation.cf)\%]

{% raw %} [%CFEngine_include_example(class-automatic-canonificiation.cf)%] {% endraw %}

Include snippet of text from a file

Sometimes it's nice to include a snippet from another file. For example, we dynamically generate the --help output for each component on each doc build and that output is included on each component page.

[%CFEngine_include_snippet(cf-promises.help, [\s]*--[a-z], ^$)%]

[%CFEngine_include_snippet(cf-promises.help, [\s]*--[a-z], ^$)%]

Level 1

## Level 2

Level 2

### Level 3

Level 3

#### Level 4

Level 4

##### Level 5

Level 5

###### Level 6

Level 6

Including external files

Sometimes it's nice to include an external file

[%CFEngine_include_markdown(masterfiles/CHANGELOG.md)%]

Including chunks of policy from the MPF

Here I am including a bundle named cfe_autorun_inventory_listening_ports. It may be a common or an agent bundle (in case the bundle ever changes types).

[%CFEngine_include_snippet(inventory/any.cf, bundle\s+(agent|common)\s+cfe_autorun_inventory_listening_ports, \})%]

[%CFEngine_include_snippet(inventory/any.cf, bundle\s+(agent|common)\s+cfe_autorun_inventory_listening_ports, })%]

Comments inside documentation

Sometimes it's nice to be able to put an internal comment into the documentation that will not be rendered.

You can use the comment and endcomment tags in markdown files.

For example:

{% raw %}
{% comment %} TODO: We should try to improve this at some point.{% endcomment %}
{% endraw %}

Would render like this:

{% comment %} TODO: We should try to improve this at some point.{% endcomment %}

FAQ

When should I use `verbatim` vs bold or italic?

If it's code or something you would see on the command line (policy language, file names, command line options, binaries / CLI programs) use monospace (single backticks for inline, triple backticks for block, or when you have inline word that could also be an automatic link target that is undesirable, e.g. files ({% raw %}files{% endraw %}) vs files ({% raw %}files{% endraw %}) ).

If you are referring to something within UI / screenshots / buttons etc use bold and capitalize it as it is within the UI/Button/whatever.

References:

https://www.patternfly.org/v4/ux-writing/punctuation/
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/procedures-instructions/formatting-text-in-instructions

Sandbox

symlink example

[%CFEngine_include_snippet(masterfiles/lib/files.cf, ^body\slink_from\sln_s.*, ^##)%]

Self documenting policy

For the stdlib:

[%CFEngine_library_include(lib/commands)%]

For update.cf?

[%CFEngine_library_include(update)%]

for Promises.cf?

[%CFEngine_library_include(promises)%]

Variables

Referencing a version of CFEngine? Consider if that appearance should be updated with each new version.

Variables that are defined in the front matter (thats the content between the three dashes at the top) or in _config.yaml can be used directly within markdown.

For example this is the '{{site.CFE_manuals_version}}' version of the documentation. That variable comes from _config.yaml.

Since liquid variables look a lot like mustache variables any time you want to show the actual variables will need to be inside of raw tags.

{% raw %} site.CFE_manuals_version {{ site.CFE_manuals_version }} {% endraw %}

Testing

Indention with included markdown

Verify that the selected hosts are upgrading successfully.

Mission Portal [Inventory reporting interface][Reporting UI#inventory management]

[Inventory API][Inventory API]

root@hub:~# curl -k \
--user <admin>:<password> \
-X POST \
https://hub.localdomain/api/inventory  \
-H 'content-type: application/json' \
-d '{
      "sort":"Host name",
      "filter":{
         "CFEngine version":{
            "not_match":"{{site.cfengine.branch}}.0"
         }
      },
      "select":[
         "Host name",
         "CFEngine version"
       ]
    }'

Some other thing

Files

cheatsheet.markdown

Latest commit

History

cheatsheet.markdown

File metadata and controls

Basic formatting

Remember

Basic formatting

Links

Link within documentation and to known pages

Link to a specific section of a known page

Special characters in link targets

Link to CFEngine keyword

Link to external URL

Lists

Unordered lists - Markdown supports other markers than the asterisk, but in

Ordered lists - the numbers you use don't matter.

Nested lists

Tables

Code

Inline code

Code Blocks

Command code blocks

Command code block with output

File code block

CFEngine code blocks

Bash script code blocks

Console blocks

SQL code blocks

Diff code blocks

JSON code blocks

YAML Code Blocks

Code blocks and lists

Headers

Horizontal bar

CFEngine extensions

Example policy from core

Include snippet of text from a file

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Level 5

Level 6

Including external files

Including chunks of policy from the MPF

Comments inside documentation

FAQ

When should I use verbatim vs bold or italic?

Sandbox

symlink example

Self documenting policy

For the stdlib:

For update.cf?

for Promises.cf?

Variables

Testing

Indention with included markdown

When should I use `verbatim` vs bold or italic?