Use `before` or `require` in Puppet manifests? -

okay, started learning puppet , working through docs. see:

• require same before
• subscribe same notify

obviously these added @ opposite sides of dependency relationship, point.

from code readability , maintainability aspect, using 1 (of each pair) better other? should use both maximum clarity or make maintenance cumbersome? thoughts?

either variant works equally fine. have concrete uses though.

• make intentions more clear

e.g.

exec { "initialize-footool": require => package["footool"] } file { "/etc/default/footool": before => exec["initialize-footool"] } 

read more english requires on exec.

• build relations other resources don't know resource in question

e.g.

include apache exec { "apache2ctl graceful": require => package[apache] } # package inside class apache 

the latter pretty bad practice though. found 1 of definite benefits lie in these metaparameters' ability target whole classes instead.

include apache exec { "apache2ctl graceful": require => class["apache"] } file { "/etc/default/apache2": before => class["apache"] } 

people intent on limiting to, say, require instead of ever using before can resort syntax

class { "apache": require => file["/etc/default/apache2"] } 

the community discourages class {} style declarations though, because

• it cannot used declare same class more once
• it imposes parse order issues when mixed include statements same class