How does Puppet handle resources managed with capitalized references?

Puppet manages resources with capitalized references by treating them as distinct identifiers that refer to classes or defined types. In Puppet, capitalized references, which follow a specific naming convention, are used to denote resources, particularly those defined as classes or defined types. These identifiers signal to Puppet that it should look for a class or a defined type with that name in the manifest.

This convention allows for clear differentiation between classes and regular variable references, helping to avoid conflicts and ensuring proper resource declaration. Because capitalized references are recognized by Puppet as specific resources within its configuration language, they are strictly enforced in this context.

The use of all capitalized names for resource references is not optional; it is an integral part of how Puppet's resource management operates. Thus, understanding that capital references signify mandatory classes or defined types is essential for writing effective Puppet manifests.