If a class is inherited but not declared, what happens in Puppet?

When a class is inherited in Puppet but not explicitly declared, it is automatically included in the manifest during the compilation phase. This feature allows for more modular and reusable code because a class can bring in its resources and settings without needing to be declared each time.

By design, when a class is inherited, Puppet effectively recognizes the intention to use that class's resources and parameters. It ensures that the resources defined within the inherited class are available to the child class without requiring a separate declaration. This promotes better organization and allows for complex hierarchies of classes where behaviors and configurations can be shared and extended.

This automatic inclusion of class inheritance makes it easier to maintain configurations, as you can build upon existing classes and extend their functionalities without redundant declarations. It reinforces the power of object-oriented principles within Puppet, providing a clearer structure and enhancing the ability to manage configurations at scale.

Other outcomes, such as the class not loading, triggering an error, or being ignored, do not occur under this inheritance mechanism in Puppet when proper syntax and structures are followed.