What does Puppet generally use to pull in configuration from external resources?

Puppet primarily uses resources to pull in configuration from external sources. In Puppet's architecture, resources represent the desired state of configuration in terms of system components, such as files, packages, services, and more. These resources define what needs to be managed and how it should look, allowing Puppet to ensure that these components reach the specified state.

When configuration data needs to be retrieved from external sources, Puppet can utilize resource types to abstract this process. For instance, a file resource can pull in content from an external URL or a package resource can manage software installations by fetching the required packages from specified repositories. This approach allows Puppet to maintain flexibility and adaptability in configuration management, ensuring that external resources are utilized effectively.

Other components such as classes, nodes, and manifests serve different purposes in the Puppet ecosystem. Classes group related resources and can be applied to nodes, while nodes represent specific machines or devices managed by Puppet. Manifests contain the definitions of classes and resources but are not the direct mechanism for pulling in configurations from external resources. Therefore, resources stand out as the fundamental element leveraged to pull in configurations from outside Puppet's native environment.