Which programming language is Chef primarily written in?

Chef is primarily written in Ruby, which is significant because Ruby's syntax and dynamic nature allow for the creation of flexible and powerful domain-specific languages (DSLs), which are often utilized in configuration management tools like Chef. This makes it easier for users to write recipes that describe the desired state of their systems in a manner that is both concise and expressive.

Chef leverages Ruby not just for the implementation of its core features but also for the development of cookbooks and recipes. Users of Chef write their configuration management scripts in a Ruby-like syntax, which takes advantage of the language’s capabilities, such as metaprogramming. This contributes to the ease of customizing and extending Chef's functionality.

Understanding Ruby within the context of Chef is crucial for working effectively with the tool, as much of the community support, documentation, and examples are rooted in the Ruby programming paradigm.