RESTCONF PATCH

Use restconf_patch to update selected values in a RESTCONF resource. The device must support PATCH and the payload format you send.

Output

Each host's reply appears under patch. JSON responses become structured data; other responses remain text. Successful operations may return an empty string. Connection and device errors mark hosts failed. add_details=True includes execution details; to_dict=False returns list records.

Examples

The example changes the Loopback100 description. Paths and payload fields must match the device's supported YANG models.

CLIPythonFastAPIMCP

nf# nornir restconf patch FL ceos-spine-1 url openconfig-interfaces:interfaces/interface=Loopback100/config data '{"openconfig-interfaces:description":"configured using NorFab"}'

result = client.run_job(
    "nornir",
    "restconf_patch",
    workers="nornir-worker-1",
    kwargs={
        "FL": ["ceos-spine-1"],
        "url": "openconfig-interfaces:interfaces/interface=Loopback100/config",
        "data": '{"openconfig-interfaces:description":"configured using NorFab"}',
    },
)

Replace the address and token with those of your FastAPI service.

Python requests

import requests

response = requests.post(
    "http://localhost:8000/api/nornir/restconf_patch/",
    headers={"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"},
    json={
        "workers": "nornir-worker-1",
        "FL": ["ceos-spine-1"],
        "url": "openconfig-interfaces:interfaces/interface=Loopback100/config",
        "data": '{"openconfig-interfaces:description":"configured using NorFab"}',
    },
    timeout=60,
)
response.raise_for_status()
print(response.json())

curl

curl -X POST 'http://localhost:8000/api/nornir/restconf_patch/' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '{
  "workers": "nornir-worker-1",
  "FL": [
    "ceos-spine-1"
  ],
  "url": "openconfig-interfaces:interfaces/interface=Loopback100/config",
  "data": "{\"openconfig-interfaces:description\":\"configured using NorFab\"}"
}'

Use the NorFab Nornir RESTCONF patch tool to update the description of Loopback100
on ceos-spine-1 to "configured using NorFab". Leave other settings unchanged
and report the result.

Use a payload file

Publish a JSON payload as restconf/interface.json.j2 under the FileSharing inventory root. For example, this template sets the interface description to the selected host's name:

{"openconfig-interfaces:description": "configured on {{ host.name }}"}

Supply nf://restconf/interface.json.j2 as data through any interface. Inline data also supports Jinja2. Use job_data to provide additional template values. The payload is sent as text; configure its Content-Type in HTTP inventory. Resource paths are not rendered.

Notes

Configure the device endpoint, credentials, TLS verification, HTTP timeout and default headers in HTTP inventory. Relative resource paths use its RESTCONF base URL. Use params for query parameters and headers when a request needs different headers; supplied headers replace the inventory mapping.

The CLI timeout controls waiting for the NorFab job. Device requests use the configured Nornir runner, including its retry settings. Review those settings before configuration changes.

PATCH payloads and media types vary by device. Set the required Content-Type in inventory or the request headers; NorFab does not convert between patch formats.

Task Command Shell Reference

nf# man tree nornir.restconf.patch

Python API Reference

Update a RESTCONF resource.

Parameters:

Name	Type	Description	Default
job	Job	NorFab job metadata.	required
url	str	Literal resource relative to inventory base_url, or absolute URL.	None
params	dict[str, Any]	HTTP query parameters.	None
headers	dict[str, str]	HTTP headers replacing inventory headers when supplied.	None
data	str	Request body text or inline/nf:// Jinja2 template.	None
job_data	Any	Template context data or URL to a YAML data file.	None
**kwargs	Any	Common Nornir host filters, processors, runner and result options.	{}

Returns:

Name	Type	Description
Result	Result	Per-host response payloads keyed by the HTTP verb, or list records. HTTP failures remain failed host results; no_match means no selected hosts.

Raises:

Type	Description
FileNotFoundError	If a template cannot be downloaded.
ValueError	If the removed json argument is supplied.

Source code in norfab\workers\nornir_worker\restconf_task.py

@Task(
    input=RestconfPatchInput,
    output=NornirSerializedResult,
    fastapi={"methods": ["POST"]},
    mcp={
        "annotations": {
            "title": "RESTCONF Patch",
            "readOnlyHint": False,
            "destructiveHint": True,
            "idempotentHint": False,
            "openWorldHint": True,
        }
    },
)
def restconf_patch(
    self,
    job: Job,
    url: str = None,
    params: dict[str, Any] = None,
    headers: dict[str, str] = None,
    data: str = None,
    job_data: Any = None,
    **kwargs: Any,
) -> Result:
    """Update a RESTCONF resource.

    Args:
        job: NorFab job metadata.
        url: Literal resource relative to inventory base_url, or absolute URL.
        params: HTTP query parameters.
        headers: HTTP headers replacing inventory headers when supplied.
        data: Request body text or inline/nf:// Jinja2 template.
        job_data: Template context data or URL to a YAML data file.
        **kwargs: Common Nornir host filters, processors, runner and result options.

    Returns:
        Result: Per-host response payloads keyed by the HTTP verb, or list records.
            HTTP failures remain failed host results; no_match means no selected hosts.

    Raises:
        FileNotFoundError: If a template cannot be downloaded.
        ValueError: If the removed json argument is supplied.
    """
    return self._run_restconf(
        job,
        "patch",
        url=url,
        params=params,
        headers=headers,
        data=data,
        job_data=job_data,
        **kwargs,
    )