[Annatar]

It's not any different, they all suck. Read my reply above to the author on how it was solved cleanly without needing to hack anything, just deliver a config excerpt via an OS package and it works. It's not open sourced yet, mainly due to lack of spare time to spend on computers and my cronic exhaustion.

[throwaway5752]

You're not the first person to try this, good luck.

[Annatar]

The first proof of concept prototype was developed in 2007 based on insights gained with packaging and system engineering at two different companies, one a software one and the other a very large financial institution.

Refined framework (oh how I hate that word now thanks to web developers!) went into production in 2009 on Solaris 10, depending on advanced AT&T SVR4 packaging features. It was then subsequently ported to CentOS / RHEL RPM and went into production around 2011. It's been the corner stone of configuration management for the entire infrastructure, particularly production ever since.

[throwaway5752]

Ugh. Conveying tone on the internet... I mean it sincerely: I do wish you good luck. Please about your project on HN when you release it, I'd love to see it. While I think it's deceptively hard, but config/immutable state are fascinating areas.