---
layout: docs
page_title: Namespace Specification
description: Learn about Nomad's Namespace specification.
---

# Namespace Specification

<Tip>
  Visit the <a href="https://developer.hashicorp.com/nomad/tutorials/manage-clusters/namespaces">
    Nomad Namespaces tutorial
  </a> for more information.
</Tip>


Nomad Namespaces may be specified as HCL files and submitted by the [`nomad
namespace apply`][cli_ns_apply] CLI command.

Unlike [Job specifications][jobspecs], Namespace specifications do *not*
support [HCL2][hcl2] features like functions.

Example namespace specification:

```hcl
name        = "prod-eng"
description = "Namespace for production workloads."

# Quotas are a Nomad Enterprise feature.
quota = "eng"

meta {
  owner = "eng"
}

capabilities {
  enabled_task_drivers  = ["java", "docker"]
  disabled_task_drivers = ["raw_exec"]
}

# Node Pool configuration is a Nomad Enterprise feature.
node_pool_config {
  default = "prod"
  allowed = ["all", "default"]
}
```

## Namespace Specification Parameters

- `name` `(string: <required>)` - Specifies the namespace to create or update.

- `description` `(string: "")` - Specifies an optional human-readable
  description of the namespace.

- `quota` `(string: "")` <EnterpriseAlert inline /> - Specifies a quota to
  attach to the namespace.

- `meta` `(object: null)` - Optional object with string keys and values of
  metadata to attach to the namespace. Namespace metadata is not used by Nomad
  and is intended for use by operators and third party tools.

- `capabilities` <code>([Capabilities](#capabilities-parameters): &lt;optional&gt;)</code> -
  Specifies capabilities allowed in the namespace. These values are checked at
  job submission.

- `node_pool_config` <code>([NodePoolConfiguration](#node_pool_config-parameters): &lt;optional&gt;)</code> <EnterpriseAlert inline /> -
  Specifies node pool configurations. These values are checked at job
  submission.

### `capabilities` Parameters

- `enabled_task_drivers` `(array<string>: [])` - List of task drivers allowed
  in the namespace. If empty all task drivers are allowed.

- `disabled_task_drivers` `(array<string>: [])` - List of task drivers disabled
  in the namespace.

### `node_pool_config` Parameters <EnterpriseAlert inline />

- `default` `(string: "default")` - Specifies the node pool to use for jobs in
  this namespace that don't define a node pool in their specification.

- `allowed` `(array<string>: nil)` - Specifies the node pools that are allowed
  to be used by jobs in this namespace. By default, all node pools are allowed.
  If an empty list is provided only the namespace's default node pool is
  allowed. This field supports wildcard globbing through the use of `*` for
  multi-character matching. This field cannot be used with `denied`.

- `denied` `(array<string>: nil)` - Specifies the node pools that are not
  allowed to be used by jobs in this namespace. This field supports wildcard
  globbing through the use of `*` for multi-character matching. If specified,
  any node pool is allowed to be used, except for those that match any of these
  patterns. This field cannot be used with `allowed`.

[cli_ns_apply]: /nomad/docs/commands/namespace/apply
[hcl2]: /nomad/docs/job-specification/hcl2
[jobspecs]: /nomad/docs/job-specification
