Ansible Basics - Revision history

Nick: /* File and Directory Modules (file, copy, template) */

2025-04-12T07:01:59Z

File and Directory Modules (file, copy, template)

2025-04-12T07:01:19Z

File and Directory Modules (file, copy, template)

2025-04-12T07:00:49Z

blockinfile explanation added

2025-04-12T06:51:52Z

For firewall rules, cloud resources, etc., modules usually support:

2025-04-12T06:51:40Z

For repositories (like yum_repository, apt_repository):

2025-04-12T06:51:31Z

User & Group Modules (user, group)

2025-04-12T06:51:19Z

Service Modules (service, systemd)

2025-04-12T06:51:02Z

Package Modules (apt, yum, dnf, etc.)

2025-04-12T06:50:16Z

2025-03-20T12:48:59Z

Added cron module and examples

@@ Line 179: / Line 179: @@
   blockinfile: Adds a specified block of plaintext to a specified file at a specified path. (See Below)</nowiki>
-blockinfile example:
+==== Blockinfile Module ====
   <nowiki>
 - name: Add PLAINTEXT to /path/to/EXAMPLE.txt

@@ Line 184: / Line 184: @@
    blockinfile:
        path: /path/to/EXAMPLE.txt
-       block: "PLAINTEXT TO BE ADDED"
+       block: "PLAINTEXT TO BE ADDED"</nowiki>
 You can also specify the file via the Inventory file. The inventory file would look like this:
@@ Line 200: / Line 199: @@
        block: "PLAINTEXT TO BE ADDED"
        insertafter: '^something' #Adds the block to the line after 'something'
-       insertbefore: 'something else^' #Adds the block to the line before 'something else'
+       insertbefore: 'something else^' #Adds the block to the line before 'something else'</nowiki>
 ===User & Group Modules (user, group)===

@@ Line 176: / Line 176: @@
   file: Ensures it’s a regular file (can also adjust permissions).
   link: Ensures a symbolic link exists.
-  hard: Ensures a hard link exists. </nowiki>
+  hard: Ensures a hard link exists.
 ===User & Group Modules (user, group)===

@@ Line 194: / Line 194: @@
 ====For firewall rules, cloud resources, etc., modules usually support: ====
   <nowiki>
-  State - Description
+  State: Description
-  present - Create or apply the configuration.
+  present: Create or apply the configuration.
-  absent - Remove or undo the configuration.
+  absent: Remove or undo the configuration.
-  enabled - Turn on or activate the resource.
+  enabled: Turn on or activate the resource.
-  disabled - Turn off or deactivate it. </nowiki>
+  disabled: Turn off or deactivate it. </nowiki>
 ==Running an Ansible Playbook ==

@@ Line 188: / Line 188: @@
 ====For repositories (like yum_repository, apt_repository):====
   <nowiki>
-  State - Description
+  State: Description
-  present - Repo is configured and available.
+  present: Repo is configured and available.
-  absent - Repo is removed. </nowiki>
+  absent: Repo is removed. </nowiki>
 ====For firewall rules, cloud resources, etc., modules usually support: ====

@@ Line 180: / Line 180: @@
 ===User & Group Modules (user, group)===
   <nowiki>
-  State - Description
+  State: Description
-  present - Ensures the user or group exists.
+  present: Ensures the user or group exists.
-  absent - Ensures the user or group is removed. </nowiki>
+  absent: Ensures the user or group is removed. </nowiki>
 ===Network Resources / Repos===

@@ Line 130: / Line 130: @@
 ===Service Modules (service, systemd) ===
   <nowiki>
-  State - Description
+  State: Description
-  started - Ensures the service is running.
+  started: Ensures the service is running.
-  stopped - Ensures the service is stopped.
+  stopped: Ensures the service is stopped.
-  restarted - Stops and starts the service again.
+  restarted: Stops and starts the service again.
-  reloaded - Reloads the service (useful for configs).
+  reloaded: Reloads the service (useful for configs).
-  enabled - (with enabled: true) Ensures service starts at boot.
+  enabled: (with enabled: true) Ensures service starts at boot.
-  disabled - Prevents service from starting at boot. </nowiki>
+  disabled: Prevents service from starting at boot. </nowiki>
 ===Crontab Modules===

@@ Line 121: / Line 121: @@
 ===Package Modules (apt, yum, dnf, etc.)===
   <nowiki>
-  State - Description
+  State: Description
-  present - Ensures the package is installed.
+  present: Ensures the package is installed.
-  latest - Installs or upgrades the package to the latest version.
+  latest: Installs or upgrades the package to the latest version.
-  absent - Removes the package if it is installed.
+  absent: Removes the package if it is installed.
-  installed - Alias for present.
+  installed: Alias for present.
-  removed - Alias for absent. </nowiki>
+  removed: Alias for absent. </nowiki>
 ===Service Modules (service, systemd) ===

@@ Line 112: / Line 112: @@
           reboot_timeout: 300
         when: ansible_hostname != inventory_hostname (this task will only be run when this condition is met, when the device's hostname does NOT match the hostname specified in the inventory file passed to Ansible) </nowiki>
 ==Ansible Playback Modules==
@@ Line 168: / Line 170: @@
 ===File and Directory Modules (file, copy, template)===
   <nowiki>
-  State - Description
+  State: Description
-  touch - Creates an empty file if it doesn’t exist.
+  touch: Creates an empty file if it doesn’t exist.
-  absent - Deletes the file or directory.
+  absent: Deletes the file or directory.
-  directory - Ensures a directory exists.
+  directory: Ensures a directory exists.
-  file - Ensures it’s a regular file (can also adjust permissions).
+  file: Ensures it’s a regular file (can also adjust permissions).
-  link - Ensures a symbolic link exists.
+  link: Ensures a symbolic link exists.
-  hard - Ensures a hard link exists. </nowiki>
+  hard: Ensures a hard link exists. </nowiki>
 ===User & Group Modules (user, group)===
@@ Line 197: / Line 199: @@
   enabled - Turn on or activate the resource.
   disabled - Turn off or deactivate it. </nowiki>
 ==Running an Ansible Playbook ==