modules-and-plugins

🧩 Ansible Modules & Plugins

In Ansible, modules are units of work—like installing packages, creating users, or managing files. Plugins enhance Ansible’s core functionality like connection types, lookups, and output formatting.

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🔧 What are Modules?

Modules are the building blocks used inside tasks to automate actions.

✅ Common Module Categories

Category	Example Modules
Package Mgmt	apt, yum, dnf, pip
User & Group	user, group
File Ops	copy, template, file
Services	service, systemd
Commands	command, shell, raw, script

🧾 Example Task Using Modules

- name: Install nginx
  ansible.builtin.yum:
    name: nginx
    state: present

- name: Start nginx
  ansible.builtin.service:
    name: nginx
    state: started
    enabled: true

You can also find all modules here:

ansible-doc -l       # List all available modules
ansible-doc copy     # View help for 'copy' module

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🔌 What are Plugins?

Plugins are extra features that modify how Ansible works. Types include:

🔹 Connection Plugins

Used to control how Ansible connects:

• ssh (default)
• paramiko
• local

🔹 Lookup Plugins

Used to fetch external data:

vars:
  ssh_key: "{{ lookup('file', '~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub') }}"

🔹 Callback Plugins

Used to format output:

ANSIBLE_STDOUT_CALLBACK=debug ansible-playbook site.yml

Popular: default, json, yaml, minimal, debug

🔹 Filter Plugins

Used to transform variables:

vars:
  message: "{{ 'ansible' | upper }}"

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🧠 Best Practices

• Use built-in modules where possible.
• Prefer template over copy if dynamic values are needed.
• Use ansible.builtin.<module> for fully qualified names.
• Plugins help optimize and customize execution.

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✅ Summary

Type	What it Does
Module	Executes a task (e.g., install package)
Plugin	Enhances or modifies Ansible behavior
Lookup	Fetches external info (files, vars, etc.)
Callback	Changes playbook output format
Connection	Controls how Ansible connects to nodes

🚀 Mastering modules and plugins unlocks the true power of Ansible!