Modules^[1] add new capabilities to Ansible and is a core component of the software, as of September 2019 there are more than 2.800 modules available: ansible-doc --list. For example you can manage AWS infrastructure using Ansible, execute commands with shell module or collect information using setup^[2] module.

• ansible -m setup SERVER_NAME will collect information from your system
• ansible -m setup SERVER_NAME -a 'filter=ansible_distribution'. Collect just OS.

Other common useful modules include:

• Execution modules:
  • command, default for ad-hoc commands, bypasses the shell so won’t be impacted by local shell variables.
  • shell, allow to use shell functionalities such as redirection.
  • raw, do not require python on remote system^[3]
• gather_facts, lineinfile, user, group, mount, git, docker^[4], docker_compose ^[5] and mail modules, ^[6] see all of them by category: https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/modules/modules_by_category.html

Modules

• apt_repository: DevOps/Ansible/Add a repository
• docker compose: New in version 2.1 and was call docker_service before Ansible 2.8
• file, for managing files and directories: https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/modules/file_module.html
• ovirt_vm (KVM)

Module raw example

• ansible -m raw DESTINATION_HOSTNAME -a uptime

See also

• DevOps/Ansible/Playbooks
• ansible-galaxy

1. ↑ https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/modules/modules_by_category.html
2. ↑ https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/modules/setup_module.html
3. ↑ https://www.unixarena.com/2018/07/ansible-command-vs-shell-vs-raw-modules.html/
4. ↑ https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/2.6/modules/docker_module.html
5. ↑ https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/modules/docker_compose_module.html
6. ↑ https://medium.com/@tcij1013/ten-useful-ansible-modules-83fb6fb2d45e