.. _ansible_faq:

Frequently Asked Questions
==========================

Here are some commonly asked questions and their answers.

.. _collections_transition:

Where did all the modules go?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

In July, 2019, we announced that collections would be the `future of Ansible content delivery <https://www.ansible.com/blog/the-future-of-ansible-content-delivery>`_. A collection is a distribution format for Ansible content that can include playbooks, roles, modules, and plugins. In Ansible 2.9 we added support for collections. In Ansible 2.10 we `extracted most modules from the main ansible/ansible repository <https://access.redhat.com/solutions/5295121>`_ and placed them in :ref:`collections <list_of_collections>`. Collections may be maintained by the Ansible team, by the Ansible community, or by Ansible partners. The `ansible/ansible repository <https://github.com/ansible/ansible>`_ now contains the code for basic features and functions, such as copying module code to managed nodes. This code is also known as ``ansible-core`` (it was briefly called ``ansible-base`` for version 2.10).

* To learn more about using collections, see :ref:`collections`.
* To learn more about developing collections, see :ref:`developing_collections`.
* To learn more about contributing to existing collections, see the individual collection repository for guidelines, or see :ref:`contributing_maintained_collections` to contribute to one of the Ansible-maintained collections.

.. _find_my_module:

Where did this specific module go?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

IF you are searching for a specific module, you can check the `runtime.yml <https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/devel/lib/ansible/config/ansible_builtin_runtime.yml>`_ file, which lists the first destination for each module that we extracted from the main ansible/ansible repository. Some modules have moved again since then. You can also search on `Ansible Galaxy <https://galaxy.ansible.com/>`_ or ask on one of our :ref:`chat channels <communication_irc>`.

.. _slow_install:

How can I speed up Ansible on systems with slow disks?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ansible may feel sluggish on systems with slow disks, such as Raspberry PI. See `Ansible might be running slow if libyaml is not available <https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2021/ansible-might-be-running-slow-if-libyaml-not-available>`_ for hints on how to improve this.



.. _set_environment:

How can I set the PATH or any other environment variable for a task or entire play?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Setting environment variables can be done with the `environment` keyword. It can be used at the task or other levels in the play.

.. code-block:: yaml

    shell:
      cmd: date
    environment:
      LANG=fr_FR.UTF-8

.. code-block:: yaml

    hosts: servers
    environment:
      PATH: "{{ ansible_env.PATH }}:/thingy/bin"
      SOME: value

.. note:: starting in 2.0.1 the setup task from ``gather_facts`` also inherits the environment directive from the play, you might need to use the ``|default`` filter to avoid errors if setting this at play level.

.. _faq_setting_users_and_ports:

How do I handle different machines needing different user accounts or ports to log in with?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Setting inventory variables in the inventory file is the easiest way.

For example, suppose these hosts have different usernames and ports:

.. code-block:: ini

    [webservers]
    asdf.example.com  ansible_port=5000   ansible_user=alice
    jkl.example.com   ansible_port=5001   ansible_user=bob

You can also dictate the connection type to be used, if you want:

.. code-block:: ini

    [testcluster]
    localhost           ansible_connection=local
    /path/to/chroot1    ansible_connection=chroot
    foo.example.com     ansible_connection=paramiko

You may also wish to keep these in group variables instead, or file them in a group_vars/<groupname> file.
See the rest of the documentation for more information about how to organize variables.

.. _use_ssh:

How do I get ansible to reuse connections, enable Kerberized SSH, or have Ansible pay attention to my local SSH config file?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Switch your default connection type in the configuration file to ``ssh``, or use ``-c ssh`` to use
Native OpenSSH for connections instead of the python paramiko library. In Ansible 1.2.1 and later, ``ssh`` will be used
by default if OpenSSH is new enough to support ControlPersist as an option.

Paramiko is great for starting out, but the OpenSSH type offers many advanced options. You will want to run Ansible
from a machine new enough to support ControlPersist, if you are using this connection type. You can still manage
older clients. If you are using RHEL 6, CentOS 6, SLES 10 or SLES 11 the version of OpenSSH is still a bit old, so
consider managing from a Fedora or openSUSE client even though you are managing older nodes, or just use paramiko.

We keep paramiko as the default as if you are first installing Ansible on these enterprise operating systems, it offers a better experience for new users.

.. _use_ssh_jump_hosts:

How do I configure a jump host to access servers that I have no direct access to?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

You can set a ``ProxyCommand`` in the
``ansible_ssh_common_args`` inventory variable. Any arguments specified in
this variable are added to the sftp/scp/ssh command line when connecting
to the relevant host(s). Consider the following inventory group:

..  code-block:: ini

    [gatewayed]
    foo ansible_host=192.0.2.1
    bar ansible_host=192.0.2.2

You can create `group_vars/gatewayed.yml` with the following contents:

.. code-block:: yaml

    ansible_ssh_common_args: '-o ProxyCommand="ssh -W %h:%p -q user@gateway.example.com"'

Ansible will append these arguments to the command line when trying to
connect to any hosts in the group ``gatewayed``. (These arguments are used
in addition to any ``ssh_args`` from ``ansible.cfg``, so you do not need to
repeat global ``ControlPersist`` settings in ``ansible_ssh_common_args``.)

Note that ``ssh -W`` is available only with OpenSSH 5.4 or later. With
older versions, it is necessary to execute ``nc %h:%p`` or some equivalent
command on the bastion host.

With earlier versions of Ansible, it was necessary to configure a
suitable ``ProxyCommand`` for one or more hosts in ``~/.ssh/config``,
or globally by setting ``ssh_args`` in ``ansible.cfg``.

.. _ssh_serveraliveinterval:

How do I get Ansible to notice a dead target in a timely manner?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

You can add ``-o ServerAliveInterval=NumberOfSeconds`` with the ``ssh_args`` parameter in `SSH connection plugin <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/devel/collections/ansible/builtin/ssh_connection.html#parameter-ssh_args>`_. Without this option,
SSH and therefore Ansible will wait until the TCP connection times out. Another solution is to add ``ServerAliveInterval``
into your global SSH configuration. A good value for ``ServerAliveInterval`` is up to you to decide; keep in mind that
``ServerAliveCountMax=3`` is the SSH default so any value you set will be tripled before terminating the SSH session.

.. _cloud_provider_performance:

How do I speed up run of ansible for servers from cloud providers (EC2, openstack,.. )?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Don't try to manage a fleet of machines of a cloud provider from your laptop.
Rather connect to a management node inside this cloud provider first and run Ansible from there.

.. _python_interpreters:

How do I handle not having a Python interpreter at /usr/bin/python on a remote machine?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

While you can write Ansible modules in any language, most Ansible modules are written in Python,
including the ones central to letting Ansible work.

By default, Ansible assumes it can find a :command:`/usr/bin/python` on your remote system that is
either Python2, version 2.6 or higher or Python3, 3.5 or higher.

Setting the inventory variable ``ansible_python_interpreter`` on any host will tell Ansible to
auto-replace the Python interpreter with that value instead. Thus, you can point to any Python you
want on the system if :command:`/usr/bin/python` on your system does not point to a compatible
Python interpreter.

Some platforms may only have Python 3 installed by default. If it is not installed as
:command:`/usr/bin/python`, you will need to configure the path to the interpreter through
``ansible_python_interpreter``. Although most core modules will work with Python 3, there may be some
special purpose ones which do not or you may encounter a bug in an edge case. As a temporary
workaround you can install Python 2 on the managed host and configure Ansible to use that Python through
``ansible_python_interpreter``. If there's no mention in the module's documentation that the module
requires Python 2, you can also report a bug on our `bug tracker
<https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues>`_ so that the incompatibility can be fixed in a future release.

Do not replace the shebang lines of your python modules. Ansible will do this for you automatically at deploy time.

Also, this works for ANY interpreter, for example ruby: ``ansible_ruby_interpreter``, perl: ``ansible_perl_interpreter``, and so on,
so you can use this for custom modules written in any scripting language and control the interpreter location.

Keep in mind that if you put ``env`` in your module shebang line (``#!/usr/bin/env <other>``),
this won't work and will be evaluated as one string (including the space between ``env`` and ``<other>`` space).
Arguments are neither intended nor supported.

.. _installation_faqs:

How do I handle the package dependencies required by Ansible package dependencies during Ansible installation ?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

While installing Ansible, sometimes you may encounter errors such as `No package 'libffi' found` or `fatal error: Python.h: No such file or directory`
These errors are generally caused by the missing packages, which are dependencies of the packages required by Ansible.
For example, `libffi` package is dependency of `pynacl` and `paramiko` (Ansible -> paramiko -> pynacl -> libffi).

In order to solve these kinds of dependency issues, you might need to install required packages using
the OS native package managers, such as `yum`, `dnf`, or `apt`, or as mentioned in the package installation guide.

Refer to the documentation of the respective package for such dependencies and their installation methods.

Common System Issues
++++++++++++++++++++++

Running in a virtualenv
-----------------------

You can install Ansible into a virtualenv on the control node quite simply:

.. code-block:: shell

    $ virtualenv ansible
    $ source ./ansible/bin/activate
    $ pip install ansible

If you want to run under Python 3 instead of Python 2 you may want to change that slightly:

.. code-block:: shell

    $ virtualenv -p python3 ansible
    $ source ./ansible/bin/activate
    $ pip install ansible

If you need to use any libraries which are not available through pip (for example, SELinux Python
bindings on systems such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux or Fedora that have SELinux enabled), then you
need to install them into the virtualenv. There are two methods:

* When you create the virtualenv, specify ``--system-site-packages`` to make use of any libraries
  installed in the system's Python:

  .. code-block:: shell

      $ virtualenv ansible --system-site-packages

* Copy those files in manually from the system. For example, for SELinux bindings you might do:

  .. code-block:: shell

      $ virtualenv ansible --system-site-packages
      $ cp -r -v /usr/lib64/python3.*/site-packages/selinux/ ./py3-ansible/lib64/python3.*/site-packages/
      $ cp -v /usr/lib64/python3.*/site-packages/*selinux*.so ./py3-ansible/lib64/python3.*/site-packages/


Running on macOS as a control node
----------------------------------

When executing Ansible on a system with macOS as a control node machine one might encounter the following error:

  .. error::
        +[__NSCFConstantString initialize] may have been in progress in another thread when fork() was called. We cannot safely call it or ignore it in the fork() child process. Crashing instead. Set a breakpoint on objc_initializeAfterForkError to debug.
        ERROR! A worker was found in a dead state

In general the recommended workaround is to set the following environment variable in your shell:

  .. code-block:: shell

        $ export OBJC_DISABLE_INITIALIZE_FORK_SAFETY=YES


.. _macos_as_a_target_faq:

Running on macOS as a target
----------------------------

When managing a system with macOS Monterey 12, macOS Ventura
13 or above over SSH, the following error can occur:

  .. error::
        "eDSPermissionError" DS Error: -14120 (eDSPermissionError)

This is a good indication that *Allow full disk access for remote users* has not been enabled.

.. seealso::

   For more details, check out `the official Apple user guide article
   <https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/mchlp1066/mac#mchlp1b6a98a>`_.


Running on BSD
--------------

.. seealso:: :ref:`working_with_bsd`


Running on Solaris
------------------

By default, Solaris 10 and earlier run a non-POSIX shell which does not correctly expand the default
tmp directory Ansible uses ( :file:`~/.ansible/tmp`). If you see module failures on Solaris machines, this
is likely the problem. There are several workarounds:

* You can set ``remote_tmp`` to a path that will expand correctly with the shell you are using
  (see the plugin documentation for :ref:`C shell<csh_shell>`, :ref:`fish shell<fish_shell>`,
  and :ref:`Powershell<powershell_shell>`). For example, in the ansible config file you can set:

  .. code-block:: ini

    remote_tmp=$HOME/.ansible/tmp

  In Ansible 2.5 and later, you can also set it per-host in inventory like this:

  .. code-block:: ini

    solaris1 ansible_remote_tmp=$HOME/.ansible/tmp

* You can set :ref:`ansible_shell_executable<ansible_shell_executable>` to the path to a POSIX compatible shell. For
  instance, many Solaris hosts have a POSIX shell located at :file:`/usr/xpg4/bin/sh` so you can set
  this in inventory like so:

  .. code-block:: ini

    solaris1 ansible_shell_executable=/usr/xpg4/bin/sh

  (bash, ksh, and zsh should also be POSIX compatible if you have any of those installed).

Running on z/OS
---------------

* Generally speaking, z/OS cannot be used as an Ansible control node. For more details, see :ref:`zos_as_control_node`.

* When the path to the Python interpreter is not found in the default location on the target host, the following error may result:

  .. error::
    /usr/bin/python: FSUM7351 not found

  Ansible requires a Python interpreter to execute modules on the remote host, and checks for it at the 'default' path ``/usr/bin/python``.

  On z/OS, the Python 3 interpreter (from `IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Python <https://www.ibm.com/products/open-enterprise-python-zos>`_)
  is often installed to a different path, typically something like:
  ``/usr/lpp/cyp/v3r12/pyz``.

  The path to the python interpreter can be configured with the Ansible inventory variable ``ansible_python_interpreter``.
  For example:

  .. code-block:: ini

    zos1 ansible_python_interpreter:/usr/lpp/cyp/v3r12/pyz

  For more details, see: :ref:`python_interpreters`.

* When :ref:`ANSIBLE_PIPELINING` is not enabled or when Ansible pipelining is enabled but the ``PYTHONSTDINENCODING``
  property is not correctly set, the following error may result.

  .. error::
    SyntaxError: Non-UTF-8 code starting with '\\x81' in file <stdin> on line 1, but no encoding declared; see https://peps.python.org/pep-0263/ for details

  Note, the hex ``'\x81'`` below may vary depending source causing the error:

  When Ansible pipelining is enabled, Ansible passes all module code to the remote target through Python's stdin pipe
  and runs it all in a single call.
  For more details on pipelining, see: :ref:`flow_pipelining`.

  Include the following in the environment for any tasks performed on z/OS managed nodes.

  .. code-block:: yaml

    PYTHONSTDINENCODING: "cp1047"

* Certain language environment (LE) configurations enable automatic conversion and automatic file tagging functionality
  required by Python on z/OS systems (`IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Python <https://www.ibm.com/products/open-enterprise-python-zos>`__ ).

  Include the following configurations when setting the remote environment for any z/OS managed nodes:

  .. code-block:: yaml

    _BPXK_AUTOCVT: "ON"
    _CEE_RUNOPTS: "FILETAG(AUTOCVT,AUTOTAG) POSIX(ON)"

    _TAG_REDIR_ERR: "txt"
    _TAG_REDIR_IN: "txt"
    _TAG_REDIR_OUT: "txt"

  Ansible can be configured with remote environment variables in these options:

    * inventory - inventory.yml, group_vars/all.yml, or host_vars/all.yml
    * playbook - ``environment`` variable at top of playbook.
    * block or task - ``environment`` key word.

  For more details, see :ref:`playbooks_environment`.

.. seealso:: :ref:`working_with_zos`

Running under fakeroot
----------------------

Some issues arise as ``fakeroot`` does not create a full nor POSIX compliant system by default.
It is known that it will not correctly expand the default tmp directory Ansible uses (:file:`~/.ansible/tmp`).
If you see module failures, this is likely the problem.
The simple workaround is to set ``remote_tmp`` to a path that will expand correctly (see documentation of the shell plugin you are using for specifics).

For example, in the ansible config file (or through environment variable) you can set:

.. code-block:: ini

    remote_tmp=$HOME/.ansible/tmp



.. _use_roles:

What is the best way to make content reusable/redistributable?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

If you have not done so already, read all about "Roles" in the playbooks documentation. This helps you make playbook content
self-contained, and works well with things like Git submodules for sharing content with others.

If some of these plugin types look strange to you, see the API documentation for more details about ways Ansible can be extended.

.. _configuration_file:

Where does the configuration file live and what can I configure in it?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


See :ref:`intro_configuration`.

.. _who_would_ever_want_to_disable_cowsay_but_ok_here_is_how:

How do I disable cowsay?
++++++++++++++++++++++++

If cowsay is installed, Ansible takes it upon itself to make your day happier when running playbooks. If you decide
that you would like to work in a professional cow-free environment, you can either uninstall cowsay, set ``nocows=1``
in ``ansible.cfg``, or set the :envvar:`ANSIBLE_NOCOWS` environment variable:

.. code-block:: shell-session

    export ANSIBLE_NOCOWS=1

.. _browse_facts:

How do I see a list of all of the ansible\_ variables?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ansible by default gathers "facts" about the machines under management, and these facts can be accessed in playbooks
and in templates. To see a list of all of the facts that are available about a machine, you can run the ``setup`` module
as an ad hoc action:

.. code-block:: shell-session

    ansible -m setup hostname

This will print out a dictionary of all of the facts that are available for that particular host. You might want to pipe
the output to a pager.This does NOT include inventory variables or internal 'magic' variables. See the next question
if you need more than just 'facts'.


.. _browse_inventory_vars:

How do I see all the inventory variables defined for my host?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

By running the following command, you can see inventory variables for a host:

.. code-block:: shell-session

    ansible-inventory --list --yaml


.. _browse_host_vars:

How do I see all the variables specific to my host?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To see all host specific variables, which might include facts and other sources:

.. code-block:: shell-session

    ansible -m debug -a "var=hostvars['hostname']" localhost

Unless you are using a fact cache, you normally need to use a play that gathers facts first, for facts included in the task above.


.. _host_loops:

How do I loop over a list of hosts in a group, inside of a template?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A pretty common pattern is to iterate over a list of hosts inside of a host group, perhaps to populate a template configuration
file with a list of servers. To do this, you can just access the "$groups" dictionary in your template, like this:

.. code-block:: jinja

    {% for host in groups['db_servers'] %}
        {{ host }}
    {% endfor %}

If you need to access facts about these hosts, for example, the IP address of each hostname,
you need to make sure that the facts have been populated. For example, make sure you have a play that talks to db_servers:

.. code-block:: yaml

    - hosts:  db_servers
      tasks:
        - debug: msg="doesn't matter what you do, just that they were talked to previously."

Then you can use the facts inside your template, like this:

.. code-block:: jinja

    {% for host in groups['db_servers'] %}
       {{ hostvars[host]['ansible_eth0']['ipv4']['address'] }}
    {% endfor %}

.. _programatic_access_to_a_variable:

How do I access a variable name programmatically?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

An example may come up where we need to get the ipv4 address of an arbitrary interface, where the interface to be used may be supplied
through a role parameter or other input. Variable names can be built by adding strings together using "~", like so:

.. code-block:: jinja

    {{ hostvars[inventory_hostname]['ansible_' ~ which_interface]['ipv4']['address'] }}

The trick about going through hostvars is necessary because it is a dictionary of the entire namespace of variables. ``inventory_hostname``
is a magic variable that indicates the current host you are looping over in the host loop.

In the example above, if your interface names have dashes, you must replace them with underscores:

.. code-block:: jinja

    {{ hostvars[inventory_hostname]['ansible_' ~ which_interface | replace('_', '-') ]['ipv4']['address'] }}

Also see dynamic_variables_.


.. _access_group_variable:

How do I access a group variable?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Technically, you don't, Ansible does not really use groups directly. Groups are labels for host selection and a way to bulk assign variables,
they are not a first class entity, Ansible only cares about Hosts and Tasks.

That said, you could just access the variable by selecting a host that is part of that group, see first_host_in_a_group_ below for an example.


.. _first_host_in_a_group:

How do I access a variable of the first host in a group?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

What happens if we want the ip address of the first webserver in the webservers group?  Well, we can do that too. Note that if we
are using dynamic inventory, which host is the 'first' may not be consistent, so you wouldn't want to do this unless your inventory
is static and predictable. (If you are using AWX or the :ref:`Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform <ansible_platform>`, it will use database order, so this isn't a problem even if you are using cloud
based inventory scripts).

Anyway, here's the trick:

.. code-block:: jinja

    {{ hostvars[groups['webservers'][0]]['ansible_eth0']['ipv4']['address'] }}

Notice how we're pulling out the hostname of the first machine of the webservers group. If you are doing this in a template, you
could use the Jinja2 '#set' directive to simplify this, or in a playbook, you could also use set_fact:

.. code-block:: yaml+jinja

    - set_fact: headnode={{ groups['webservers'][0] }}

    - debug: msg={{ hostvars[headnode].ansible_eth0.ipv4.address }}

Notice how we interchanged the bracket syntax for dots -- that can be done anywhere.

.. _file_recursion:

How do I copy files recursively onto a target host?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The ``copy`` module has a recursive parameter. However, take a look at the ``synchronize`` module if you want to do something more efficient
for a large number of files. The ``synchronize`` module wraps rsync. See the module index for info on both of these modules.

.. _shell_env:

How do I access shell environment variables?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


**On control node machine :** Access existing variables from control node use the ``env`` lookup plugin.
For example, to access the value of the HOME environment variable on the management machine:

.. code-block:: yaml+jinja

   ---
   # ...
     vars:
        local_home: "{{ lookup('env','HOME') }}"


**On target machines :** Environment variables are available through facts in the ``ansible_env`` variable:

.. code-block:: jinja

   {{ ansible_env.HOME }}

If you need to set environment variables for TASK execution, see :ref:`playbooks_environment`
in the :ref:`Advanced Playbooks <playbooks_special_topics>` section.
There are several ways to set environment variables on your target machines. You can use the
:ref:`template <template_module>`, :ref:`replace <replace_module>`, or :ref:`lineinfile <lineinfile_module>`
modules to introduce environment variables into files.  The exact files to edit vary depending on your OS
and distribution and local configuration.

.. _user_passwords:

How do I generate encrypted passwords for the user module?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ansible ad hoc command is the easiest option:

.. code-block:: shell-session

    ansible all -i localhost, -m debug -a "msg={{ 'mypassword' | password_hash('sha512', 'mysecretsalt') }}"

The ``mkpasswd`` utility that is available on most Linux systems is also a great option:

.. code-block:: shell-session

    mkpasswd --method=sha-512


If this utility is not installed on your system (for example, you are using macOS) then you can still easily
generate these passwords using Python. First, ensure that the `Passlib <https://foss.heptapod.net/python-libs/passlib/-/wikis/home>`_
password hashing library is installed:

.. code-block:: shell-session

    pip install passlib

Once the library is ready, SHA512 password values can then be generated as follows:

.. code-block:: shell-session

    python -c "from passlib.hash import sha512_crypt; import getpass; print(sha512_crypt.using(rounds=5000).hash(getpass.getpass()))"

Use the integrated :ref:`hash_filters` to generate a hashed version of a password.
You shouldn't put plaintext passwords in your playbook or host_vars; instead, use :ref:`playbooks_vault` to encrypt sensitive data.

In OpenBSD, a similar option is available in the base system called ``encrypt (1)``

.. _dot_or_array_notation:

Ansible allows dot notation and array notation for variables. Which notation should I use?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The dot notation comes from Jinja and works fine for variables without special
characters. If your variable contains dots (.), colons (:), or dashes (-), if
a key begins and ends with two underscores, or if a key uses any of the known
public attributes, it is safer to use the array notation. See :ref:`playbooks_variables`
for a list of the known public attributes.

.. code-block:: jinja

    item[0]['checksum:md5']
    item['section']['2.1']
    item['region']['Mid-Atlantic']
    It is {{ temperature['Celsius']['-3'] }} outside.

Also array notation allows for dynamic variable composition, see dynamic_variables_.

Another problem with 'dot notation' is that some keys can cause problems because they collide with attributes and methods of python dictionaries.

* Example of incorrect syntax when ``item`` is a dictionary:

.. code-block:: jinja

    item.update

This variant causes a syntax error because ``update()`` is a Python method for dictionaries.

* Example of correct syntax:

.. code-block:: jinja    
    
    item['update']


.. _argsplat_unsafe:

When is it unsafe to bulk-set task arguments from a variable?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


You can set all of a task's arguments from a dictionary-typed variable. This
technique can be useful in some dynamic execution scenarios. However, it
introduces a security risk. We do not recommend it, so Ansible issues a
warning when you do something like this:

.. code-block:: yaml+jinja

    #...
    vars:
      usermod_args:
        name: testuser
        state: present
        update_password: always
    tasks:
    - user: '{{ usermod_args }}'

This particular example is safe. However, constructing tasks like this is
risky because the parameters and values passed to ``usermod_args`` could
be overwritten by malicious values in the ``host facts`` on a compromised
target machine. To mitigate this risk:

* set bulk variables at a level of precedence greater than ``host facts`` in the order of precedence
  found in :ref:`ansible_variable_precedence` (the example above is safe because play vars take
  precedence over facts)
* disable the :ref:`inject_facts_as_vars` configuration setting to prevent fact values from colliding
  with variables (this will also disable the original warning)


.. _commercial_support:

Can I get training on Ansible?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Yes! See our `services page <https://www.ansible.com/products/consulting>`_ for information on our services
and training offerings. Email `info@ansible.com <mailto:info@ansible.com>`_ for further details.

We also offer free web-based training classes on a regular basis. See our
`webinar page <https://www.ansible.com/resources/webinars-training>`_ for more info on upcoming webinars.


.. _web_interface:

Is there a web interface / REST API / GUI?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Yes! The open-source web interface is Ansible AWX. The supported Red Hat product that makes Ansible even more powerful and easy to use is :ref:`Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform <ansible_platform>`.


.. _keep_secret_data:

How do I keep secret data in my playbook?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

If you would like to keep secret data in your Ansible content and still share it publicly or keep things in source control, see :ref:`playbooks_vault`.

If you have a task that you don't want to show the results or command given to it when using -v (verbose) mode, the following task or playbook attribute can be useful:

.. code-block:: yaml+jinja

    - name: secret task
      shell: /usr/bin/do_something --value={{ secret_value }}
      no_log: True

This can be used to keep verbose output but hide sensitive information from others who would otherwise like to be able to see the output.

The ``no_log`` attribute can also apply to an entire play:

.. code-block:: yaml

    - hosts: all
      no_log: True

Though this will make the play somewhat difficult to debug. It is recommended that this
be applied to single tasks only, once a playbook is completed. Note that the use of the
``no_log`` attribute does not prevent data from being shown when debugging Ansible itself through
the :envvar:`ANSIBLE_DEBUG` environment variable.


.. _when_to_use_brackets:
.. _dynamic_variables:
.. _interpolate_variables:

When should I use {{ }}? Also, how to interpolate variables or dynamic variable names
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A steadfast rule is 'always use ``{{ }}`` except when ``when:``'.
Conditionals are always run through Jinja2 as to resolve the expression,
so ``when:``, ``failed_when:`` and ``changed_when:`` are always templated and you should avoid adding ``{{ }}``.

In most other cases you should always use the brackets, even if previously you could use variables without
specifying (like ``loop`` or ``with_`` clauses), as this made it hard to distinguish between an undefined variable and a string.

Another rule is 'moustaches don't stack'. We often see this:

.. code-block:: jinja

     {{ somevar_{{other_var}} }}

The above DOES NOT WORK as you expect, if you need to use a dynamic variable use the following as appropriate:

.. code-block:: jinja

    {{ hostvars[inventory_hostname]['somevar_' ~ other_var] }}

For 'non host vars' you can use the :ref:`vars lookup<vars_lookup>` plugin:

.. code-block:: jinja

     {{ lookup('vars', 'somevar_' ~ other_var) }}

To determine if a keyword requires ``{{ }}`` or even supports templating, use ``ansible-doc -t keyword <name>``,
this will return documentation on the keyword including a ``template`` field with the values ``explicit`` (requires ``{{ }}``),
``implicit`` (assumes ``{{ }}``, so no needed) or ``static`` (no templating supported, all characters will be interpreted literally)

.. _ansible_host_delegated:

How do I get the original ansible_host when I delegate a task?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As the documentation states, connection variables are taken from the ``delegate_to`` host so ``ansible_host`` is overwritten,
but you can still access the original through ``hostvars``:

.. code-block:: yaml+jinja

   original_host: "{{ hostvars[inventory_hostname]['ansible_host'] }}"

This works for all overridden connection variables, like ``ansible_user``, ``ansible_port``, and so on.


.. _scp_protocol_error_filename:

How do I fix 'protocol error: file name does not match request' when fetching a file?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Since release ``7.9p1`` of OpenSSH there is a `bug <https://bugzilla.mindrot.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2966>`_
in the SCP client that can trigger this error on the Ansible control node when using SCP as the file transfer mechanism:

.. error::

    failed to transfer file to /tmp/ansible/file.txt\r\nprotocol error: file name does not match request

In these releases, SCP tries to validate that the path of the file to fetch matches the requested path.
The validation
fails if the remote file name requires quotes to escape spaces or non-ascii characters in its path. To avoid this error:

* Ensure you are using SFTP, which is the optimal transfer method for security, speed and reliability. Check that you are doing one of the following:
    * Rely on the default setting, which is ``smart`` — this works if ``ssh_transfer_method`` is not explicitly set anywhere
    * Set a :ref:`host variable <host_variables>` or :ref:`group variable <group_variables>` in inventory: ``ansible_ssh_transfer_method: smart``
    * Set an environment variable on your control node: ``export ANSIBLE_SSH_TRANSFER_METHOD=smart``
    * Pass an environment variable when you run Ansible: ``ANSIBLE_SSH_TRANSFER_METHOD=smart ansible-playbook``
    * Modify your ``ansible.cfg`` file: add ``ssh_transfer_method=smart`` to the ``[ssh_connection]`` section.
      The ``smart`` setting attempts to use ``sftp`` for the transfer, then falls back to ``scp`` and then ``dd``.
      If you want the transfer to fail if SFTP is not available, add ``ssh_transfer_method=sftp`` to the ``[ssh_connection]`` section.
* If you must use SCP, set the ``-T`` arg to tell the SCP client to ignore path validation. You can do this in one of three ways:
    * Set a :ref:`host variable <host_variables>` or :ref:`group variable <group_variables>`: ``ansible_scp_extra_args=-T``,
    * Export or pass an environment variable: ``ANSIBLE_SCP_EXTRA_ARGS=-T``
    * Modify your ``ansible.cfg`` file: add ``scp_extra_args=-T`` to the ``[ssh_connection]`` section

.. note:: If you see an ``invalid argument`` error when using ``-T``, then your SCP client is not performing file name validation and will not trigger this error.

.. _mfa_support:

Does Ansible support multiple factor authentication 2FA/MFA/biometrics/finterprint/usbkey/OTP/...
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

No, Ansible is designed to execute multiple tasks against multiple targets, minimizing user interaction.
As with most automation tools, it is not compatible with interactive security systems designed to handle human interaction.
Most of these systems require a secondary prompt per target, which prevents scaling to thousands of targets.  They also
tend to have very short expiration periods so it requires frequent reauthorization, also an issue with many hosts and/or
a long set of tasks.

In such environments we recommend securing around Ansible's execution but still allowing it to use an 'automation user' that does not require such measures.
With AWX or the :ref:`Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform <ansible_platform>`, administrators can set up RBAC access to inventory, along with managing credentials and job execution.


.. _complex_configuration_validation:

The 'validate' option is not enough for my needs, what do I do?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Many Ansible modules that create or update files have a ``validate`` option that allows you to abort the update if the validation command fails.
This uses the temporary file Ansible creates before doing the final update. In many cases this does not work since the validation tools
for the specific application require either specific names, multiple files or some other factor that is not present in this simple feature.

For these cases you have to handle the validation and restoration yourself. The following is a simple example of how to do this with block/rescue
and backups, which most file based modules also support:

.. code-block:: yaml

    - name: maintain config and backout if validation after change fails
      block:
        - name: do the actual update, works with copy, lineinfile and any action that allows for `backup`.
          template: src=template.j2 dest=/x/y/z backup=yes moreoptions=stuff
          register: updated

        - name: run validation, this will change a lot as needed. We assume it returns an error when not passing, use `failed_when` if otherwise.
          shell: run_validation_commmand
          become: true
          become_user: requiredbyapp
          environment:
            WEIRD_REQUIREMENT: 1
          when: updated is changed
      rescue:
        - name: restore backup file to original, in the hope the previous configuration was working.
          copy:
             remote_src: true
             dest: /x/y/z
             src: "{{ updated['backup_file'] }}"
          when: updated is changed
      always:
        - name: We choose to always delete backup, but could copy or move, or only delete in rescue.
          file:
             path: "{{ updated['backup_file'] }}"
             state: absent
          when: updated is changed

.. _docs_contributions:

How do I submit a change to the documentation?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Documentation for Ansible is kept in the `ansible/ansible-documentation <https://github.com/ansible/ansible-documentation>`_ 
project Git repository. See :ref:`community_documentation_contributions` for details.

.. _legacy_vs_builtin:

What is the difference between ``ansible.legacy`` and ``ansible.builtin`` collections?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Neither is a real collection. They are virtually constructed by the core engine (synthetic collections).

The ``ansible.builtin`` collection only refers to plugins that ship with ``ansible-core``.

The ``ansible.legacy`` collection is a superset of  ``ansible.builtin`` (you can reference the plugins from builtin  through ``ansible.legacy``). You also get the ability to
add 'custom' plugins in the :ref:`configured paths and adjacent directories <ansible_search_path>`, with the ability to override the builtin plugins that have the same name.

Also, ``ansible.legacy`` is what you get by default when you do not specify an FQCN.
So this:

    .. code-block:: yaml

        - shell: echo hi

Is really equivalent to:

    .. code-block:: yaml

        - ansible.legacy.shell: echo hi

Though, if you do not override the ``shell`` module, you can also just write it as ``ansible.builtin.shell``, since legacy will resolve to the builtin collection.


.. _i_dont_see_my_question:

I don't see my question here
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

If you have not found an answer to your questions, ask the community! Visit the :ref:`Ansible communication guide<communication>` for details.

.. seealso::

   :ref:`working_with_playbooks`
       An introduction to playbooks
   :ref:`playbooks_best_practices`
       Tips and tricks for playbooks
   :ref:`Communication<communication>`
       Got questions? Need help? Want to share your ideas? Visit the Ansible communication guide
