Ansible - Apt

Requirements 

On the host that executes the module, this needs to be installed:-

• python-apt (python 2)
• python3-apt (python 3)
• aptitude (before 2.4)

Options

These are not required but can be used accordingly.

Return Values

Typical return values are listed here. Return Values, this module's exclusive fields are as follows:

Installing new Apt Packages

Now, we will see the installation of new packages. But for that, you must include the desired package state and the package name in the name parameter. The package is in the "present" state by default. Additionally, it is preferable to set the update cache to true. By doing this, you can make sure that the indexes and the sources list are in sync. Performing the apt-get update command before installing a package is equivalent to doing so.

The example below will refresh the cache to synchronize the index. Verify the destination server's installation of the "zip" package. Additionally, the package will be installed even if it is not. The package won't be upgraded if it is already installed.

-hosts: loc  
tasks:  
-name: Ansible apt install packages  
apt:  
name: zip  
state: present  
update_cache: true  

Installing the latest version of a package

Ansible will only check to see if a package is present if the status of the package is set to "present." As a result, even if the new package is available, it cannot be installed. If you wish to install the most recent versions of the apt packages, the status option must be set to the latest.

This will guarantee that the most recent package is installed. 

The following example updates the cache. Then installs the most recent zip package, such as:

-hosts: loc  
tasks:  
-name: ansible apt install latest version  
apt:  
name: zip  
state: latest  
update_cache: true  

Ansible install multiple packages

Use items to combine the tasks you normally write separately to install packages. We will install three packages in the example below git, Nginx, and docker-ce.

-hosts: loc  
tasks:  
-name: ansible apt with_items  
apt:  
name: "{{item}}"  
update_cache: true  
state: present  
with_items:  
-'docker-ce'  
-'nginx'  
-'git'

Ansible Apt ad-hoc

The ad hoc method, which makes use of the apt module, can also be used to install new packages, for example:

ansible all -m apt -a "name=nginx state=absent" -i inventory.ini  

Removing Apt Packages

You can also delete the packages by changing the status option to absent while using the apt module. The zip package will be deleted using the example below. The module won't encounter an error if the package is missing because it is idempotent.

-hosts: loc  
tasks:  
-name: ansible apt remove package  
apt:  
name: zip  
state: absent 

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Update cache work?

A stale cache can cause apt to miss updates or fail to install a package. This is because the version it wants is no longer available from the repositories. The apt module of Ansible receives the command update cache=yes. It instructs it to clear the caches before making any changes (if any).

How do apt and apt-get vary from one another?

Apt is a subset of the apt-get and apt-cache commands. It offers essential package management commands. Although apt-get won't be phased out, you should start using apt more frequently as a regular user.

What does Ansible's update cache function do?

As with Ansible 2.4, this sets update cache=yes if it is explicitly set. To remove all package files from the local repository, run the equivalent of apt-get clean. It cleans up /var/cache/apt/archives/ and /var/cache/apt/archives/partial/ except for the lock file.

What commands does Ansible accept?

The Ansible command executes any commands or scripts on the remote target machine. It is used to carry out operations on a distant node. Simple Linux commands can be performed on a remote node or server. This server can be a member of the host group or a solo server mentioned in the host group using the command module.

Conclusion

In this article, we have extensively discussed the Ansible APT module. We have also explained the requirements, options, and return values. Then we learned how to install new apt packages, remove apt packages, and more in detail.

We hope this blog has helped you enhance your Ansible APT knowledge. If you would like to learn more, check out our articles on Ansible Interview Question Part-1, Part-2, and Part-3. Practice makes a man perfect. To practice and improve yourself in the interview, you can check out Top 100 SQL problems, Interview experience, Coding interview questions, and the Ultimate guide path for interviews.

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