ansible_role_package

Manage package installation for a number of packages that sometimes need special handling. Some are built from source, some are appimages, some are special sources like cargo, npm, go, etc.

When defining a workstation role, I had a lot of packages that needed special instructions to properly install and use. I decided to simplify the management of those packages by creating a role with special handling.

Order of precedence for package installation:

System package manager (dnf, apt, homebrew, etc.)
Source built - only in some situations, like for fast moving software (neovim)
Appimage (Linux only)
Flatpak (Linux only)
Snap (Linux only), takes precedence over flatpak on Ubuntu based systems
Language package manager (cargo install, go install, npm install, etc.)

This does not configure installed software, just installs it

To install any of the available packages, they must be part of a list called packages. Dependencies are handled on a best case basis.

Supported Operating Systems

Fedora Linux
MacOS
RHEL based distributions Experimental best effort
Debian Experimental
Alpine linux Experimental *best effort)

Available Packages

air: hot reload for go #development
alacritty: terminal built in rust #gui
ansible-lint: linting for yaml.ansible files #development #mangement
ansible: configuration management #management
ansible_ls: ansible language-server #development
aquamarine: graphics library for hyrpland #hyprland #linux #gui
bashls: bash language server #development
bat: bat, an ehanced replacement for cat #cli
bitwarden: password mananger #gui #security
blender: 3d modeling, video editing tools #gui #media
broot: a file browser/manager for the cli #cli
btop: advanced top replacement #cli #management
buf: protocol buffer tooling in go #development
bufls: protocol buffer language server #development
carapace: universal command completion engine #cli
cheat: cli cheatsheet creator and viewer #cli
checkmake: a linter and analyzer for makefiles #development
choose: an alternative to cut written in rust #cli
clangd: the LLVM based C/C++ compiler, langauge server and linter #development
cmake: build system for C/C++ projects #development
cmakelang: cmake linter and formatter #development
cockpit: webui to managed linux systems #management
commitlint-cli: linting for git commit messages #development
commitlint-config-conventional: config for commitlint-cli #development
consul: service discovery by hashicorp #hashicorp #service
cssls: css language server #development
curlie: enhanced version of curl #cli #network
dbeaver: database manager gui #development #gui
direnv: load .env files in the cli #development #mangement
dockerls: dockerfile lanaguage server #development
dotenv-linter: linter for .env files #development
duf: a good looking replacement for df #cli #management
dust: a better looking version of du #cli #management
editorconfig: common editor configuration system #development
eslint: ECMA Script linting #development
eza: a modern ls replacement #cli
fd: a modern replacement for find #cli
firefox: a modern OSS web browser #gui
firewalld: modern zone based firewall #cli #management #security
flatpak: universal linux package management system #cli #linux #management
fzf: fuzzy find from a list given over stdin #cli
ghostty: a modern advanced terminal emulator #gui
git: project versioning system #development #management
glow: cli markdown parser and viewer #cli
go: the go programming language #development
godot: the best OSS game making studio/engine #development #gui
gopls: the go language server #development
gping: graphical pinging on the cli #cli #management
greetd: a simple system greeter #cli #linux #gui #hyprland
heroic: heroic games launcher #gui #linux
htmlls: html language server #development
htmx-lsp: htmx language server #developement
httpie: a graphical REST client #development #gui
hugo: static html site generator #cli #development
hyperfine: a cli benchmarking tool #cli
hyprcursor: a hyprland support library #hyprland
hyprgraphics: a hyrpland graphics library #hyprland
hypridle: hyprland system idle monitor #hyprland
hyprland: a pretty tiling window manager #hyprland #linux #gui
hyprland_protocols: a hyprland wayland protocol library #hyprland
hyprland_qt_support: hyprland qt libraries #hyprland
hyprland_qtutils: hyrpland tools in qt: #hyprland
hyprlang: hyprland configuration language #hyrpland
hyprlock: hyprland screen locker #hyprland
hyprpaper: hyprland wallpaper manager #hyprland
hyprpicker: hyprland colour picker #hyprland
hyprpolkitagent: hyprland policy kit agent #hyprland #management #security
hyprutils: hyprland utilities library #hyprland
hyprwayland_scanner: hyprland wayland library scanner #hyprland
intelephense: php language server, linter and formatter #development
jinja-lsp: the jinja language server #development
jq: json cli parser #cli #development
jsonls: json language server #development
kitty: high perfomance terminal emulator #gui
lazygit: git made easy #git #cli #development
libreoffice: the free office suite #gui
luals: lua language server #development
markdownlint-cli: markdown linter #development
mcfly: cli history manager #cli #management
minio_client: cli S3 client #cli #management
neovide: graphical interface for neovim in rust #development #gui
neovim: best vim fork ever #neovim #development #cli #development
nerdfonts: fonts patched with icons and glyphs #cli #gui
nextcloud: nextcloud desktop sync client #gui #management
nfs_client: nfs client software #management
nfs_server: nfs server software #managment
nginxls: nginx configuration language server #development
nodejs: javascript runtime engine #javascript #cli #development
nomad: application orchestration by hashicorp #hashicorp #management
nwg_hello: a greetd greeter #gui #linux #hyprland
packer: machine builder by hashicorp #vm #development #hashicorp #management
pandoc: universal document translator #cli
pgadmin: postgresql administration gui #development #development #gui
pipx: install pip packages as self contained executables #cli #management
podman: container runtime engine compatible with docker #cli #mangement
pulumi: infrastructure as code via regular programming languages #cli #development #manage
pyright: python language server, linter and formatter #development
python3: python3 language interpreter #development
quobix-vacuum: openapi linter and sdk written in go #development
restic: an advanced backup system #management
revive: a fast and strict linter for go #development
ripgrep: fast modern grep replacement #cli
rust: the rust programming language #development #cli
samba_client: client software for samba #management
samba_server: server software for samba #management
sd: a modern replacement for sed #cli
sdbus_cpp_2: systemd dbus library version 2 #development #hyprland
sqlfluff: sql linter #development
sqlls: sql language server #development
starship: command line prompt generator #cli
stow: manage dotfiles easily #cli #management
tailscale: p2p vpn with wireguard #security #cli #gui
tailwindcss-languageserver: tailwindcss language server #development
templ: generate HTML using go #go #html #development
terraform: infrastructre as code via configuration files #cli #hashicorp #management
terraformls: terraform language server #development #hashicorp
thunderbird: email client from mozilla #gui
tidy: html linter and formatter #development
tldr: manpage summarizer #cli
tmux: terminal multiplexer #cli
uwsm: universal wayland system manager #hyprland #linux #gui
vault: secrets management by hashicorp #security #hashicorp
xdg_desktop_portal_hyprland: xdg portal for hyprland #hyprland #gui #linux
xh: cli curl replacement #cli #network
yamlls: yaml language server #development
yazi: terminal file manager in rust #cli #management
zfs: the zetabyte filesystem #filesystem #cli
zig: the zig programming language #development
zls: the zig language server #development
zoxide: easily jump between directories #cli #management
zsh: Z shell #cli

Requirements

nothing by ansible

Role Variables

use_local: Boolean, default true
- When true, uses the following paths:
  - $HOME/.local as the install prefix, placing binaries in $HOME/.local/bin
  - $HOME/.local/appimage for saved appimages, which are then linked to $HOME/.local/bin
  - $HOME/.local/archive for extracted archives linking binaries to $HOME/.local/bin
  - $HOME/.cache for caching downloads
  - $HOME/.cargo for cargo installations, placing binaries in $HOME/.cargo/bin
- When false, uses the following system wide paths:
  - /usr/local as the install prefix, placing binaries in /usr/local/bin
  - /opt/appimage for saved appimages, which are then linked to /usr/local/bin
  - /opt/archive for extracted archives, linking binaries to /usr/local/bin
  - /opt/cache for caching downloads
  - /opt/cargo for rust cargo installations, placing binaries in /opt/cargo/bin
packages: List of strings
- List of packages to install from the Available Packages list
prefer_method: String, default system
- The preferred method of installation an application when multiple options exist
- Valid options are:
  - flatpak - Flatpak, Linux only
  - langtool - Using language tools such as cargo, go, npm or pipx
  - snap - Snap, Linux only
  - source - Prefer building from source. Not recommended
  - system - Default, system package manager (dnf, apt, homebrew, etc.)

Dependencies

Example Playbook

- name: Ensure packages are installed
  vars:
    packages:
      - air
      - go
      - rust
      - neovim
  hosts: devmachines
  gather_facts: true
  tasks:
    - name: Install given packages
      ansible.builtin.inlude_role:
        name: ansible_role_package

License

MIT

Author Information

Matthew Stobbs matthew@stobbs.ca