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

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