If you want to contribute your module to most Ansible collections, you must write your module in Python and follow the standard format described below. (Unless you're writing a Windows module, in which case the :ref:`Windows guidelines <developing_modules_general_windows>` apply.) In addition to following this format, you should review our :ref:`submission checklist <developing_modules_checklist>`, :ref:`programming tips <developing_modules_best_practices>`, and :ref:`strategy for maintaining Python 2 and Python 3 compatibility <developing_python_3>`, as well as information about :ref:`testing <developing_testing>` before you open a pull request.
Keen Python programmers may notice that contrary to PEP 8's advice we don't put ``imports`` at the top of the file. This is because the ``DOCUMENTATION`` through ``RETURN`` sections are not used by the module code itself; they are essentially extra docstrings for the file. The imports are placed after these special variables for the same reason as PEP 8 puts the imports after the introductory comments and docstrings. This keeps the active parts of the code together and the pieces which are purely informational apart. The decision to exclude E402 is based on readability (which is what PEP 8 is about). Documentation strings in a module are much more similar to module level docstrings, than code, and are never utilized by the module itself. Placing the imports below this documentation and closer to the code, consolidates and groups all related code in a congruent manner to improve readability, debugging and understanding.
Some older Ansible modules have ``imports`` at the bottom of the file, ``Copyright`` notices with the full GPL prefix, and/or ``DOCUMENTATION`` fields in the wrong order. These are legacy files that need updating - do not copy them into new modules. Over time we are updating and correcting older modules. Please follow the guidelines on this page!
Begin your Ansible module with ``#!/usr/bin/python`` - this "shebang" allows ``ansible_python_interpreter`` to work. Follow the shebang immediately with ``# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-`` to clarify that the file is UTF-8 encoded.
After the shebang and UTF-8 coding, add a `copyright line <https://www.linuxfoundation.org/blog/copyright-notices-in-open-source-software-projects/>`_ with the original copyright holder and a license declaration. The license declaration should be ONLY one line, not the full GPL prefix.:
Additions to the module (for instance, rewrites) are not permitted to add additional copyright lines other than the default copyright statement if missing:
Any legal review will include the source control history, so an exhaustive copyright header is not necessary.
Please do not include a copyright year. If the existing copyright statement includes a year, do not edit the existing copyright year. Any existing copyright header should not be modified without permission from the copyright author.
Since we moved to collections we have deprecated the METADATA functionality, it is no longer required for modules, but it will not break anything if present.
After the shebang, the UTF-8 coding, the copyright line, and the license section comes the ``DOCUMENTATION`` block. Ansible's online module documentation is generated from the ``DOCUMENTATION`` blocks in each module's source code. The ``DOCUMENTATION`` block must be valid YAML. You may find it easier to start writing your ``DOCUMENTATION`` string in an :ref:`editor with YAML syntax highlighting <other_tools_and_programs>` before you include it in your Python file. You can start by copying our `example documentation string <https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/devel/examples/DOCUMENTATION.yml>`_ into your module file and modifying it. If you run into syntax issues in your YAML, you can validate it on the `YAML Lint <http://www.yamllint.com/>`_ website.
Module documentation should briefly and accurately define what each module and option does, and how it works with others in the underlying system. Documentation should be written for broad audience--readable both by experts and non-experts.
* Descriptions should always start with a capital letter and end with a full stop. Consistency always helps.
* Verify that arguments in doc and module spec dict are identical.
* For password / secret arguments ``no_log=True`` should be set.
* For arguments that seem to contain sensitive information but **do not** contain secrets, such as "password_length", set ``no_log=False`` to disable the warning message.
* As long as your module file is :ref:`available locally <local_modules>`, you can use ``ansible-doc -t module my_module_name`` to view your module documentation at the command line. Any parsing errors will be obvious - you can view details by adding ``-vvv`` to the command.
* See :ref:`ansible_collections.azure.azcollection.azure_rm_securitygroup_module`, :ref:`ansible_collections.azure.azcollection.azure_rm_azurefirewall_module`, and :ref:`ansible_collections.openstack.cloud.baremetal_node_action_module` for examples.
* If you use ``ref:`` to link to an anchor that is not associated with a title, you must add a title to the ref for the link to work correctly.
* You can link to non-module plugins with ``ref:`` using the rST anchor, but plugin and module anchors are never associated with a title, so you must supply a title when you link to them. For example ``ref: namespace.collection.plugin_name lookup plugin <ansible_collections.namespace.collection.plugin_name_lookup>``.
You can link from your module documentation to other module docs, other resources on docs.ansible.com, and resources elsewhere on the internet with the help of some pre-defined macros. The correct formats for these macros are:
*``L()`` for links with a heading. For example: ``See L(Ansible Automation Platform,https://www.ansible.com/products/automation-platform).`` As of Ansible 2.10, do not use ``L()`` for relative links between Ansible documentation and collection documentation.
*``U()`` for URLs. For example: ``See U(https://www.ansible.com/products/automation-platform) for an overview.``
*``R()`` for cross-references with a heading (added in Ansible 2.10). For example: ``See R(Cisco IOS Platform Guide,ios_platform_options)``. Use the RST anchor for the cross-reference. See :ref:`adding_anchors_rst` for details.
*``M()`` for module names. For example: ``See also M(ansible.builtin.yum) or M(community.general.apt_rpm)``.
*``C()`` for files, option values, and inline code. For example: ``If not set the environment variable C(ACME_PASSWORD) will be used.`` or ``Use C(var | foo.bar.my_filter) to transform C(var) into the required format.`` This displays with a mono-space font in the documentation.
For links between modules and documentation within a collection, you can use any of the options above. For links outside of your collection, use ``R()`` if available. Otherwise, use ``U()`` or ``L()`` with full URLs (not relative links). For modules, use ``M()`` with the FQCN or ``ansible.builtin`` as shown in the example. If you are creating your own documentation site, you will need to use the `intersphinx extension <https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/extensions/intersphinx.html>`_ to convert ``R()`` and ``M()`` to the correct links.
..note::
To refer to a group of modules in a collection, use ``R()``. When a collection is not the right granularity, use ``C(..)``:
-``Refer to the R(kubernetes.core collection, plugins_in_kubernetes.core) for information on managing kubernetes clusters.``
-``The C(win_*) modules (spread across several collections) allow you to manage various aspects of windows hosts.``
If you are writing multiple related modules, they may share common documentation, such as authentication details, file mode settings, ``notes:`` or ``seealso:`` entries. Rather than duplicate that information in each module's ``DOCUMENTATION`` block, you can save it once as a doc_fragment plugin and use it in each module's documentation. In Ansible, shared documentation fragments are contained in a ``ModuleDocFragment`` class in `lib/ansible/plugins/doc_fragments/ <https://github.com/ansible/ansible/tree/devel/lib/ansible/plugins/doc_fragments>`_ or the equivalent directory in a collection. To include a documentation fragment, add ``extends_documentation_fragment: FRAGMENT_NAME`` in your module documentation. Use the fully qualified collection name for the FRAGMENT_NAME (for example, ``kubernetes.core.k8s_auth_options``).
Modules should only use items from a doc fragment if the module will implement all of the interface documented there in a manner that behaves the same as the existing modules which import that fragment. The goal is that items imported from the doc fragment will behave identically when used in another module that imports the doc fragment.
By default, only the ``DOCUMENTATION`` property from a doc fragment is inserted into the module documentation. It is possible to define additional properties in the doc fragment in order to import only certain parts of a doc fragment or mix and match as appropriate. If a property is defined in both the doc fragment and the module, the module value overrides the doc fragment.
Since Ansible 2.8, you can have user-supplied doc_fragments by using a ``doc_fragments`` directory adjacent to play or role, just like any other plugin.
After the shebang, the UTF-8 coding, the copyright line, the license section, and the ``DOCUMENTATION`` block comes the ``EXAMPLES`` block. Here you show users how your module works with real-world examples in multi-line plain-text YAML format. The best examples are ready for the user to copy and paste into a playbook. Review and update your examples with every change to your module.
Use a fully qualified collection name (FQCN) as a part of the module's name like in the example above. For modules in ``ansible-core``, use the ``ansible.builtin.`` identifier, for example ``ansible.builtin.debug``.
If your examples use boolean options, use yes/no values. Since the documentation generates boolean values as yes/no, having the examples use these values as well makes the module documentation more consistent.
After the shebang, the UTF-8 coding, the copyright line, the license section, ``DOCUMENTATION`` and ``EXAMPLES`` blocks comes the ``RETURN`` block. This section documents the information the module returns for use by other modules.
Optional. To describe nested return values, set ``type: dict``, or ``type: list``/``elements: dict``, or if you really have to, ``type: complex``, and repeat the elements above for each sub-field.
After the shebang, the UTF-8 coding, the copyright line, the license, and the sections for ``DOCUMENTATION``, ``EXAMPLES``, and ``RETURN``, you can finally add the python imports. All modules must use Python imports in the form:
To test Ansible documentation locally please :ref:`follow instruction<testing_module_documentation>`. To test documentation in collections, please see :ref:`build_collection_docsite`.
