Ansible by default manages machines over the SSH protocol.
For the central Ansible machine, you will need an environment with Python 2.6 or greater installed. If you are running Python 2.5 on an "Enterprise Linux 5" variant, we'll show you how to add 2.6 to your distribution, but most platforms already have a new enough Python. (Note that Windows is not supported as the Ansible control machine.)
Once ansible is installed, it will not add a database, and there will be no daemons to start or keep running. You only need to install it on one machine (which could easily be a laptop) and it can manage an entire fleet of remote machines from that central point. When Ansible manages remote machines, it does not leave software installed or running on them, so there's no real question about how to upgrade Ansible when moving to a new version.
You will also want the following Python modules (installed via pip or perhaps via your OS package manager via slightly different names):
What Version To Pick?
`````````````````````
* ``paramiko``
* ``PyYAML``
* ``jinja2``
Because it runs so easily from source and does not require any installation of software on remote
machines, many users will actually track the development version.
If you are using RHEL or CentOS 5, Python is version 2.4 by default, but you can get Python 2.6 installed easily. `Use EPEL <http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/EPEL>`_ and install these dependencies as follows:
If you are wishing to run the latest released version of Ansible and you are running Red Hat Enterprise Linux (TM), CentOS, Fedora, Debian, or Ubuntu, we recommend using our OS package manager.
..code-block:: bash
For other installation options, we recommend installing via "pip", which is the Python package manager, though other options are also available.
If you wish to track the development release to use and test the latest features, we will share
information about running from source. It's not neccessary to install the program to run from source.
(in the systemsmanagement Project) for all currently supported
openSUSE and SLES distributions.
Fedora distributions.
Ansible itself can manage earlier operating
systems that contain python 2.4 or higher.
systems that contain python 2.4 or higher (so also EL5).
If you are using RHEL or CentOS and have not already done so, `configure EPEL <http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/EPEL>`_
Fedora users can install Ansible directly, though if you are using RHEL or CentOS and have not already done so, `configure EPEL <http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/EPEL>`_
..code-block:: bash
# install the epel-release RPM if needed on CentOS, RHEL, or Scientific Linux
$ sudo yum install ansible
For openSUSE and SUSE Linux Enterprise, add the `systemsmanagement repository <http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/systemsmanagement/>`_
for your distribution:
..code-block:: bash
# replace $dist with the correct distribution found here: http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/systemsmanagement/
$ sudo zypper ar -f http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/systemsmanagement/$dist/systemsmanagement.repo
$ sudo zypper install ansible
You can also use the ``make rpm`` command to build an RPM you can distribute and install.
Make sure you have ``rpm-build``, ``make``, and ``python2-devel`` installed.
You can also build an RPM yourself. From the root of a checkout or tarball, use the ``make rpm`` command to build an RPM you can distribute and install. Make sure you have ``rpm-build``, ``make``, and ``python2-devel`` installed.
..code-block:: bash
@ -174,31 +154,8 @@ Make sure you have ``rpm-build``, ``make``, and ``python2-devel`` installed.
$ make rpm
$ sudo rpm -Uvh ~/rpmbuild/ansible-*.noarch.rpm
Via MacPorts on OS X
++++++++++++++++++++
Ansible is easily run or installed from source, but you can also use MacPorts.
To install the stable version of Ansible from MacPorts, run:
..code-block:: bash
$ sudo port install ansible
If you wish to install the latest build via the MacPorts system from a
git checkout, run:
..code-block:: bash
$ git clone git://github.com/ansible/ansible.git
$ cd ./ansible/packaging/macports
$ sudo port install
Please refer to the documentation at <http://www.macports.org> for
further information on using Portfiles with MacPorts.
Ubuntu and Debian
+++++++++++++++++
Latest Releases Via Apt (Ubuntu)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ubuntu builds are available `in a PPA here <https://launchpad.net/~rquillo/+archive/ansible>`_.
@ -206,6 +163,8 @@ Once configured,
..code-block:: bash
$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:rquillo/ansible
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install ansible
Debian/Ubuntu packages can also be built from the source checkout, run:
@ -216,30 +175,24 @@ Debian/Ubuntu packages can also be built from the source checkout, run:
You may also wish to run from source to get the latest, which is covered above.
Gentoo, Arch, Others
++++++++++++++++++++
Gentoo eBuilds are in portage, version 1.0 `coming soon <https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=461830>`_.
Latest Releases Via Pip
+++++++++++++++++++++++
..code-block:: bash
$ emerge ansible
Ansible can be installed via "pip", the Python package manager. If 'pip' isn't already available in
your version of Python, you can get pip by::
$ sudo easy_install pip
An Arch PKGBUILD is available on `AUR <https://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=58621>`_
If you have python3 installed on Arch, you probably want to symlink python to python2:
Then install Ansible with::
..code-block:: bash
$ sudo ln -sf /usr/bin/python2 /usr/bin/python
$ sudo pip install ansible
You should also set a 'ansible_python_interpreter' inventory variable (see :doc:`patterns`) for hosts that have python
pointing to python3, so the right python can be found on the managed nodes.
Readers that use virtualenv can also install Ansible under virtualenv, though we'd recommend to not worry about it and just install Ansible globally. Do not use easy_install to install ansible directly.
Tagged Releases
+++++++++++++++
Tarballs of Tagged Releases
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tarballs of releases are available on the ansibleworks.com page.
Packaging Ansible or wanting to build a local package yourself, but don't want to do a git checkout? Tarballs of releases are available on the ansibleworks.com page.