Try SpotterUse meta packages to simplify maintenance of the OS package manager.
Authors: Jakob Meng (@jm1)
preview | supported by community
Install with ansible-galaxy collection install jm1.pkg:==2023.11.23
collections:
- name: jm1.pkg
version: 2023.11.23This module allows to build, install and remove meta packages easily. Meta packages simplify the installation and removal of packages, using the OS package manager. A meta package does not ship nor manipulate any file or directory. It defines relationships between packages only [1][2], e.g. dependencies or conflicts. When a meta package is installed, the OS package manager will install or remove packages automatically to satisfy all relationships declared by the meta package. On systems that use dpkg (apt), such as Debian, Ubuntu and their derivatives, dependend packages will be marked as automatically installed. As soon as the meta package has been removed, all automatically installed packages will be removed as well. On systems that use dnf or an up-to-date yum, such as Fedora or CentOS, one might use 'dnf autoremove' or 'yum autoremove' to trigger the same autoremoving behaviour [2]. For example, a meta package helps with deploying an updated list of packages. Previously installed packages which have been removed from the updated list, will be uninstalled automatically by the OS package manager, once the new meta package version is rolled out. Ref.: [1] U(https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-relationships.html) [2] U(https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/packaging-guidelines/) [3] U(https://dnf.readthedocs.io/en/latest/command_ref.html#autoremove-command-label)
- jm1.pkg.meta_pkg:
name: "developer-tools"
depends:
- make
- gcc
- git
- vim
conflicts:
- clang
name:
description:
- Meta package name.
required: true
type: str
state:
choices:
- present
- absent
default: present
description:
- Indicates the desired package state.
type: str
depends:
aliases:
- requires
default: []
description:
- Declares an absolute dependency, it is required for the software to function correctly.
type: list
manager:
choices:
- auto
- apt
- dnf
- yum
default: auto
description:
- The package manager to use, e.g. apt or yum. The default C(auto) will use existing
facts or try to autodetect it. You should only use this field if the automatic selection
is not working for some reason.
type: str
summary:
aliases:
- synopsis
default: Meta package to simplify package management
description:
- A short and concise description of the package. The I(description) expands upon
this.
type: str
version:
default: '1'
description:
- Meta package version.
type: str
enhances:
default: []
description:
- This field is similar to I(suggests) but works in the opposite direction. It is
used to declare that a package can enhance the functionality of another package.
type: list
suggests:
default: []
description:
- Declare that one package may be more useful with one or more others. Using this
field tells the packaging system and the user that the listed packages are related
to this one and can perhaps enhance its usefulness, but that installing this one
without them is perfectly reasonable. If the functionality should be available by
default for users, I(recommends) should be used, and I(suggests) otherwise.
type: list
conflicts:
default: []
description:
- When a package declares a conflict with another using I(conflicts), the package
manager will refuse to allow them to be installed or/and unpacked on the system
at the same time.
type: list
maintainer:
aliases:
- packager
default: '{{Full Name}} <{{username}}@{{fqdn}}>'
description:
- "The package maintainer\u2019s name and email address. The name must come first,\
\ then the email address inside angle brackets <> (in RFC822 format)."
type: str
recommends:
default: []
description:
- Declares a strong, but not absolute, dependency. The I(recommends) field should
list packages that would be found together with this one in all but unusual installations.
If the functionality should be available by default for users, I(recommends) should
be used, and I(suggests) otherwise.
type: list
description:
default: Package management made easy.
description:
- 'Contains an extended description of the meta package. The description should describe
the meta package to a user (system administrator) who has never met it before so
that they have enough information to decide whether they want to install it. Beware:
Distributions based on both, apt (deb) and yum/dnf (rpm) do place several restrictions
on the I(description) field. For example, the I(description) must not contain tabs
and no lines longer than 80 characters. Details in U(https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-controlfields.html#s-f-description)
and U(https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/packaging-guidelines/#_summary_and_description).'
type: str
architecture:
aliases:
- buildarch
default: all or noarch
description:
- Architecture specification string, e.g. C(all) for Debian or C(noarch) for Fedora.
type: str
conflicts: description: List of conflicting packages after wildcard expansion returned: changed or success sample: - clang type: list depends: description: List of required packages after wildcard expansion returned: changed or success sample: - make - gcc - git - vim type: list enhances: description: List of enhanced packages after wildcard expansion returned: changed or success sample: [] type: list maintainer: description: "The package maintainer\u2019s name and email address" returned: changed or success sample: Jakob Meng <jakobmeng@web.de type: str manager: description: The package manager that is used effectively returned: changed or success sample: apt type: str recommends: description: List of recommended packages after wildcard expansion returned: changed or success sample: [] type: list suggests: description: List of suggested packages after wildcard expansion returned: changed or success sample: [] type: list