shell

shell module

Execute shell commands on the target host. Unlike the command module, the shell module runs commands through a shell (/bin/sh), which allows for shell features like pipes, redirects, and variable expansion.

Examples

- name: Run a simple command
  shell: ls -la /tmp

- name: Use shell features like pipes
  shell: ps aux | grep nginx

- name: Command with environment variables
  shell: echo $HOME

- name: Multi-line command
  shell: |
    if [ -f /etc/passwd ]; then
      echo "File exists"
    fi

Warning: Be careful with shell injection when using variables in shell commands. Always validate and sanitize input.

Module Capabilities

• Has Revert: false
• Provides Variables: None

Inputs

Parameter	Type	Description	Required	Default	Choices
execute	string	The shell command to execute. Can use shell features like pipes, redirects, and variable expansion.	false
revert	string	The shell command to execute when reverting changes made by the execute command.	false

Outputs

Field	Type	Description
command	string
stderr	string
stderr_lines	[string]
stdout	string
stdout_lines	[string]

Parameter aliases

• cmd → execute