# Testing a collection

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/testing-a-collection/40608>\
**Category:** Collection Development\
**Tags:** windows, testing, collections, galaxy-ng\
**Created:** [February 25, 2025, 9:21am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/testing-a-collection/40608 "2025-02-25T09:21:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ben.boeckel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@ben.boeckel](https://forum.ansible.com/u/ben.boeckel)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 9:21am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/testing-a-collection/40608/1 "2025-02-25T09:21:13Z")

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Hi,

I’m working on a new collection to help manage Visual Studio component installation. I’m trying to do some testing of the project, but I’m having trouble testing it. I wrote a simple `deploy.yml` with an `inventory.yml` to connect with a Vagrant instance for testing purposes, but I can’t get `ansible-playbook` over the “can’t find your module” bit. `ansible-galaxy` also seems to just refuse to pay attention to attempts to use `src: git+file://…` pointing to the local checkout to make it available. What might I be missing?

Thanks,

–Ben

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**Author:** ![ben.boeckel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@ben.boeckel](https://forum.ansible.com/u/ben.boeckel)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 12:09pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/testing-a-collection/40608/2 "2025-02-25T12:09:26Z")

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I have a workaround to use `ansible-galaxy collection build` and `ansible-galaxy collection install`, but this seems…roundabout to me.

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**Author:** ![samccann](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/samccann/32/18_2.png) [@samccann](https://forum.ansible.com/u/samccann)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 3:12pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/testing-a-collection/40608/3 "2025-02-25T15:12:31Z")

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Hi @ben.boeckel ! I’ve moved this topic to the #Project Discussions > Collection Development category in the hopes it will attract the people who may be able to help you. Welcome to the Ansible forum!

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**Author:** ![sivel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/sivel/32/1198_2.png) [@sivel](https://forum.ansible.com/u/sivel)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 5:09pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/testing-a-collection/40608/4 "2025-02-25T17:09:20Z")

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Using `ansible-galaxy` to deal with git clones is generally speaking less useful than just cloning your repo to a place where ansible will look.

Such as cloning to:

1. `~/.ansible/collections/ansible_collections/<namespace>/<name>`
2. `<playbook_dir>/collections/ansible_collections/<namespace>/<name>`