# What exactly is the "action" module and how does it work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [July 27, 2017, 4:42pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-action-module-and-how-does-it-work/25109 "2017-07-27T16:42:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frank\_Thommen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@Frank\_Thommen](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Frank_Thommen)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 4:42pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-action-module-and-how-does-it-work/25109/1 "2017-07-27T16:42:27Z")
Hi, I was looking for a way to run the distro-dependent package manager w/o too many "when"s and I found this (on [https://ansible-tips-and-tricks.readthedocs.io/en/latest/os-dependent-tasks/installing\_packages/#installing-packages](https://ansible-tips-and-tricks.readthedocs.io/en/latest/os-dependent-tasks/installing_packages/#installing-packages)): - name: install basic package    action: \>      {{ ansible\_pkg\_mgr }} name=vim state=present update\_cache=yes However I cannot find this "action" module mentioned anywhere in the whole Ansible documentation and I also don't understand, why the "\>" is needed at that point. Is this an obsolete feature or a very new one, which is not documented yet? What exactly can one do with it? Cheers frank ---
**Author:** ![Kai\_Stian\_Olstad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kai\_Stian\_Olstad](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Kai_Stian_Olstad)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 5:25pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-action-module-and-how-does-it-work/25109/2 "2017-07-27T17:25:34Z")
> Hi, > > I was looking for a way to run the distro-dependent package manager w/o too many "when"s and I found this (on [https://ansible-tips-and-tricks.readthedocs.io/en/latest/os-dependent-tasks/installing\_packages/#installing-packages](https://ansible-tips-and-tricks.readthedocs.io/en/latest/os-dependent-tasks/installing_packages/#installing-packages)): > > - name: install basic package >    action: \> >      {{ ansible\_pkg\_mgr }} name=vim state=present update\_cache=yes > > However I cannot find this "action" module mentioned anywhere in the whole Ansible documentation [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/playbooks\_intro.html#tasks-list](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/playbooks_intro.html#tasks-list) [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/playbooks\_intro.html#action-shorthand](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/playbooks_intro.html#action-shorthand) In short, it's an old syntax not encourage used anymore. > and I also don't understand, why the "\>" is needed at that point. It's an yaml indicator character, "\>" indicate that the lines can be broken to multiple lines. > Is this an obsolete feature or a very new one, which is not documented yet? What exactly can one do with it? I think you need to use action if the module name is a variable as in you example. I think these two examples would fail.    - name: install basic package      {{ ansible\_pkg\_mgr }}: name=vim state=present update\_cache=yes and    - name: install basic package      {{ ansible\_pkg\_mgr }}:        name: vim        state: present        update\_cache: yes ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Thommen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@Frank\_Thommen](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Frank_Thommen)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 5:41pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-action-module-and-how-does-it-work/25109/3 "2017-07-27T17:41:29Z")
Thanks a lot > > Hi, > > > > I was looking for a way to run the distro-dependent package manager > > w/o too many "when"s and I found this (on > > [https://ansible-tips-and-tricks.readthedocs.io/en/latest/os-dependent-tasks/installing\_packages/#installing-packages](https://ansible-tips-and-tricks.readthedocs.io/en/latest/os-dependent-tasks/installing_packages/#installing-packages)): > > > > - name: install basic package > >    action: \> > >      {{ ansible\_pkg\_mgr }} name=vim state=present update\_cache=yes > > > > However I cannot find this "action" module mentioned anywhere in the > > whole Ansible documentation > > [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/playbooks\_intro.html#tasks-list](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/playbooks_intro.html#tasks-list) > [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/playbooks\_intro.html#action-shorthand](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/playbooks_intro.html#action-shorthand) Shame on me. I overlooked it in the very basic intro page... :-} > In short, it's an old syntax not encourage used anymore. > > > and I also don't understand, why the "\>" is needed at that point. > > It's an yaml indicator character, "\>" indicate that the lines can be > broken to multiple lines. Yes, that I know that, but I just don't understand, why - name: install basic package     action: {{ ansible\_pkg\_mgr }} name=vim state=present update\_cache=yes or - name: install basic package     action: "{{ ansible\_pkg\_mgr }}" name=vim state=present update\_cache=yes Wouldn't work (both fail with YAML syntax error) > > Is this an obsolete feature or a very new one, which is not > > documented yet? What exactly can one do with it? > > I think you need to use action if the module name is a variable as in > you example. > I think these two examples would fail. > >   - name: install basic package >     {{ ansible\_pkg\_mgr }}: name=vim state=present update\_cache=yes > > and > >   - name: install basic package >     {{ ansible\_pkg\_mgr }}: >       name: vim >       state: present >       update\_cache: yes Indeed they fail, and there doesn't seem to be a useable replacement in the current syntax. ☹ frank ---
**Author:** ![Kai\_Stian\_Olstad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kai\_Stian\_Olstad](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Kai_Stian_Olstad)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/what-exactly-is-the-action-module-and-how-does-it-work/25109/4 "2017-07-27T18:11:14Z")
> > > and I also don't understand, why the "\>" is needed at that point. > > > > It's an yaml indicator character, "\>" indicate that the lines can be > > broken to multiple lines. > > Yes, that I know that, but I just don't understand, why It looks nicer and that don't need the quotes perhaps? > - name: install basic package >   action: {{ ansible\_pkg\_mgr }} name=vim state=present update\_cache=yes > > or > > - name: install basic package >   action: "{{ ansible\_pkg\_mgr }}" name=vim state=present update\_cache=yes > > Wouldn't work (both fail with YAML syntax error) { it's not allox after the colon and in yaml, if it start with a quote it must end with the same qoute, so this should work. - name: install basic package    action: "{{ ansible\_pkg\_mgr }} name=vim state=present pdate\_cache=yes" > > > Is this an obsolete feature or a very new one, which is not > > > documented yet? What exactly can one do with it? > > > > I think you need to use action if the module name is a variable as in > > you example. > > I think these two examples would fail. > > > >   - name: install basic package > >     {{ ansible\_pkg\_mgr }}: name=vim state=present update\_cache=yes > > > > and > > > >   - name: install basic package > >     {{ ansible\_pkg\_mgr }}: > >       name: vim > >       state: present > >       update\_cache: yes > > Indeed they fail, and there doesn't seem to be a useable replacement in the current syntax. ☹ If you don't need the cache update a module exist, it's called packages.