1---
 2layout: post
 3title:  "Automating desktop setup with ansible-pull part-2"
 4date:   2019-04-22
 5tags: ['ansible', 'ansible-pull', 'linux', 'fedora']
 6---
 7
 8[See part 1]({% post_url 2019-03-07-ansible-part-1 %})
 9
10Now we're gonna setup ansible to work with a git repository. The process is quite similar with `ansible-playbook` the only difference is that command will get a repository instead of a folder. Following the previews example we'll get vim setup automated.
11
12Do create a git repository wherever you see fit ([gitlab](https://about.gitlab.com/) and [github](https://github.com/) offer free repositories). For this task we're gonna need to add only two file: one for the `yml` file describing the tasks and the `.vimrc` file.
13
14In the `.vimrc` add your own configuration, you can see mine [over here](https://github.com/gabrielgio/homestation/blob/241b27285d8cba8548277f3508e097439831a6eb/config/.vimrc), it is pretty simple as I don't use it but for simple text editing (like this post) so you can start with that if you don't have one.
15
16The `yml` file will have two tasks, one is to install vim itself, identical as in the part 1.
17
18{% highlight yml %}
19# main.yml
20---
21- name: install vim
22  dnf:
23    name: vim
24    state: latest
25{% endhighlight %}
26
27To copy `.vimrc` file to your `$HOME` we going to use [copy module](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/modules/copy_module.html):
28
29{% highlight yml %}
30# main.yml
31---
32- name: copy vimrc file
33  copy:
34    src: config/.vimrc
35    dest: ~/
36    mode: 0644
37{% endhighlight %}
38
39After adding those two files your repository will be something [like this](https://github.com/gabrielgio/homestation/tree/debcf3458df511aef9f7dca0cb73f6cf6baddd5d).
40
41And now we just need to run `ansible-pull` command
42
43{% highlight bash %}
44# you may need run it as a sudo
45ansible-pull -U <YOUR_REPO> -i all main.yml
46{% endhighlight %} 
47
48Params:
49* `-i` is a list of hosts. 
50* `-U` is the git repository url.
51
52Remember `man` is your best friend take a look at `man ansible-pull` to know more about its parameters.
53
54The best part you can quickly test and see the result by just running my sample:
55{% highlight bash %}
56ansible-pull -U https://github.com/gabrielgio/homestation.git -C debcf3458df511aef9f7dca0cb73f6cf6baddd5d -i all main.yml
57{% endhighlight %}
58
59The idea here is to keep your repository as a source of truth when comes to configuration, you can add this task to your cron tab, so you just need to push something to your repository and after a few minutes not only your machine but all the machines that have it setup will receive an update. You can use this method as a simple way to install software, update machines or even distribute tools company-wise.