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added module checklist docs #11027

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40 changes: 40 additions & 0 deletions docsite/rst/developing_modules.rst
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -449,6 +449,46 @@ a github pull request to the `extras <https://github.com/ansible/ansible-modules
Included modules will ship with ansible, and also have a chance to be promoted to 'core' status, which
gives them slightly higher development priority (though they'll work in exactly the same way).

Module checklist
````````````````

* The shebang should always be #!/usr/bin/python, this allows ansible_python_interpreter to work
* Documentation: Make sure it exists
* `required` should always be present, be it true or false
* If `required` is false you need to document `default`, even if its 'null'
* `default` is not needed for `required: true`
* Remove unnecessary doc like `aliases: []` or `choices: []`
* The version is not a float number and value the current development version
* The verify that arguments in doc and module spec dict are identical
* For password / secret arguments no_log=True should be set
* Requirements should be documented, using the `requirements=[]` field
* Author should be set, name and github id at least
* Made use of U() for urls, C() for files and options, I() for params, M() for modules?
* GPL License header
* Examples: make sure they are reproducible
* Return: document the return structure of the module
* Does module use check_mode? Could it be modified to use it? Document it
* Exceptions: The module must handle them. (exceptions are bugs)
* Give out useful messages on what you were doing and you can add the exception message to that.
* Avoid catchall exceptions, they are not very useful unless the underlying API gives very good error messages pertaining the attempted action.
* The module must not use sys.exit() --> use fail_json() from the module object
* Import custom packages in try/except and handled with fail_json() in main() e.g.::
* The return structure should be consistent, even if NA/None are used for keys normally returned under other options.

try:
import foo
HAS_LIB=True
except:
HAS_LIB=False

* Are module actions idempotent? If not document in the descriptions or the notes
* Import module snippets `from ansible.module_utils.basic import *` at the bottom, conserves line numbers for debugging.
* Try to normalize parameters with other modules, you can have aliases for when user is more familiar with underlying API name for the option
* Being pep8 compliant is nice, but not a requirement. Specifically, the 80 column limit now hinders readability more that it improves it
* Avoid '`action`/`command`', they are imperative and not declarative, there are other ways to express the same thing
* Sometimes you want to split the module, specially if you are adding a list/info state, you want a _facts version
* If you are asking 'how can i have a module execute other modules' ... you want to write a role


Deprecating and making module aliases
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