What does ansible-doc do?

ansible-doc is a command-line tool that comes with Ansible, used to display documentation for Ansible modules, plugins, and other components. It provides detailed information about how to use these components, including their parameters, options, and examples. Here are some key features of ansible-doc:

1. Module Documentation: You can use ansible-doc to view the documentation for a specific Ansible module. For example:

   ansible-doc <module_name>

   This command will display information about the specified module, including its parameters and usage examples.

2. List Available Modules: You can list all available modules by running:

   ansible-doc -l

   This will provide a summary of all modules that are installed and available for use.

3. Plugin Documentation: In addition to modules, ansible-doc can also be used to view documentation for various plugins, such as connection plugins, callback plugins, and lookup plugins.

4. Search Functionality: You can search for specific keywords in the documentation using:

   ansible-doc -s <keyword>

   This will return a list of modules or plugins that match the specified keyword.

5. Format Options: ansible-doc allows you to format the output in different ways, such as JSON or YAML, which can be useful for programmatic access to the documentation.

Overall, ansible-doc is a valuable tool for users to quickly access and understand the capabilities of Ansible modules and plugins, making it easier to write playbooks and automate tasks effectively.