Files
ansible-role-unix-users/README.md
T
volker.raschekandCopilot 5f757914be fix(tasks): remove the btrfs subvolume of a deleted unix user
Deleting a user whose home is a btrfs subvolume left that subvolume behind. The role passed remove=true to the user
module, but userdel removes a home directory with rmdir, which refuses to delete a subvolume that still holds nested
subvolumes or is otherwise not empty. The home therefore survived the removal and blocked a later recreation of the
same user, because btrfs_subvolume then found the path already occupied.

The subvolume is now deleted explicitly by the same module that created it, which keeps the creation and the removal
symmetric. Snapshots are stored outside the subvolume, so a btrbk based backup keeps the data available even though
the home itself is gone.

The removal is skipped when the home directory no longer exists, since findmnt fails on a missing path.

Co-authored-by: Copilot <copilot@github.com>
2026-09-09 21:39:42 +02:00

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5.5 KiB
Markdown

# volker-raschek.unix-users
![Ansible Role](https://img.shields.io/ansible/role/d/volker-raschek/unix-users)
The ansible role `volker-raschek.unix-users` create and manage users on Linux based distributions. For example for Arch
Linux, Fedora and Ubuntu. Furthermore, the role can also be used to create groups, `~/.forward`, `~/.netrc` and to
manage the `~/.ssh` directory.
## Examples
### User and group
The following example create the user `toor` and group `toor`. Booth with a specific id.
```yaml
unix_groups:
toor:
gid: "1001"
state: present
unix_users:
toor:
state: present
name: Toor
uid: "1000"
home: /home/toor
shell: /bin/bash
password: toor
group: toor
```
### Btrfs home dir
Optionally, the home directory of a user can also be created as dedicated btrfs subvolume. This make it possible to
create snapshots of the home directory, for example via `btrbk`.
> [!WARNING]
> Removing a user with `state: absent` also deletes the btrfs subvolume of the home directory. Snapshots taken from that
> subvolume are not removed and keep the data available.
```yaml
unix_users:
toor:
state: present
name: Toor
uid: "1000"
home: /home/toor
btrfs: true
shell: /bin/bash
password: toor
group: toor
```
### .netrc
The ansible role supports the creation and management of the `.netrc` file in a user's home directory. The `.netrc` file
for the user `toor` is created below. This contains entries for GitHub.
```yaml
unix_users:
toor:
state: present
name: Toor
uid: "1000"
home: /home/toor
netrc:
- machine: github.com
login: octocat
password: pat_12345
- machine: api.github.com
login: octocat
password: pat_12345
shell: /bin/bash
password: toor
group: toor
```
### .ssh
The SSH client directory `~/.ssh` can also be managed via the Ansible role. This supports the creation and management of
`~/.ssh/config`, `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` as well as the maintenance of private and public SSH keys.
The following example create two entries in `~/.ssh/authorized_keys`. One normal SSH access for `claire`. If `bob`
establish a SSH connection the command `/usr/local/bin/upload-file.sh` will be executed and exited. Furthermore,
environment variables can be espcilitly defined, to consume it during execution of the command.
> [!IMPORTANT]
> To allow consuming environment variables must be set `PermitUserEnvironment yes` in `/etc/ssh/sshd_config`.
The private key `toor@toor-pc.ed25519.key` must be stored in `ssh/private_keys`. The public key will be automatically
extracted from the private key.
The public keys `claire@claire-pc.pub` as well as `bob@bob-pc.pub` must be stored in `ssh/authorized_keys`.
```yaml
unix_users:
toor:
state: present
name: Toor
uid: "1000"
home: /home/toor
ssh:
config:
- Host: "*"
StrictHostKeyChecking: "no"
UserKnownHostFile: /dev/null
authorized_keys:
- filename: claire@claire-pc.pub
- command: /usr/local/bin/upload-file.sh
envs:
- key: SSH_KEY_NAME
value: bob@bob-pc
filename: bob@bob-pc.pub
private_keys:
- toor@toor-pc.ed25519.key
shell: /bin/bash
password: toor
group: toor
```
### .forward
If on the system is postfix installed, postfix will respect the `~/.forward`
[file](https://www.postfix.org/local.8.html). This allows to forward local emails to external email addresses. The
following example create the `~/.forward` file for `toor` to forward emails to `toor@company.example.local`.
```yaml
unix_users:
toor:
state: present
name: Toor
uid: "1000"
home: /home/toor
email: toor@company.example.local
shell: /bin/bash
password: toor
group: toor
```
### shell_rc files
The role also supports the creation of bashrc drop-in files. These are created in `~/.bashrc.d` and included by
`~/.bashrc` via `source`.
Program-related configurations can be made via a drop-in file. For example, the configuration of the bash history via
the environment variables `HISTCONTROL` or `HISTFILE`. In addition to environment variables, aliases and complete
functions can also be defined.
```yaml
unix_users:
toor:
state: present
name: Toor
uid: "1000"
home: /home/toor
email: toor@company.example.local
shell: /bin/bash
shell_rc_files:
- file: "/home/toor/.bashrc.d/10-docker.bashrc" # absolute or relative path to home dir
aliases:
- key: "dcd"
value: "docker-compose down"
envs:
- export: true
key: "PATH"
value: "/home/toor/workspace/docker-compose/bin:${PATH}" # Add local compiled docker-compose into $PATH
functions:
- name: "foo"
value: |
if ! which docker 1> /dev/null; then
echo "ERROR: docker not found" 1>&2
exit 1
fi
password: toor
group: toor
```
## Further ansible roles
This ansible role is used in combination with other ansible roles of `volker-raschek`. You can search for the other
ansible roles via the following command.
```bash
$ ansible-galaxy role search --author "volker-raschek"
Found roles matching your search:
Name Description
---- -----------
volker-raschek.bind9 Role to install and configure bind9 on different distributions
volker-raschek.dhcpd Role to install and configure dhcpd on different distributions
volker-raschek.renovate Role to configure renovate as container image
...
```