Modules

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# Modules

Salt modules are the functions called by the salt command.

See also

Full list of builtin modules

Salt ships with many modules that cover a wide variety of tasks.

## Easy Modules to write

Salt modules are amazingly simple to write. Just write a regular Python module or a regular Cython module and place it in the `salt/modules` directory. You can also place them in a directory called `_modules/` in your state directory.

Since Salt modules are just Python/Cython modules, there are no restraints on what you can put inside of a Salt module. If a Salt module has errors and cannot be imported, the Salt minion will continue to load without issue and the module with errors will simply be omitted.

If adding a Cython module the file must be named `<modulename>.pyx` so that the loader knows that the module needs to be imported as a Cython module. The compilation of the Cython module is automatic and happens when the minion starts, so only the `*.pyx` file is required.

## Cross Calling Modules

All of the Salt modules are available to each other, and can be "cross called". This means that, when creating a module, functions in modules that already exist can be called.

The variable `__salt__` is packed into the modules after they are loaded into the Salt minion. This variable is a Python dictionary of all of the Salt functions, laid out in the same way that they are made available to the Salt command.

Salt modules can be cross called by accessing the value in the `__salt__` dict:

    def foo(bar):
        return __salt__['cmd.run'](bar)

This code will call the Salt cmd module's `run` function and pass the argument `bar`.

## Preloaded Modules Data

When interacting with modules often it is nice to be able to read information dynamically about the minion, or load in configuration parameters for a module. Salt allows for different types of data to be loaded into the modules by the minion, as of this writing Salt loads information gathered from the Salt Grains system and from the minion configuration file.

### Grains Data

The Salt minion detects information about the system when started. This allows for modules to be written dynamically with respect to the underlying hardware and operating system. This information is referred to as Salt Grains, or "grains of salt". The Grains system was introduced to replace Facter, since relying on a Ruby application from a Python application was both slow and inefficient. Grains support replaces Facter in all Salt releases after 0.8

The values detected by the Salt Grains on the minion are available in a dict named `__grains__` and can be accessed from within callable objects in the Python modules.

To see the contents of the grains dict for a given system in your deployment run the `grains.items()` function:

    salt 'hostname' grains.items

To use the `__grains__` dict simply call it as a Python dict from within your code, an excellent example is available in the Grains module: `salt.modules.grains`.

### Module Configuration

Since parameters for configuring a module may be desired, Salt allows for configuration information stored in the main minion config file to be passed to the modules.

Since the minion configuration file is a YAML document, arbitrary configuration data can be passed in the minion config that is read by the modules. It is strongly recommended that the values passed in the configuration file match the module. This means that a value intended for the `test` module should be named `test.<value>`.

Configuration also requires that default configuration parameters need to be loaded as well. This can be done simply by adding the `__opts__` dict to the top level of the module.

The test module contains usage of the module configuration, and the default configuration file for the minion contains the information and format used to pass data to the modules. `salt.modules.test`, `conf/minion`.

## Printout Configuration

Since module functions can return different data, and the way the data is printed can greatly change the presentation, Salt has a printout configuration.

When writing a module the `__outputter__` dict can be declared in the module. The `__outputter__` dict contains a mapping of function name to Salt Outputter.

    __outputter__ = {
                    'run': 'txt'
                    }

This will ensure that the text outputter is used.

## Virtual Modules

Sometimes a module should be presented in a generic way. A good example of this can be found in the package manager modules. The package manager changes from one operating system to another, but the Salt module that interfaces with the package manager can be presented in a generic way.

The Salt modules for package managers all contain a `__virtual__` function which is called to define what systems the module should be loaded on.

The `__virtual__` function is used to return either a string or False. If False is returned then the module is not loaded, if a string is returned then the module is loaded with the name of the string.

This means that the package manager modules can be presented as the `pkg` module regardless of what the actual module is named.

The package manager modules are the best example of using the `__virtual__` function: https://github.com/saltstack/salt/blob/develop/salt/modules/pacman.py https://github.com/saltstack/salt/blob/develop/salt/modules/yumpkg.py https://github.com/saltstack/salt/blob/develop/salt/modules/apt.py

## Documentation

Salt modules are self documenting, the `sys.doc()` function will return the documentation for all available modules:

    salt '*' sys.doc

This function simple prints out the docstrings found in the modules, when writing Salt modules, please follow the formating conventions for docstrings as they appear in the other modules.

### Adding Documentation to Salt Modules

Since life is much better with documentation, it is strongly suggested that all Salt modules have documentation added. Any Salt modules submitted for inclusion in the main distribution of Salt will be required to have documentation.

Documenting Salt modules is easy! Just add a Python docstring to the function.

    def spam(eggs):
        '''
        A function to make some spam with eggs!

        CLI Example::

            salt '*' test.spam eggs
        '''
        return eggs

Now when the sys.doc call is executed the docstring will be cleanly returned to the calling terminal.

## How Functions are Read

In Salt, Python callable objects contained within a module are made available to the Salt minion for use. The only exception to this rule is a callable object with a name starting with an underscore `_`.

### Objects Loaded Into the Salt Minion

    def foo(bar):
        return bar

    class baz:
        def __init__(self, quo):
            pass

### Objects NOT Loaded into the Salt Minion

    def _foobar(baz): # Preceded with an _
        return baz

    cheese = {} # Not a callable Python object

## Examples of Salt Modules

The existing Salt modules should be fairly easy to read and understand, the goal of the main distribution's Salt modules is not only to build a set of functions for Salt, but to stand as examples for building out more Salt modules.

The existing modules can be found here: https://github.com/saltstack/salt/blob/develop/salt/modules

The most simple module is the test module, it contains the simplest Salt function, `test.ping`:

    def ping():
        '''
        Just used to make sure the minion is up and responding
        Return True

        CLI Example::

            salt '*' test.ping
        '''
        return True

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