Ansible : Git module clone of repository while re-run is throwing exception

Question

I am using ansible-playbook to setup server, which is cloning the repo from github. While I am re-running the play-book, I am getting the exception as msg: fatal: destination path '/webapps/........' already exists and is not an empty directory.

TASK: [web | Setup the Git repo] **********************************************
failed: [192.168.1.96] => {"cmd": "/usr/bin/git clone --origin origin --branch master https://github.com/....../......git /webapps/....../...../....", "failed": true, "rc": 128}
stderr: fatal: destination path '/webapps/..../..../....' already exists and is not an empty directory.

msg: fatal: destination path '/webapps/..../..../....' already exists and is not an empty directory.

FATAL: all hosts have already failed -- aborting

PLAYBOOK

- name: Setup the Git repo
  git: repo={{ git_repo }}
       version="{{ git_branch }}"
       dest={{ project_path }}
       accept_hostkey=yes
       force=yes
  when: setup_git_repo is defined and setup_git_repo
  tags: git

- name: Delete all .pyc files
  command: find . -name '*.pyc' -delete
  args:
    chdir: "{{ project_path }}"
  tags: git

How do I skip this step (or) over-write the files, if files are already cloned and exists in server.?.

Answer 1

I am still having the issue and figured out the following (hacky) workaround:

- name: Setup the Git repo
  git: repo={{ git_repo }}
       version="{{ git_branch }}"
       dest={{ project_path }}
       accept_hostkey=yes
       force=yes
  when: setup_git_repo is defined and setup_git_repo
  tags: git
  ignore_errors: yes
  register: clone_command_res
  
- name: Only allow the expected failure
  assert:
    that: "not clone_command_res['failed'] or 'already exists and is not an empty directory' in clone_command_res['msg'].lower()"

In the later, it is possible that the error message can vary, depending upon your previous status (eg my error message is Local modifications exist in repository) or worse, git and/or ansible versions. In any case, just include the expected error messages (kind of like a try/catch).

Although it would be much nicer if there was an option for this case in ansible git module, this should do it for now.

Answer 2

Why do not check if the directory exists, and if yes, do not clone it (but maybe pull it ?)