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# Command Line Interface
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Ansible Core provides nine comprehensive command-line tools for different automation tasks. Each CLI tool follows consistent patterns for argument parsing, configuration, and output formatting while providing specialized functionality for specific automation scenarios.
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## Capabilities
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### Ad-hoc Command Execution
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Execute single tasks across multiple hosts without requiring playbooks, supporting all Ansible modules with pattern-based host selection and parallel execution.
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```python { .api }
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def main():
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    """
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    Entry point for ansible ad-hoc command execution.
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    Usage: ansible <host-pattern> -m <module> -a <arguments>
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    Returns:
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    int: Exit code (0 for success, non-zero for failure)
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    """
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```
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Examples:
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```bash
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# Ping all hosts
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ansible all -m ping
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# Execute shell commands
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ansible webservers -m shell -a "uptime"
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# Copy files
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ansible databases -m copy -a "src=/tmp/file dest=/tmp/file"
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```
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### Playbook Execution
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Execute YAML playbooks with comprehensive options for inventory selection, variable override, limit patterns, tags, verbosity control, and execution strategies.
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```python { .api }
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def main():
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    """
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    Entry point for ansible-playbook execution.
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    Usage: ansible-playbook [options] playbook.yml
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    Returns:
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    int: Exit code (0 for success, non-zero for failure)
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    """
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```
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Examples:
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```bash
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# Basic playbook execution
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ansible-playbook site.yml
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# With inventory and variables
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ansible-playbook -i inventory site.yml -e "version=1.2.3"
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# Limit to specific hosts
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ansible-playbook site.yml --limit webservers
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# Run specific tags
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ansible-playbook site.yml --tags deploy,config
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```
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### Configuration Management
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View, edit, and manage Ansible configuration settings with support for different configuration sources and comprehensive configuration validation.
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```python { .api }
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def main():
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    """
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    Entry point for ansible-config management.
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    Usage: ansible-config [view|edit|dump|list] [options]
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    Returns:
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    int: Exit code (0 for success, non-zero for failure)
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    """
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```
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Examples:
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```bash
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# View current configuration
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ansible-config view
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# List all configuration options
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ansible-config list
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# Dump all settings with sources
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ansible-config dump
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```
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### Interactive Console
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Interactive REPL environment for Ansible with command completion, history, and direct access to inventory and modules for exploratory automation.
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```python { .api }
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def main():
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    """
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    Entry point for ansible-console interactive environment.
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    Usage: ansible-console [host-pattern]
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    Returns:
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    int: Exit code (0 for success, non-zero for failure)
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    """
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```
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Examples:
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```bash
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# Start console with all hosts
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ansible-console
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# Start console with specific pattern
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ansible-console webservers
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# Interactive commands within console
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root@all (3)[f:5]$ ping
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root@all (3)[f:5]$ setup
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```
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### Documentation Viewer
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Built-in documentation system providing comprehensive module, plugin, and keyword documentation with search capabilities and multiple output formats.
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```python { .api }
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def main():
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    """
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    Entry point for ansible-doc documentation viewer.
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    Usage: ansible-doc [options] [plugin]
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    Returns:
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    int: Exit code (0 for success, non-zero for failure)
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    """
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```
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Examples:
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```bash
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# List all modules
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ansible-doc -l
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# View module documentation
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ansible-doc copy
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# View plugin documentation
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ansible-doc -t connection ssh
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# Search documentation
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ansible-doc -F keyword copy
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```
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### Galaxy Collection Management
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Ansible Galaxy integration for downloading, installing, and managing collections and roles with dependency resolution and version management.
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```python { .api }
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def main():
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    """
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    Entry point for ansible-galaxy collection management.
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    Usage: ansible-galaxy [collection|role] [action] [options]
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    Returns:
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    int: Exit code (0 for success, non-zero for failure)
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    """
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```
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Examples:
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```bash
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# Install collection
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ansible-galaxy collection install community.general
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# Install from requirements
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ansible-galaxy collection install -r requirements.yml
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# Create collection skeleton
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ansible-galaxy collection init my_namespace.my_collection
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# List installed collections
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ansible-galaxy collection list
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```
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### Inventory Management
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Inventory inspection and management tools supporting multiple inventory sources with host and group listing capabilities and graph visualization.
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```python { .api }
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def main():
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    """
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    Entry point for ansible-inventory management.
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    Usage: ansible-inventory [options] [host|group]
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    Returns:
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    int: Exit code (0 for success, non-zero for failure)
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    """
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```
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Examples:
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```bash
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# List all inventory
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ansible-inventory --list
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# Show inventory graph
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ansible-inventory --graph
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# Export to YAML
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ansible-inventory --list --yaml
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# Show specific host
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ansible-inventory --host webserver1
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```
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### Pull-based Automation
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Git-based automation for distributed deployments where managed nodes pull configurations from version control systems rather than being pushed from a control node.
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```python { .api }
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def main():
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    """
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    Entry point for ansible-pull automation.
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    Usage: ansible-pull -U <repository> [options] [playbook]
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    Returns:
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    int: Exit code (0 for success, non-zero for failure)
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    """
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```
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Examples:
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```bash
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# Pull and run playbook
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ansible-pull -U https://github.com/example/playbooks.git site.yml
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# With specific branch and interval
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ansible-pull -U repo.git -C production --sleep 300 site.yml
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# With vault password
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ansible-pull -U repo.git --vault-password-file /path/to/vault site.yml
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```
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### Secrets Management
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Ansible Vault integration for encrypting sensitive data including variables, files, and entire playbooks with multiple encryption methods and key management.
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```python { .api }
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def main():
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    """
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    Entry point for ansible-vault secrets management.
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    Usage: ansible-vault [create|edit|encrypt|decrypt|view] [options] file
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    Returns:
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    int: Exit code (0 for success, non-zero for failure)  
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    """
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```
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Examples:
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```bash
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# Create encrypted file
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ansible-vault create secrets.yml
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# Encrypt existing file
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ansible-vault encrypt vars.yml
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# Edit encrypted file
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ansible-vault edit secrets.yml
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# View encrypted file
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ansible-vault view secrets.yml
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# Decrypt file
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ansible-vault decrypt secrets.yml
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```
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## Base CLI Framework
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### CLI Base Class
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```python { .api }
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class CLI:
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    """
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    Base class for all Ansible CLI tools providing common functionality.
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    Attributes:
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    - args: Parsed command line arguments
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    - options: CLI options configuration
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    - parser: Argument parser instance
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    """
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    def __init__(self, args=None):
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        """Initialize CLI base class"""
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    def parse(self):
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        """Parse command line arguments"""
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    def run(self):
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        """Execute CLI command logic"""
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```
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### Helper Functions
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```python { .api }
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def opt_help(option):
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    """
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    Generate help text for CLI options.
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    Parameters:
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    - option: CLI option configuration
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    Returns:
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    str: Formatted help text
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    """
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class SortingHelpFormatter:
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    """Custom help formatter for consistent CLI output"""
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```
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## CLI Configuration
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All CLI tools support common options:
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- **Inventory**: `-i, --inventory` - Specify inventory sources
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- **Verbosity**: `-v, -vv, -vvv, -vvvv` - Control output verbosity
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- **Connection**: `-c, --connection` - Connection type (ssh, local, etc.)
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- **User**: `-u, --user` - Remote user for connections
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- **Become**: `-b, --become` - Privilege escalation
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- **Variables**: `-e, --extra-vars` - Additional variables
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- **Limits**: `-l, --limit` - Host pattern restrictions
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- **Tags**: `-t, --tags` - Run specific tags
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- **Skip Tags**: `--skip-tags` - Skip specific tags