Ansible fails with /bin/sh: 1: /usr/bin/python: not found

Question

I\'m running into an error I\'ve never seen before. Here is the command and the error:

$ ansible-playbook create_api.yml

PLAY [straw] **********************         


        

Answer 1

Lots of answers.. Thanks for posting as I got started from this page too!

I did a bit of digging and it was solid with Ubuntu 14.04LTS, Ubuntu 15.04LTS appeared to have dropped the latest python, and Ubuntu 16.04LTS appears to have dropped aptitude.

I put the following action in my bootstrap before doing any apt calls:

- name: "FIX: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS doesn't come with certain modules, required by ansible"
  raw: apt-get install python-minimal aptitude -y
  become: true
  become_user: root
  become_method: sudo

If you manage become elsewhere, feel free to strip it.

Sources:

• https://github.com/ansible/ansible-modules-core/issues/3523#issuecomment-222368182
• https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/16884#issuecomment-278138707