During a configuration-management project you need an Ansible playbook to replace /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf on several hosts and ensure that Apache is restarted only when the file is actually updated. Which playbook pattern best satisfies this requirement while preserving idempotency?
Run the copy module task and then, regardless of change status, execute a command module task that runs "systemctl restart httpd".
Use a shell module task to overwrite the file and rely on args: creates=/etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf, followed by a command task that restarts httpd.
Create a task that copies or templates the configuration file with the copy (or template) module and uses notify to call a handler that restarts httpd with the service module.
Place the restart command inside a raw module task within a block that always runs with when: changed=true.
An idempotent solution relies on a state-aware module to detect whether the destination file changed and, only in that case, trigger a handler. When a copy (or template) task reports a "changed" result it can notify a handler that uses the service module to restart httpd. Handlers run once per play and only if they are notified, preventing unnecessary restarts. By contrast, running shell or command tasks that invoke "systemctl restart httpd" unconditionally forces a change on every run and violates idempotency, even if the file did not change. Using "creates" with shell or raw tasks still misses changes to an existing file, so the restart may be skipped when it is actually required or executed when it is not, making those patterns unsuitable.
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What is idempotency in the context of Ansible playbooks?
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How does the 'notify' function work in Ansible?
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Why are shell and command modules less suited for idempotent operations?
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