Install Ansible on Windows using Cygwin

1. Install Cygwin

Go to https://www.cygwin.com/install.html and download setup-x86_64.exe Run it

• Select 'Install from Internet'
• Choose root directory (default)
• Choose pacakage directory to store installation files
• Use System Proxy Settings
• Select any mirror site to download

In 'Select Packages'

• select Category dropdown and search for lynx
• Go to All -> Web -> lynx: A text-based Web Browser
• Select latest version
• Click next to complete installation

2. Install apt-cyg

This is a package manager for cygwin

To install:

• lynx -source rawgit.com/transcode-open/apt-cyg/master/apt-cyg > apt-cyg
• install apt-cyg /bin

3. Install dependencies for ansible

To install altogether

• apt-cyg install binutils curl gcc-core gmp libgmp-devel make python python-crypto python-openssl python-setuptools python-devel git nano openssh openssl openssl-devel

You can also install individually by using

• apt-cyg install <package_name> or by using the installation GUI

4. Install Ansible

To install

• easy_install-2.7 pip
• pip install ansible -vvv
• Here, the -vvv is used in case the install seems too slow. It will show you if everything is still working.

5. Test ansible

To test installation

• ansible
• Should receive list of options

Some configuration

Cygwin comes with some strange default settings, particularly if using vi or vim.

Open a .virc file.

• vi ~/.virc

Type in

set nocompatible
set backspace=2 

Save and we should be good to go!