Select PHP version on RedHat

[benoistlaurent]

Description

If I'm not mistaken, one cannot select the PHP version to install on RedHat.

Why is it important?

This is critically important to me because I am developing this role that installs a website that requires PHP >= 7.4 (namely dokuwiki).

Now, in my opinion, my ansible-role-dokuwiki is totally responsible for installing the PHP version it requires.

Right now, this is done by selecting the appropriate module before running the php role:

ansible-role-dokuwiki/tasks/main.yml:

- name: Selects PHP:7.4 (RedHat)
  command: "dnf module enable -y php:7.4"
  when: ansible_os_family == "RedHat"

- name: Install php
  include_role: 
    name: geerlingguy.php

Also, my role defines geerlingguy.php as a dependency in meta/main.yml.

Problem

As ansible runs the dependencies before the current role tasks, it results in a bug due to RedHat's (rightful) refusal to select a different PHP version after installing certain packages.

Proposed solution

1. Defining php_default_version_redhat in defaults/main.yml
2. Include this in tasks/main.yml

- name: Set the default PHP version for RedHat-based OSes.
  command: "dnf module enable -y php:{{ php_default_version_redhat }}"  
  when: php_default_version_redhat is defined and ansible_os_family == 'RedHat'

Workaround

The workaround would be to select the appropriate PHP module in the playbook that runs ansible-role-dokuwiki:

server-setup.yml:

---
- hosts: all
  pre_tasks:
   - name: Selects PHP:7.4 (RedHat)
     command: "dnf module enable -y php:7.4"
     when: ansible_os_family == "RedHat"

  roles:
    - ansible-role-dokuwiki

This is not acceptable for me, as, again, to me, ansible-role-dokuwiki is suppose to install the adequate version of PHP, depending on the dokuwiki version the user is ultimately installing.

[brendon-stephens]

+1 this would be a good addition to the role.

In my circumstance I needed to install php8.1 which required an extra step to add in the remi repo

        - name: Install remi repository
          ansible.builtin.include_role:
            name: geerlingguy.repo-remi

        - name: Enable php:remi-8.1
           command: "dnf module enable -y php:remi-8.1"

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