fabric

Python SSH automation and deployment tool

TLDR

Run command on remote host

$ fab -H [host] -- [command]

Run task from fabfile

$ fab [taskname]

Run task on specific host

$ fab -H [user@host] [taskname]

List available tasks

$ fab --list

Run with specific identity file

$ fab -i [~/.ssh/key] -H [host] [taskname]

SYNOPSIS

fab [options] [task[:arg,...]]...

Fabric is a Python library and command-line tool for executing shell commands on remote servers over SSH. It simplifies deployment, system administration, and automation tasks.
Tasks are defined in a fabfile.py using Python. Fabric 2.x provides a cleaner API than version 1.x, with Connection objects and a simpler task decorator.

PARAMETERS

-H, --hosts hosts

Comma-separated host list.

-i key

SSH identity file.

-u, --user user

SSH username.

-l, --list

List available tasks.

-p, --password

Prompt for SSH password.

-d task

Show task docstring.

-- command

Run shell command directly.

-c, --config file

Config file path.

-r, --roles roles

Roles to operate on.

FABFILE EXAMPLE

$ from fabric import task

@task
def deploy(c):
    c.run("git pull")
    c.run("pip install -r requirements.txt")
    c.run("systemctl restart myapp")

@task
def uptime(c):
    c.run("uptime")

CAVEATS

Version 2.x is significantly different from 1.x. Requires SSH access. Python 3 required for Fabric 2+. Complex deployments may benefit from Ansible or similar tools.

HISTORY

Fabric was created by Jeff Forcier in 2009 as a simpler alternative to Capistrano for Python deployments. Version 2.0, released in 2018, was a complete rewrite with a modernized API.