# Source Index

This skill is a routing and safety guide, not a frozen command reference. Re-check current primary documentation before asserting version-specific behavior, package availability, service defaults, or upgrade paths.

| Area | Primary source | What it grounds | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenSSH client/configuration | [OpenBSD ssh(1)](https://man.openbsd.org/ssh.1), [ssh_config(5)](https://man.openbsd.org/ssh_config.5) | Host-key behavior, `ProxyJump`, connection multiplexing | 2026-07-13 |
| Ansible playbooks | [Check and diff mode](https://docs.ansible.com/projects/ansible/latest/playbook_guide/playbooks_checkmode.html), [execution strategies](https://docs.ansible.com/projects/ansible/latest/playbook_guide/playbooks_strategies.html) | Simulation limits, diff sensitivity, serial rollout | 2026-07-13 |
| Ansible modules | [package](https://docs.ansible.com/projects/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/builtin/package_module.html), [template](https://docs.ansible.com/projects/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/builtin/template_module.html), [copy](https://docs.ansible.com/projects/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/builtin/copy_module.html), [file](https://docs.ansible.com/projects/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/builtin/file_module.html), [lineinfile](https://docs.ansible.com/projects/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/builtin/lineinfile_module.html), [command](https://docs.ansible.com/projects/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/builtin/command_module.html), [systemd_service](https://docs.ansible.com/projects/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/builtin/systemd_service_module.html), [reboot](https://docs.ansible.com/projects/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/builtin/reboot_module.html) | Generic-module limits, package-name variance, safe config replacement, narrow unmanaged-file editing, command idempotence, systemd scope, and reconnect behavior | 2026-07-13 |
| Ansible administration | [Ansible CLI](https://docs.ansible.com/projects/ansible/latest/command_guide/index.html), [inventory CLI](https://docs.ansible.com/projects/ansible/latest/cli/ansible-inventory.html), [Vault](https://docs.ansible.com/projects/ansible/latest/vault_guide/index.html), [delegation](https://docs.ansible.com/projects/ansible/latest/playbook_guide/playbooks_delegation.html), and `references/ansible.md` (index to `references/ansible-administration-and-safety.md` and `references/ansible-runbooks-and-advanced-operations.md`) | Installation, effective configuration, inventory inspection, content patterns, vault lifecycle, delegated rollout, platform boundaries, troubleshooting, and lifecycle routing | 2026-07-13 |
| Ansible quality gates | [ansible-lint configuration](https://ansible.readthedocs.io/projects/lint/configuring/), [Molecule workflow](https://ansible.readthedocs.io/projects/molecule/workflow/), and [Molecule CI](https://ansible.readthedocs.io/projects/molecule/ci/) | Lint policy/exceptions, CI behavior, scenario lifecycle, idempotence, and outcome verification | 2026-07-13 |
| Paramiko | [Paramiko documentation](https://docs.paramiko.org/en/stable/) and [SSHClient API](https://docs.paramiko.org/en/stable/api/client.html) | Client, host-key, channel, and SFTP responsibilities | 2026-07-13 |
| systemd | [systemctl manual](https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/latest/systemctl.html) | Unit lifecycle and state inspection | 2026-07-13 |
| Linux firewall | [nftables wiki](https://wiki.nftables.org/wiki-nftables/index.php/Main_Page) | nftables architecture and CLI concepts | 2026-07-13 |
| Debian/Ubuntu packages and lifecycle | [Ubuntu software management](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/server/tutorial/managing-software), [automatic updates](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/server/how-to/software/automatic-updates/), [Debian release upgrades](https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/release-notes/upgrading.en.html), [Ubuntu release upgrades](https://documentation.ubuntu.com/server/how-to/software/upgrade-your-release/) | APT metadata/transaction distinction, dpkg conffiles, unattended updates, and package versus release lifecycle | 2026-07-13 |
| Debian/Ubuntu networking | [Netplan YAML](https://netplan.readthedocs.io/en/stable/netplan-yaml/), [NetworkManager administration](https://networkmanager.dev/docs/admins/), [systemd-networkd](https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/latest/systemd-networkd.service.html), [cloud-init boot stages](https://docs.cloud-init.io/en/latest/explanation/boot.html) | Renderer and generator ownership before network mutation | 2026-07-13 |
| RHEL/Fedora packages and lifecycle | [DNF documentation](https://dnf.readthedocs.io/en/latest/), [Red Hat package management (RHEL 9 reference)](https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/9/html/managing_software_with_the_dnf_tool/index), [Upgrading from RHEL 8 to RHEL 9 (RHEL 9 reference)](https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/9/html-single/upgrading_from_rhel_8_to_rhel_9/index), [Fedora offline upgrade](https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/quick-docs/upgrading-fedora-offline/) | DNF transaction/history/repository inspection and vendor-specific major upgrade workflows | 2026-07-13 |
| RHEL/Fedora services and policy | [RHEL NetworkManager (RHEL 9 reference)](https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/9/html/configuring_and_managing_networking/using-networkmanager-to-manage-network-connections_configuring-and-managing-networking), [firewalld documentation](https://firewalld.org/documentation/), [RHEL SELinux (RHEL 9 reference)](https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/9/html/using_selinux/index) | Connection ownership, firewall control plane, and SELinux diagnosis boundaries | 2026-07-13 |
| SUSE/openSUSE lifecycle | [SUSE lifecycle](https://www.suse.com/lifecycle/), [SLES transactional updates](https://documentation.suse.com/sles/15-SP6/html/SLES-all/cha-transactional-updates.html), [SLE Micro transactional updates](https://documentation.suse.com/sle-micro/6.0/html/Micro-transactional-updates/index.html), [openSUSE lifetime](https://en.opensuse.org/Lifetime) | Product support, transactional snapshots, reboot activation, and rollback boundaries | 2026-07-13 |
| Arch packages and recovery | [System maintenance](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/System_maintenance), [Pacman](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Pacman), [systemd](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Systemd), [nftables](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Nftables) | Full-system upgrades, configuration files, signatures, service discovery, and firewall ownership | 2026-07-13 |
| Alpine packages and persistence | [Alpine Package Keeper](https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/Alpine_Package_Keeper), [Diskless Mode](https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/Diskless_Mode), [Alpine local backup](https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/Alpine_local_backup), [OpenRC](https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/OpenRC) | apk configuration conflicts, persistence modes, LBU/apkovl, and service-manager boundaries | 2026-07-13 |
| FreeBSD configuration and lifecycle | [FreeBSD Handbook: configuration](https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/config/), [updating and upgrading](https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/cutting-edge/), [ports and packages](https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/ports/) | rc ownership, base-system lifecycle, and package/ports separation | 2026-07-13 |
| FreeBSD recovery and networking | [FreeBSD Handbook: ZFS](https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/zfs/), [bectl(8)](https://man.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=bectl&sektion=8), [FreeBSD Handbook: firewalls](https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/firewalls/) | ZFS/boot-environment limits and PF/IPFW/IPFILTER ownership | 2026-07-13 |
| NetBSD services and lifecycle | [NetBSD rc.d guide](https://www.netbsd.org/docs/guide/en/chap-rc.html), [NetBSD upgrading guide](https://www.netbsd.org/docs/guide/en/chap-upgrading.html), [pkgsrc guide](https://www.netbsd.org/docs/pkgsrc/using.html), [pkg_add(1)](https://man.netbsd.org/pkg_add.1) | rc ownership, base lifecycle, and pkgsrc binary/source boundaries | 2026-07-13 |
| NetBSD networking and firewall | [NetBSD networking guide](https://www.netbsd.org/docs/guide/en/chap-net-practice.html) | Network persistence and NPF, PF, or IPF control-plane discovery | 2026-07-13 |
| OpenBSD services | [rcctl(8)](https://man.openbsd.org/rcctl) | daemon configuration, enablement, and actions | 2026-07-13 |
| OpenBSD packages | [pkg_add(1)](https://man.openbsd.org/pkg_add) | package install/update, signatures, package/base distinction | 2026-07-13 |
| OpenBSD base patches | [syspatch(8)](https://man.openbsd.org/syspatch) | official-release binary patch lifecycle and rollback behavior | 2026-07-13 |
| OpenBSD PF | [pfctl(8)](https://man.openbsd.org/pfctl), [pf.conf(5)](https://man.openbsd.org/pf.conf) | rule validation/loading and PF control scope | 2026-07-13 |
| Apple launchd | [Creating Launch Daemons and Agents](https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/BPSystemStartup/Chapters/CreatingLaunchdJobs.html) | daemon/agent distinction, labels, and launchd ownership model | 2026-07-13 |
| Apple networking | target-host `networksetup(8)` manual (version-specific) | network-service configuration controls | 2026-07-13 |
| Apple software updates | [Update macOS on Mac](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102662) and target-host `softwareupdate(8)` manual | Apple-provided update planning and target-version-specific update behavior | 2026-07-13 |
| Apple firewall | [Block connections to your Mac with a firewall](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/change-firewall-settings-mh34041/mac) | application/service firewall behavior | 2026-07-13 |
| Apple deployment | [Apple Platform Deployment](https://support.apple.com/guide/deployment/welcome/web), [Firewall payload](https://support.apple.com/guide/deployment/firewall-payload-settings-dep8d306275f/web) | Apple-supported management, profile ownership, and Application Firewall controls | 2026-07-13 |
| Homebrew | [Homebrew manpage](https://docs.brew.sh/Manpage) | package-manager behavior and environment controls | 2026-07-13 |

## Research observations

- Ansible documents `--check` as a simulation with module support gaps and notes that `--diff` can expose sensitive information; the skill therefore treats both as previews, not proof.
- `references/ansible.md` is the index for the deep operational Ansible reference, split into `references/ansible-administration-and-safety.md` (sections 1-13) and `references/ansible-runbooks-and-advanced-operations.md` (sections 14-21). It was grounded in current Ansible Community, ansible-lint, and Molecule documentation; re-check it against the project runtime before asserting version-specific behavior.
- Paramiko documents that clients are responsible for authentication and checking server host keys; the skill therefore forbids automatic acceptance of unknown keys.
- OpenBSD documents `rcctl` actions and `pkg_add`'s signed-package behavior; the skill keeps OpenBSD service and package guidance separate from Linux and FreeBSD.
- The FreeBSD Handbook distinguishes prebuilt packages from ports; the skill does not present them as a single update mechanism.
- The platform overlays require control-plane ownership discovery before service, package, network, firewall, storage, or lifecycle mutation; manager success is recorded as component evidence, not boundary health.
- Each network or firewall overlay links to the shared connectivity gate so a platform-specific command never substitutes for retained access, independent recovery, rollback, and verification.

## Refresh rules

Refresh this index before adding exact release support windows, package versions, security advisories, default firewall behavior, command flags that vary by release, or OS upgrade procedures. If a primary site is unavailable to a crawler, use the maintained canonical URL and state the retrieval limitation rather than replacing it with a plausible paraphrase.

Before RHEL lifecycle work, select documentation for the observed target major release and refresh every RHEL 9 reference in this index as needed. RHEL 9 links are examples and reference guides, not generic current-RHEL documentation.