ansible-lint uses occasionally all of the memory

[RRohi]

Summary

Occasionally, ansible-lint uses up all available memory and hangs the container.
At first it had 1 core, 2GB memory, now it has 2 cores, 4GB memory, but that didn't help. If I would add more, it would still use all of it.
It always happens a few minutes after I connect to the remote host in VSCode. And later as well, when I'm working on different playbooks. I have no idea what triggers it.

Issue Type

• Bug Report

OS / ENVIRONMENT

ps aux output from the last time:

USER     PID     %CPU %MEM  VSZ   RSS TTY      STAT   START   TIME COMMAND
root     2771124  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771125  0.0  1.0  68668 42360 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771138  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771139  0.0  1.0  68672 42748 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771148  0.0  0.0   2580   384 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771150  0.0  1.0  68688 42564 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771157  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771158  0.0  1.0  68672 42604 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771167  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771169  0.0  1.0  68672 42608 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771177  0.0  0.0   2580   384 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771178  0.0  1.0  68672 42436 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771206  0.0  0.0   2580   384 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771207  0.0  1.0  68668 42608 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771220  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771221  0.0  1.0  68668 42612 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771227  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771228  0.0  1.0  68668 42612 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771243  0.0  0.0   2580   384 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771244  0.0  1.0  68668 42616 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771251  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771252  0.0  1.0  68668 42476 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771267  0.0  0.0   2580   384 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771268  0.0  1.0  68672 42604 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771277  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771279  0.0  1.0  68668 42612 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771317  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771318  0.0  1.0  68668 42480 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771327  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771329  0.0  1.0  68668 42224 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771339  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771340  0.0  1.0  68668 42488 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771347  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771348  0.0  1.0  68668 42612 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771366  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771367  0.0  1.0  68668 42608 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771378  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771379  0.0  1.0  68672 42608 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771392  0.0  0.0   2580   384 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771393  0.0  1.0  68688 42612 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771408  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771410  0.0  1.0  68704 42480 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771421  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771422  0.0  1.0  68668 42608 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771433  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771434  0.0  1.0  68668 42488 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771445  0.0  0.0   2580   384 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771446  0.0  1.0  68672 42608 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771456  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771457  0.0  1.0  68672 42480 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771463  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771464  0.0  1.0  68668 42476 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771483  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771484  0.0  1.0  68672 42488 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771490  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771491  0.0  1.0  68672 42616 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771496  0.0  0.0   2488   384 ?        S    22:15   0:00 sleep 180
root     2771516  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771517  0.0  1.0  68672 42608 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771527  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771528  0.0  1.0  68672 42736 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771539  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771540  0.0  1.0  68704 42484 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771552  0.0  0.0   2580   384 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771553  0.0  1.0  68668 42612 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771562  0.0  0.0   2580   384 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771564  0.0  1.0  68668 42608 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771573  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771575  0.0  1.0  68668 42612 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771586  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771588  0.0  1.0  68668 42604 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771598  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771599  0.0  1.0  68668 42604 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771608  0.0  0.0   2580   384 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771609  0.0  1.0  68668 42600 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771616  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771617  0.0  1.0  68672 42604 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771636  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771637  0.0  1.0  68668 42608 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771647  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771648  0.0  1.0  68668 42500 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771661  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771662  0.0  1.0  68704 42488 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771672  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771673  0.0  1.0  68668 42748 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771684  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771685  0.0  1.0  68668 42736 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771697  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771698  0.0  1.0  68672 42612 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771722  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771723  0.0  1.0  68704 42484 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771733  0.0  0.0   2580   384 ?        S    22:15   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771734  0.0  1.0  68668 42548 ?        D    22:15   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771747  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771749  0.0  1.0  68672 42512 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771761  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771762  0.0  1.0  68668 42676 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771772  0.0  0.0   2580   384 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771773  0.0  1.0  68668 42580 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771784  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771785  0.0  1.0  68668 42612 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771796  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771797  0.0  1.0  68668 42528 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771806  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771807  0.0  1.0  68672 42492 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771830  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771831  0.0  1.0  68668 42496 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771863  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771864  0.0  1.0  68672 42616 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771867  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771868  0.0  1.0  68668 42480 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771869  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771870  0.0  1.0  68668 42612 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771878  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771879  0.0  1.0  68672 42744 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771889  0.0  0.0   2580   384 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771891  0.0  1.0  68668 42612 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771898  0.0  0.0   2580   384 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771899  0.0  1.0  68668 42608 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771916  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771917  0.0  1.0  68672 42492 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771932  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771933  0.0  1.0  68672 42612 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771942  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771943  0.0  1.0  68668 42608 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771949  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771950  0.0  1.0  68668 42604 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771971  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771972  0.0  1.0  68668 42480 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771982  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771983  0.0  1.0  68672 42476 ?        D    22:16   0:00 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2771992  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2771993  0.0  1.0  68668 42448 ?        D    22:16   0:01 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2772004  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2772007  0.0  0.9  67240 41324 ?        D    22:16   0:02 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2772021  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2772022  0.0  0.9  66928 40820 ?        D    22:16   0:01 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2772030  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2772031  0.0  0.9  66928 40984 ?        D    22:16   0:01 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2772047  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2772048  0.0  0.6  52196 26948 ?        D    22:16   0:02 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2772058  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2772059  0.0  0.6  47884 25540 ?        R    22:16   0:01 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2772068  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2772069  0.0  0.6  44592 25660 ?        D    22:16   0:02 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2772082  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2772083  0.0  0.4  39056 19584 ?        D    22:16   0:01 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2772090  0.0  0.0   2580   512 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2772093  0.0  0.3  34364 16200 ?        D    22:16   0:01 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version
root     2772096  0.0  0.2  29704 11700 ?        D    22:16   0:01 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible --version
root     2772103  0.0  0.0   2580   384 ?        S    22:16   0:00 /bin/sh -c ansible-lint --version
root     2772104  0.0  0.2  28304 10752 ?        D    22:16   0:01 /usr/bin/python3 /bin/ansible-lint --version

ansible-lint --version
ansible-lint 6.13.1 using ansible 2.14.18

• ansible installation method: Proxmox turnkey (apt, not pip)
• ansible-lint installation method: apt ansible-lint package
• OS: Debian 12

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

I don't know what triggers it.

Desired Behavior

lint should not spawn as many processes of itself as it can.
Also, if lint goes over all of the yml files in the project, it shouldn't. It should check only the currently open one.

Actual Behavior

It's not related to a single playbook, it happens randomly on whatever playbook I have currently open, and when lint crashes the server, I'm disconnected from the session in VSCode. I can connect to the console on Proxmox, but it's all obviously incredibly slow and the issue doesn't come up when running a playbook. I write stuff, and then VSCode is suddenly trying to reconnect to the Ansible host, unsuccessfully.

[alisonlhart]

@RRohi A few clarifying questions:

1. You mentioned remote host in VS Code - are you running this in the devtools Devcontainer? Or connecting from your local machine to a remote host where you're running VS Code?

2. Does this only happen when working on playbooks in VS Code and ansible-lint is running in the background, or you're also seeing this when you run ansible-lint in terminal?

[RRohi]

@RRohi A few clarifying questions:

1. You mentioned `remote host in VS Code` - are you running this in the devtools Devcontainer? Or connecting from your local machine to a remote host where you're running VS Code?

2. Does this only happen when working on playbooks in VS Code and ansible-lint is running in the background, or you're also seeing this when you run `ansible-lint` in terminal?

1. I'm using VSCode on my Windows desktop and I'm remoting to the Ansible host using the Remote - SSH extension by Microsoft. I deleted the whole VSCode server on the remote host once, but that didn't help.
2. I have never manually launched ansible-lint.