---
title: Ansible 101
description: A small overview and best practice guide for ansible
author: Ricardo Band
keywords: automation,basics
---

# Ansible 101

## A small overview and best practice guide for ansible

---

# Python

- 🐍 use python 3.6+
  - newer = better ✨
- Dedicated virtualenv
- 📦 container

```dockerfile
FROM python:3-slim
ADD .
RUN pip install -r requirements.txt
ENTRYPOINT ["ansible-playbook"]
CMD ["--help"]
```

- `podman run -it --rm ansible my-playbook.yml`

---

# Ansible

- `ansible` package is only the CLI
- `ansible-core` is the actual library
- only versions 2.19 and later are semantic
- CLI versions increase quite fast currently at version 6
- Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform 2.2 (tm)

---

# ansible.cfg

- Define inventory path
  - Could be sourced by a plugin from a DCIM
- Define roles path
  - Can be ommitted if all roles are externally sourced
- Switch output plugin
  `stdout_callback = yaml`
- Always use root
  - Easier then writing `become: yes` everywhere
  - 90% of tasks require root anyway
- SSH options
  - Faster ssh by reusing connections
    ```ini
    [ssh_connection]
    pipelining = True
    ssh_args = -o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPersist=600
    ```

---

# requirements.txt

_Python dependencies_

- Ansible dependencies
  - `ansible~=6.0`
  - Libraries needed by ansible modules or plugins
- Role dependencies
  - Libraries needed by roles
- Collection dependencies
  - Libraries needed by collections

---

# requirements.yml

_Ansible dependencies_

- Roles
- Collections
- Get dependencies from Ansible docs, example: [podman](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/containers/podman/podman_container_module.html)

---

# Variables

- `group_vars`
- `host_vars`
- "Task vars"
- Role vars
- Role defaults

---

# Playbooks

- Simple playbook
- Playbook with roles

---

# Roles

```
roles/<github_username>.<rolename>/
├── defaults
│   └── main.yml
├── files
│   └── etc
│       └── foo
│           └── config.ini
├── meta
│   ├── argument_specs.yml
│   └── main.yml
├── tasks
│   └── main.yml
├── templates
│   └── etc
│       └── foo
│           └── conf.d
│               └── special.ini.j2
└── vars
    └── main.yml
```
---
# Roles

- `meta`
- `defaults` vs `vars`
- `files` vs `templates`
- Advanced tasks

---

# Advances topics

- 🔐 Secrets
- Create your own roles
- Create your own collections
  - If you need your own plugins or modules

---

# Secrets

`$ ansible-galaxy collection install community.general`

```yaml
password: "{{ lookup('community.general.passwordstore', 'accounts/foobar.com') }}"
aws_secret_key: "{{ lookup('community.general.passwordstore', 'accounts/aws subkey=secret_key') }}"
aws_access_key: "{{ lookup('community.general.passwordstore', 'accounts/aws subkey=access_key') }}"
```

See: https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/community/general/passwordstore_lookup.html

---

# ❓ questions ❓