# An Ansible summary
# Configuration file
[intro\_configuration.html](http://docs.ansible.com/intro_configuration.html)
First one found from of
* Contents of `$ANSIBLE_CONFIG`
* `./ansible.cfg`
* `~/.ansible.cfg`
* `/etc/ansible/ansible.cfg`
Configuration settings can be overridden by environment variables - see
constants.py in the source tree for names.
# Patterns
[intro\_patterns.html](http://docs.ansible.com/intro_patterns.html)
Used on the `ansible` command line, or in playbooks.
* `all` (or `*`)
* hostname: `foo.example.com`
* groupname: `webservers`
* or: `webservers:dbserver`
* exclude: `webserver:!phoenix`
* intersection: `webservers:&staging`
Operators can be chained: `webservers:dbservers:&staging:!phoenix`
Patterns can include variable substitutions: `{{foo}}`, wildcards:
`*.example.com` or 192.168.1.*, and regular expressions:
`~(web|db).*\.example\.com`
# Inventory files
[intro\_inventory.html](http://docs.ansible.com/intro_inventory.html),
[intro\_dynamic\_inventory.html](http://docs.ansible.com/intro_dynamic_inventory.html)
'INI-file' structure, blocks define groups. Hosts allowed in more than
one group. Non-standard SSH port can follow hostname separated by ':'
(but see also `ansible_ssh_port` below).
Hostname ranges: `www[01:50].example.com`, `db-[a:f].example.com`
Per-host variables: `foo.example.com foo=bar baz=wibble`
* `[foo:children]`: new group `foo` containing all members if included groups
* `[foo:vars]`: variable definitions for all members of group `foo`
Inventory file defaults to `/etc/ansible/hosts`. Veritable with `-i`
or in the configuration file. The 'file' can also be a dynamic
inventory script. If a directory, all contained files are processed.
# Variable files:
[intro\_inventory.html](http://docs.ansible.com/intro_inventory.html)
YAML; given inventory file at `./hosts`:
* `./group_vars/foo`: variable definitions for all members of group `foo`
* `./host_vars/foo.example.com`: variable definitions for foo.example.com
`group_vars` and `host_vars` directories can also exist in the playbook
directory. If both paths exist, variables in the playbook directory
will be loaded second.
# Behavioral inventory parameters:
[intro\_inventory.html](http://docs.ansible.com/intro_inventory.html)
* `ansible_ssh_host`
* `ansible_ssh_port`
* `ansible_ssh_user`
* `ansible_ssh_pass`
* `ansible_sudo_pass`
* `ansible_connection`
* `ansible_ssh_private_key_file`
* `ansible_python_interpreter`
* `ansible_*_interpreter`
# Playbooks
[playbooks\_intro.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_intro.html),
[playbooks\_roles.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_roles.html)
Playbooks are a YAML list of one or more plays. Most (all?) keys are
optional. Lines can be broken on space with continuation lines
indented.
Playbooks consist of a list of one or more 'plays' and/or inclusions:
---
- include: playbook.yml
- <play>
- ...
## Plays
[playbooks\_intro.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_intro.html),
[playbooks\_roles.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_roles.htm),
[playbooks\_variables.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_variables.html),
[playbooks\_conditionals.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_conditionals.html),
[playbooks\_acceleration.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_acceleration.html),
[playbooks\_delegation.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_delegation.html),
[playbooks\_prompts.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_prompts.html),
[playbooks\_tags.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_tags.htm)
[Forum posting](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/ansible-project/F9mIAfo6orc)
[Forum postinb](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/Ansible-project/MU_ws7zynnI)
Plays consist of play metadata and a sequence of task and handler
definitions, and roles.
- hosts: webservers
remote_user: root
sudo: yes
sudo_user: postgress
su: yes
su_user: exim
gather_facts: no
accelerate: no
accelerate_port: 5099
any_errors_fatal: yes
max_fail_percentage: 30
connection: local
serial: 5
vars:
http_port: 80
vars_files:
- "vars.yml"
- [ "try-first.yml", "try-second-.yml" ]
vars_prompt:
- name: "my_password2"
prompt: "Enter password2"
default: "secret"
private: yes
encrypt: "md5_crypt"
confirm: yes
salt: 1234
salt_size: 8
tags:
- stuff
- nonsence
pre_tasks:
- <task>
- ...
roles:
- common
- { role: common, port: 5000, when: "bar == 'Baz'", tags :[one, two] }
- { role: common, when: month == 'Jan' }
- ...
tasks:
- include: tasks.yaml
- include: tasks.yaml foo=bar baz=wibble
- include: tasks.yaml
vars:
foo: aaa
baz:
- z
- y
- { include: tasks.yaml, foo: zzz, baz: [a,b]}
- include: tasks.yaml
when: day == 'Thursday'
- <task>
- ...
post_tasks:
- <task>
- ...
handlers:
- include: handlers.yml
- <task>
- ...
Using `encrypt` with `vars_prompt` requires that
[Passlib](http://pythonhosted.org/passlib/) is installed.
In addition the source code implies the availability of the following
which don't *seem* to be mentioned in the documentation: `name`, `user` (deprecated), `port`, `accelerate_ipv6`, `role_names`, and `vault_password`.
## Task definitions
[playbooks\_intro.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_intro.html),
[playbooks\_roles.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_roles.html),
[playbooks\_async.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_async.html),
[playbooks\_checkmode.html](http://docs.ansible.com/[playbooks_checkmode.html),
[playbooks\_delegation.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_delegation.html),
[playbooks\_environment.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_environment.html),
[playbooks\_error_handling.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_error_handling.html),
[playbooks\_tags.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_tags.html)
[ansible-1-5-released](http://www.ansible.com/blog/2014/02/28/ansible-1-5-released)
[Forum posting](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/ansible-project/F9mIAfo6orc)
[Ansible examples](https://github.com/ansible/ansible-examples/blob/master/language_features/complex_args.yml)
Each task definition is a list of items, normally including at least a
name and a module invocation:
- name: task
remote_user: apache
sudo: yes
sudo_user: postgress
sudo_pass: wibble
su: yes
su_user: exim
ignore_errors: True
delegate_to: 127.0.0.1
async: 45
poll: 5
always_run: no
run_once: false
meta: flush_handlers
no_log: true
environment: <hash>
environment:
var1: val1
var2: val2
tags:
- stuff
- nonsence
<module>: src=template.j2 dest=/etc/foo.conf
action: <module>, src=template.j2 dest=/etc/foo.conf
action: <module>
args:
src=template.j2
dest=/etc/foo.conf
local_action: <module> /usr/bin/take_out_of_pool {{ inventory_hostname }}
when: ansible_os_family == "Debian"
register: result
failed_when: "'FAILED' in result.stderr"
changed_when: result.rc != 2
notify:
- restart apache
`delegate_to: 127.0.0.1` is implied by `local_action:`
The forms `<module>: <args>`, `action: <module> <args>`, and `local_action: <module> <args>` are mutually-exclusive.
Additional keys `when_*`, `until`, `retries` and `delay` are documented below under 'Loops'.
In addition the source code implies the availability of the following
which don't *seem* to be mentioned in the documentation:
`first_available_file` (deprecated), `transport`,
`connection`, `any_errors_fatal`.
# Roles
[playbooks\_roles.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_roles.html)
Directory structure:
playbook.yml
roles/
common/
tasks/
main.yml
handlers/
main.yml
vars/
main.yml
meta/
main.yml
defaults/
main.yml
files/
templates/
library/
# Modules
[modules.htm](http://docs.ansible.com/modules.htm),
[modules\_by\_category.html](http://docs.ansible.com/modules_by_category.html)
List all installed modules with
ansible-doc --list
Document a particular module with
ansible-doc <module>
Show playbook snippet for specified module
ansible-doc -i <module>
# Variables
[playbooks\_roles.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_roles.html),
[playbooks\_variables.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_variables.html)
Names: letters, digits, underscores; starting with a letter.
## Substitution examples:
* `{{ var }}`
* `{{ var["key1"]["key2"]}}`
* `{{ var.key1.key2 }}`
* `{{ list[0] }}`
YAML requires an item starting with a variable substitution to be quoted.
## Sources:
* Highest priority:
* `--extra-vars` on the command line
* General:
* `vars` component of a playbook
* From files referenced by `vars_file` in a playbook
* From included files (incl. roles)
* Parameters passed to includes
* `register:` in tasks
* Lower priority:
* Inventory (set on host or group)
* Lower priority:
* Facts (see below)
* Any `/etc/ansible/facts.d/filename.fact` on managed machines
(sets variables with `ansible_local.filename. prefix)
* Lowest priority
* Role defaults (from defaults/main.yml)
## Built-in:
* `hostvars` (e.g. `hostvars[other.example.com][...]`)
* `group_names` (groups containing current host)
* `groups` (all groups and hosts in the inventory)
* `inventory_hostname` (current host as in inventory)
* `inventory_hostname_short` (first component of inventory_hostname)
* `play_hosts` (hostnames in scope for current play)
* `inventory_dir` (location of the inventory)
* `inventoty_file` (name of the inventory)
## Facts:
Run `ansible hostname -m setup`, but in particular:
* `ansible_distribution`
* `ansible_distribution_release`
* `ansible_distribution_version`
* `ansible_fqdn`
* `ansible_hostname`
* `ansible_os_family`
* `ansible_pkg_mgr`
* `ansible_default_ipv4.address`
* `ansible_default_ipv6.address`
## Content of 'registered' variables:
[playbooks\_conditionals.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_conditionals.html),
[playbooks\_loops.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_loops.html)
Depends on module. Typically includes:
* `.rc`
* `.stdout`
* `.stdout_lines`
* `.changed`
* `.msg` (following failure)
* `.results` (when used in a loop)
See also `failed`, `changed`, etc filters.
When used in a loop the `result` element is a list containing all
responses from the module.
## Additionally available in templates:
* `ansible_managed`: string containing the information below
* `template_host`: node name of the templateâs machine
* `template_uid`: the owner
* `template_path`: absolute path of the template
* `template_fullpath`: the absolute path of the template
* `template_run_date`: the date that the template was rendered
# Filters
[playbooks\_variables.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_variables.html)
* `{{ var | to_nice_json }}`
* `{{ var | to_json }}`
* `{{ var | from_json }}`
* `{{ var | to_nice_yml }}`
* `{{ var | to_yml }}`
* `{{ var | from_yml }}`
* `{{ result | failed }}`
* `{{ result | changed }}`
* `{{ result | success }}`
* `{{ result | skipped }}`
* `{{ var | manditory }}`
* `{{ var | default(5) }}`
* `{{ list1 | unique }}`
* `{{ list1 | union(list2) }}`
* `{{ list1 | intersect(list2) }}`
* `{{ list1 | difference(list2) }}`
* `{{ list1 | symmetric_difference(list2) }}`
* `{{ ver1 | version_compare(ver2, operator='>=', strict=True }}`
* `{{ list | random }}`
* `{{ number | random }}`
* `{{ number | random(start=1, step=10) }}`
* `{{ list | join(" ") }}`
* `{{ path | basename }}`
* `{{ path | dirname }}`
* `{{ path | expanduser }}`
* `{{ path | realpath }}`
* `{{ var | b64decode }}`
* `{{ var | b64encode }}`
* `{{ filename | md5 }}`
* `{{ var | bool }}`
* `{{ var | int }}`
* `{{ var | quote }}`
* `{{ var | md5 }}`
* `{{ var | fileglob }}`
* `{{ var | match }}`
* `{{ var | search }}`
* `{{ var | regex }}`
* `{{ var | regexp_replace('from', 'to' )}}`
See also [default jinja2
filters](http://jinja.pocoo.org/docs/templates/#builtin-filters). In
YAML, values starting `{` must be quoted.
# Lookups
[playbooks\_lookups.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_lookups.html)
Lookups are evaluated on the control machine.
* `{{ lookup('file', '/etc/foo.txt') }}`
* `{{ lookup('password', '/tmp/passwordfile length=20 chars=ascii_letters,digits') }}`
* `{{ lookup('env','HOME') }}`
* `{{ lookup('pipe','date') }}`
* `{{ lookup('redis_kv', 'redis://localhost:6379,somekey') }}`
* `{{ lookup('dnstxt', 'example.com') }}`
* `{{ lookup('template', './some_template.j2') }}`
Lookups can be assigned to variables and will be evaluated each time
the variable is used.
Lookup plugins also support loop iteration (see below).
# Conditions
[playbooks\_conditionals.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_conditionals.html)
`when: <condition>`, where condition is:
* `var == "Vaue"`, `var >= 5`, etc.
* `var`, where `var` coreces to boolean (yes, true, True, TRUE)
* `var is defined`, `var is not defined`
* `<condition1> and <condition2>` (also `or`?)
Combined with `with_items`, the when statement is processed for each item.
`when` can also be applied to includes and roles. Conditional Imports
and variable substitution in file and template names can avoid the
need for explicit conditionals.
# Loops
[playbooks\_loops.html](http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_loops.html)
In addition the source code implies the availability of the following
which don't *seem* to be mentioned in the documentation: `csvfile`, `etcd`, `inventory_hostname`.
## Standard:
- user: name={{ item }} state=present groups=wheel
with_items:
- testuser1
- testuser2
- name: add several users
user: name={{ item.name }} state=present groups={{ item.groups }}
with_items:
- { name: 'testuser1', groups: 'wheel' }
- { name: 'testuser2', groups: 'root' }
with_items: somelist
## Nested:
- mysql_user: name={{ item[0] }} priv={{ item[1] }}.*:ALL
append_privs=yes password=foo
with_nested:
- [ 'alice', 'bob', 'eve' ]
- [ 'clientdb', 'employeedb', 'providerdb' ]
## Over hashes:
Given
---
users:
alice:
name: Alice Appleworth
telephone: 123-456-7890
bob:
name: Bob Bananarama
telephone: 987-654-3210
tasks:
- name: Print phone records
debug: msg="User {{ item.key }} is {{ item.value.name }}
({{ item.value.telephone }})"
with_dict: users
## Fileglob:
- copy: src={{ item }} dest=/etc/fooapp/ owner=root mode=600
with_fileglob:
- /playbooks/files/fooapp/*
In a role, relative paths resolve relative to the
`roles/<rolename>/files` directory.
## With content of file:
(see example for `authorized_key` module)
- authorized_key: user=deploy key="{{ item }}"
with_file:
- public_keys/doe-jane
- public_keys/doe-john
See also the `file` lookup when the content of a file is needed.
## Parallel sets of data:
Given
---
alpha: [ 'a', 'b', 'c', 'd' ]
numbers: [ 1, 2, 3, 4 ]
- debug: msg="{{ item.0 }} and {{ item.1 }}"
with_together:
- alpha
- numbers
## Subelements:
Given
---
users:
- name: alice
authorized:
- /tmp/alice/onekey.pub
- /tmp/alice/twokey.pub
- name: bob
authorized:
- /tmp/bob/id_rsa.pub
- authorized_key: "user={{ item.0.name }}
key='{{ lookup('file', item.1) }}'"
with_subelements:
- users
- authorized
## Integer sequence:
Decimal, hexadecimal (0x3f8) or octal (0600)
- user: name={{ item }} state=present groups=evens
with_sequence: start=0 end=32 format=testuser%02x
with_sequence: start=4 end=16 stride=2
with_sequence: count=4
## Random choice:
- debug: msg={{ item }}
with_random_choice:
- "go through the door"
- "drink from the goblet"
- "press the red button"
- "do nothing"
## Do-Until:
- action: shell /usr/bin/foo
register: result
until: result.stdout.find("all systems go") != -1
retries: 5
delay: 10
## Results of a local program:
- name: Example of looping over a command result
shell: /usr/bin/frobnicate {{ item }}
with_lines: /usr/bin/frobnications_per_host
--param {{ inventory_hostname }}
To loop over the results of a remote program, use `register: result`
and then `with_items: result.stdout_lines` in a subsequent
task.
## Indexed list:
- name: indexed loop demo
debug: msg="at array position {{ item.0 }} there is
a value {{ item.1 }}"
with_indexed_items: some_list
## Flattened list:
---
# file: roles/foo/vars/main.yml
packages_base:
- [ 'foo-package', 'bar-package' ]
packages_apps:
- [ ['one-package', 'two-package' ]]
- [ ['red-package'], ['blue-package']]
- name: flattened loop demo
yum: name={{ item }} state=installed
with_flattened:
- packages_base
- packages_apps
## First found:
- name: template a file
template: src={{ item }} dest=/etc/myapp/foo.conf
with_first_found:
- files:
- {{ ansible_distribution }}.conf
- default.conf
paths:
- search_location_one/somedir/
- /opt/other_location/somedir/
# Tags
Both plays and tasks support a `tags:` attribute.
- template: src=templates/src.j2 dest=/etc/foo.conf
tags:
- configuration
Tags can be applied to roles and includes (effectively tagging all
included tasks)
roles:
- { role: webserver, port: 5000, tags: [ 'web', 'foo' ] }
- include: foo.yml tags=web,foo
To select by tag:
ansible-playbook example.yml --tags "configuration,packages"
ansible-playbook example.yml --skip-tags "notification"
# Command lines
## ansible
Usage: ansible <host-pattern> [options]
Options:
-a MODULE_ARGS, --args=MODULE_ARGS
module arguments
-k, --ask-pass ask for SSH password
--ask-su-pass ask for su password
-K, --ask-sudo-pass ask for sudo password
--ask-vault-pass ask for vault password
-B SECONDS, --background=SECONDS
run asynchronously, failing after X seconds
(default=N/A)
-C, --check don't make any changes; instead, try to predict some
of the changes that may occur
-c CONNECTION, --connection=CONNECTION
connection type to use (default=smart)
-f FORKS, --forks=FORKS
specify number of parallel processes to use
(default=5)
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-i INVENTORY, --inventory-file=INVENTORY
specify inventory host file
(default=/etc/ansible/hosts)
-l SUBSET, --limit=SUBSET
further limit selected hosts to an additional pattern
--list-hosts outputs a list of matching hosts; does not execute
anything else
-m MODULE_NAME, --module-name=MODULE_NAME
module name to execute (default=command)
-M MODULE_PATH, --module-path=MODULE_PATH
specify path(s) to module library
(default=/usr/share/ansible)
-o, --one-line condense output
-P POLL_INTERVAL, --poll=POLL_INTERVAL
set the poll interval if using -B (default=15)
--private-key=PRIVATE_KEY_FILE
use this file to authenticate the connection
-S, --su run operations with su
-R SU_USER, --su-user=SU_USER
run operations with su as this user (default=root)
-s, --sudo run operations with sudo (nopasswd)
-U SUDO_USER, --sudo-user=SUDO_USER
desired sudo user (default=root)
-T TIMEOUT, --timeout=TIMEOUT
override the SSH timeout in seconds (default=10)
-t TREE, --tree=TREE log output to this directory
-u REMOTE_USER, --user=REMOTE_USER
connect as this user (default=jw35)
--vault-password-file=VAULT_PASSWORD_FILE
vault password file
-v, --verbose verbose mode (-vvv for more, -vvvv to enable
connection debugging)
--version show program's version number and exit
## ansible-playbook
Usage: ansible-playbook playbook.yml
Options:
-k, --ask-pass ask for SSH password
--ask-su-pass ask for su password
-K, --ask-sudo-pass ask for sudo password
--ask-vault-pass ask for vault password
-C, --check don't make any changes; instead, try to predict some
of the changes that may occur
-c CONNECTION, --connection=CONNECTION
connection type to use (default=smart)
-D, --diff when changing (small) files and templates, show the
differences in those files; works great with --check
-e EXTRA_VARS, --extra-vars=EXTRA_VARS
set additional variables as key=value or YAML/JSON
-f FORKS, --forks=FORKS
specify number of parallel processes to use
(default=5)
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-i INVENTORY, --inventory-file=INVENTORY
specify inventory host file
(default=/etc/ansible/hosts)
-l SUBSET, --limit=SUBSET
further limit selected hosts to an additional pattern
--list-hosts outputs a list of matching hosts; does not execute
anything else
--list-tasks list all tasks that would be executed
-M MODULE_PATH, --module-path=MODULE_PATH
specify path(s) to module library
(default=/usr/share/ansible)
--private-key=PRIVATE_KEY_FILE
use this file to authenticate the connection
--skip-tags=SKIP_TAGS
only run plays and tasks whose tags do not match these
values
--start-at-task=START_AT
start the playbook at the task matching this name
--step one-step-at-a-time: confirm each task before running
-S, --su run operations with su
-R SU_USER, --su-user=SU_USER
run operations with su as this user (default=root)
-s, --sudo run operations with sudo (nopasswd)
-U SUDO_USER, --sudo-user=SUDO_USER
desired sudo user (default=root)
--syntax-check perform a syntax check on the playbook, but do not
execute it
-t TAGS, --tags=TAGS only run plays and tasks tagged with these values
-T TIMEOUT, --timeout=TIMEOUT
override the SSH timeout in seconds (default=10)
-u REMOTE_USER, --user=REMOTE_USER
connect as this user (default=jw35)
--vault-password-file=VAULT_PASSWORD_FILE
vault password file
-v, --verbose verbose mode (-vvv for more, -vvvv to enable
connection debugging)
--version show program's version number and exit
## ansible-vault
playbooks_vault.html
Usage: ansible-vault [create|decrypt|edit|encrypt|rekey] [--help] [options] file_name
Options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
See 'ansible-vault <command> --help' for more information on a specific command.
## ansible-doc
Usage: ansible-doc [options] [module...]
Show Ansible module documentation
Options:
--version show program's version number and exit
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-M MODULE_PATH, --module-path=MODULE_PATH
Ansible modules/ directory
-l, --list List available modules
-s, --snippet Show playbook snippet for specified module(s)
-v Show version number and exit
## ansible-galaxy
Usage: ansible-galaxy [init|info|install|list|remove] [--help] [options] ...
Options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
See 'ansible-galaxy <command> --help' for more information on a
specific command
## ansible-pull
Usage: ansible-pull [options] [playbook.yml]
ansible-pull: error: URL for repository not specified, use -h for help
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