Last Updated: November 21, 2025
Ansible
IT automation and configuration management
Core Concepts
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
Playbook
|
YAML file defining automation tasks |
Task
|
Single action to execute |
Role
|
Reusable automation unit |
Inventory
|
List of managed hosts |
Module
|
Reusable script for tasks |
Handler
|
Task triggered by changes |
Fact
|
System information variable |
Common Commands
ansible all -m ping
Test connectivity to hosts
ansible-playbook playbook.yml
Run playbook
ansible-playbook playbook.yml --check
Dry run mode
ansible-galaxy install role_name
Install role from Galaxy
ansible-vault encrypt file.yml
Encrypt sensitive data
Playbook Example
---
- name: Configure web servers
hosts: webservers
become: yes
vars:
http_port: 80
max_clients: 200
tasks:
- name: Install nginx
apt:
name: nginx
state: present
update_cache: yes
- name: Copy nginx config
template:
src: templates/nginx.conf.j2
dest: /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
notify: restart nginx
- name: Start nginx service
service:
name: nginx
state: started
enabled: yes
handlers:
- name: restart nginx
service:
name: nginx
state: restartedBest Practices
- Use roles to organize complex playbooks
- Encrypt sensitive data with ansible-vault
- Use tags for selective task execution
- Test playbooks in check mode first
💡 Pro Tips
Quick Reference
Use ansible-vault to secure sensitive variables