Ansible is a powerful automation tool that can help you manage your IT infrastructure and streamline your workflow. However, like any tool, it’s important to use Ansible effectively to get the best results. In this article, we’ll cover 10 Ansible best practices for beginners to help you get started with Ansible and optimize your automation tasks.

Use version control

Version control is essential for managing your Ansible code. Use a version control system like Git to track changes to your Ansible playbooks and roles. This will help you keep track of changes, collaborate with others, and roll back changes if necessary.

Write idempotent playbooks

Idempotency is a key concept in Ansible. An idempotent playbook is one that can be run multiple times without causing any unwanted side effects. Use modules like file, service, and package to ensure that your playbooks are idempotent.

Use roles for modularity

Roles are a way to organize your Ansible code into reusable components. Use roles to separate your code into logical units, making it easier to manage and reuse. Roles also help you keep your playbooks clean and easy to read.

Use variables for flexibility

Variables are a powerful feature of Ansible that allow you to customize your playbooks and roles for different environments. Use variables to make your playbooks flexible and reusable. You can define variables in your inventory, playbooks, or roles.

Use the when statement for conditional execution

The when statement allows you to execute tasks conditionally. Use when to make your playbooks more flexible and to avoid unnecessary tasks. You can use conditionals like ansible_os_family, ansible_distribution, and ansible_distribution_version to make your playbooks more dynamic.

Use handlers for notifications

Handlers are a way to trigger notifications when changes are made to your system. Use handlers to restart services, reload configurations, and send notifications. Handlers are only triggered when a task notifies them, which makes them more efficient than running the same task multiple times.

Use tags for selective execution

Tags allow you to selectively execute tasks in your playbooks. Use tags to run only the tasks you need and to avoid running unnecessary tasks. You can define tags at the task level or at the playbook level.

Use ansible-lint for code quality

ansible-lint is a tool that checks your Ansible code for best practices and common mistakes. Use ansible-lint to improve the quality of your code and to avoid common pitfalls. ansible-lint checks for things like indentation, quoting, and variable use.

Use ansible-playbook –check for dry runs

The --check flag allows you to run your playbook in “dry run” mode. This means that Ansible will simulate the execution of your playbook without making any changes to your system. Use --check to test your playbooks before running them for real.

Use roles from the Ansible Galaxy

The Ansible Galaxy is a repository of roles created by the Ansible community. Use roles from the Ansible Galaxy to save time and to leverage the expertise of the community. You can search for roles on the Ansible Galaxy website or from the command line using ansible-galaxy.

Conclusion

These 10 Ansible best practices for beginners will help you get started with Ansible and make the most of this powerful automation tool. Remember to use version control, write idempotent playbooks, use roles for modularity, use variables for flexibility, and use the when statement for conditional execution. Use handlers for notifications, tags for selective execution, and ansible-lint for code quality. Finally, leverage the Ansible Galaxy to save time and benefit from the knowledge of the Ansible community. By applying these best practices, you can ensure that your Ansible automation tasks are efficient, maintainable, and effective.