Welcome to the Ansible Cheatsheet which contains a list of the most common commands and scripts that you can use to get started quickly with Ansible, Ansible Playbooks and Ansible Roles.
Note: if you are new to Ansible we recommend checking this article: Ansible Playbook Example for beginners
Ansible CheatSheet
Install & SSH set up
sudo dnf install ansible ssh-keygen ssh-copy-id USER_NAME@HOST_NAME
Ansible Inventory File
# Localhost [localhost] 127.0.0.1 # Matches from server01 to server20 server[01:20].example.com # Group named 'webservers' with two servers [webservers] webserver1.example.com webserver2.example.com # Nested group 'backend' under the 'webservers' group [webservers:backend] dbserver.example.com
Execute command
ansible <host-pattern> -m shell -a "<command>"
Browse Inventory
ansible-navigator inventory
Sample ansible.cfg
[defaults] inventory = ./inventory remote_user = someuser ask_pass = false [privilege_escalation] become = true become_method = sudo become_user = root become_ask_pass = false
Run Playbook
ansible-navigator run -m stdout ping-all.yml
Playbook Dry run
ansible-navigator run -m stdout webserver.yml --check
Pass variables to a Playbook
ansible-navigator run main.yml -e "package=jboss"
Encrypt file
ansible-vault create secret.yml
View Encrypted file
ansible-vault view secret1.yml
Check Service Started
ansible <host-pattern> -m service -a "name=<service_name> state=started"
Playbook Structure
---
- name: Playbook Name
hosts: <host-pattern>
become: <true/false>
tasks:
- name: Task Name
<module>: <arguments>
PlayBook Variables
---
- name: Playbook with Variable
hosts: localhost
vars:
my_variable: "Hello, world!"
tasks:
- name: Print Playbook Variable
debug:
msg: "{{ my_variable }}"
Capture output
---
- name: Capture output
hosts: all
tasks:
- name: Install the package
ansible.builtin.dnf:
name: httpd
state: installed
register: install_result
- debug:
var: install_result
Conditional execution
---
- name: Conditional Execution
hosts: all
tasks:
- name: Ensure a directory exists
file:
path: /path/to/directory
state: directory
when: ansible_os_family == "RedHat"
Loop execution
---
- name: Playbook with Loop
hosts: all
vars:
packages_to_install:
- vim
- git
- curl
tasks:
- name: Install required packages
yum:
name: "{{ item }}"
state: present
loop: "{{ packages_to_install }}"
Handler
---
- name: Playbook with Handler
hosts: all
tasks:
- name: Ensure a file exists
file:
path: /path/to/file
state: touch
notify: restart service
handlers:
- name: restart service
service:
name: myservice
state: restarted
Init a Role
ansible-galaxy init my_new_role
Use Role
---
- name: Playbook with Role
hosts: all
roles:
- webserver
Role from Requirements
ansible-galaxy role install -r roles/requirements.yml -p roles
List Roles
ansible-galaxy list
Search Roles
ansible-galaxy search 'wildfly'
Info Role
ansible-galaxy-info 'role'
Jinja2 Template
---
- name: Playbook with Jinja2 Template
hosts: all
tasks:
- name: Render Jinja2 Template
template:
src: path/to/my_template.j2
dest: /path/to/output/file
vars:
variable_name: value
Loop
{% for item in my_list %}
Item: {{ item }}
{% endfor %}
Conditionals
{% if ansible_os_family == 'RedHat' %}
RedHat specific tasks
{% endif %}
Use Facts
Ansible OS: {{ ansible_facts.os_family }}
Variables
My variable value: {{ my_variable }}
Happy automating with Ansible !
Conclusion
With this Ansible Cheatsheet, you now have access to a concise and well-structured guide that covers the essential commands, syntax, and functionalities of Ansible. Whether you are a sysadmin, a developer, or simply curious about this powerful Ansible Automation tool, this Ansible Cheatsheet will empower you to streamline your scripting workflow, automate tasks, and boost productivity.