Get started with Ansible Playbooks

Learning path | 5 resources | Published on April 29, 2024
Craig Brandt

Discover the basics of creating Ansible playbooks using practical examples, including key components such as plays, tasks, modules, and more. 

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  1. Overview: Get started with Ansible Playbooks
  2. Ansible Playbook fundamentals Page
  3. Ansible inventories Page
  4. Ansible Playbook variables and facts Page
  5. Advanced Ansible Playbook features Page

Overview: Get started with Ansible Playbooks

Ansible Content Collections

Ansible Playbooks are easy-to-understand blueprints that Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform uses to execute tasks across an inventory of your IT solutions. They are consistent, repeatable, and reusable across your organization and tell Ansible what to do with which devices.

This learning path will begin by introducing core Ansible Playbook concepts and progress to more advanced topics like variables, conditionals, and loops. It is based on Ansible Core version 2.16. However, the content is relevant for later versions.

Prerequisites:

  • Subscription to Ansible Automation Platform; sign up for your no-cost trial. 
  • Basic knowledge of YAML syntax or completing the YAML Essentials for Ansible learning path if needed.
  • Ansible Core installed on your workstation. Follow the Ansible installation guide for help.
  • An integrated development environment (IDE), such as Visual Studio Code, or tools like Vim to manipulate files.

In this learning path, you will:

  • Learn about Ansible playbook directory structures.
  • Discover the different components of an Ansible playbook, such as plays, tasks, modules, and more.
  • Create an example of an Ansible inventory file.
  • Understand more advanced Ansible topics such as variables, handlers, and templates.