2025-02-04, 14:50–15:40, Ansible 1 (B.1.017)
Ansible roles were introduced to simplify the organization and reuse of automation tasks, providing a structured, portable way to manage tasks, configurations, dependencies, and variables. Originally intended to streamline complex playbooks, roles have become a cornerstone of efficient Ansible usage. However, many users still fail to fully understand how to leverage their full potential.
In this presentation, we will start by revisiting the foundational concepts of Ansible roles and their intended use. We will then explore the noteworthy enhancements and features added to Ansible roles in recent years.
Attendees will learn recommended practices to maximize the utility of Ansible roles, including strategies for modular role design, effective use of variables, argument specifications, and defaults, and techniques for role testing and validation. By adopting these practices, you can enhance the maintainability and scalability of your automation projects.
Finally, we will look ahead to upcoming developments aimed at further enhancing the portability and maintainability of Ansible roles. This includes new features and improvements that will make it easier to share, reuse, and manage roles across diverse environments.
Join us to ensure you’re not just using Ansible roles, but using them right.
Timothy Appnel is a Senior Product Manager on the Ansible team at Red Hat. Tim is an old-timer in the Ansible community with over 12 years of experience with Ansible as a contributor, customer, consultant, evangelist, and “jack of all trades.” The synchronize module in Ansible is all his fault.