prompt.md

Lab: Using Prompts in Ansible Playbooks

Overview

In this lab, you will learn how to use prompts in an Ansible playbook. Prompts allow you to request input from the user running the playbook, enabling customization without altering the playbook's code.

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Objectives

• Understand how to use vars_prompt to gather user input.
• Combine prompted and predefined variables in a task.
• Run a playbook and provide input through prompts.

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Prerequisites

• Basic understanding of YAML syntax.
• Ansible installed on your Ansible machine.
• Access to one or more hosts configured for management with Ansible.

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Duration

Estimated Time: 30 minutes

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Instructions

Step 1: Create Your Playbook

1. On your Ansible machine, open a text editor and create a new file named prompt_play.yml.

2. Add the following content to the file:

   ---
   - hosts: all
     name: A simple play with prompts
     gather_facts: no
   
     vars_prompt:
   
       - name: firstName
         prompt: Enter your first name
         private: no
         default: John
   
       - name: lastName
         prompt: Enter your last name
         private: no
         default: Doe
   
     vars:
       yourAge: 18
   
     tasks:
       - name: Display the input values
         debug:
           msg: "Hello {{ firstName }} {{ lastName }}, you are {{ yourAge }} years old."

   Explanation:

   • vars_prompt: Defines variables to be prompted from the user during playbook execution.
   • vars: Stores predefined static variables.
   • tasks: Executes actions, such as displaying messages that combine prompted and predefined variables.

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Step 2: Run Your Playbook

1. Save the prompt_play.yml file.

2. Execute the playbook using the following command:

   ansible-playbook prompt_play.yml

3. When prompted, enter a first name and last name, or press Enter to accept the default values (John and Doe).

4. Review the output. The message will include the entered names and the predefined age.

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Step 3: Experiment with Prompts

• Modify the default values in the vars_prompt section and rerun the playbook.
• Add new prompted variables and include them in tasks to explore further functionality.

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Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully completed a lab on using prompts in Ansible playbooks. This technique is essential for creating interactive playbooks that require user input. Keep exploring to become more proficient with Ansible's versatile features. 👏