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Lab: Introduction to Variables in Ansible Playbooks

Overview

In this beginner-friendly lab, you will learn how to use variables in an Ansible playbook.

Variables in Ansible are very similar to variables in any programming language. They are used to store values that can be used and reused throughout your playbook. This lab will guide you through creating a simple playbook that uses variables.

Objectives

  • Understand the concept of variables in Ansible.
  • Define and use variables in a playbook.
  • Run the playbook to see how variables affect task execution.

Prerequisites

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

Duration

Estimated Time: 30 minutes

Instructions

Step 1: Create Your Playbook

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

  2. Add the following content to the file:

    ---
- hosts: webservers
  name: A play with variables
  gather_facts: no

  vars:
    first_name: John
    family: Doe

  tasks:
    - name: Print first name variable
      debug:
        var: first_name

    - name: Print family variable with message
      debug:
        msg: "Hello, {{ family }}"

    - name: Print both variables
      debug:
        msg: "{{ first_name }}, {{ family }}"

    Explanation:

    • vars: This section is used to define variables. Here, first_name and family are the two variables.
    • tasks: This section contains tasks that use the debug module to print variable values.

Step 2: Run Your Playbook

  1. Save the variable_play.yml file.

  2. Execute the playbook using the following command:

    ansible-playbook variable_play.yml

  3. Observe the output. You should see the values of first_name and family printed in different formats as specified in the tasks.

Step 3: Experiment with Variables

  • Try changing the values of first_name and family in the vars section and rerun the playbook to see how the output changes.
  • Experiment with adding new variables and using them in tasks.

Conclusion

Well done! You've completed a basic lab on using variables in Ansible playbooks. Understanding variables is crucial as they allow you to write more dynamic and reusable playbooks. Keep experimenting with different types of variables and their applications in your Ansible projects. 👏