Get started

When starting a new automation project, you (and potentially together with your team!) will need to make a couple of initial decisions and prepare your project, before starting to develop the actual automation content.

1. Create Git project

Use version control and follow a basic Git workflow. Use Pre-Commit to enforce code formatting or run tests before a commit is made.

• Configure Git
• Create, configure and use Pre-Commit

2. Define naming scheme and where to put variables

Decide on a proper naming convention and stick to it.

• Naming content
• Variable storage

3. Configure Ansible

Create a basic configuration file in your project root folder.

• Project-specific Ansible configuration file

4. Role or Collection

Are you creating content which can be used by others or is the scope limited?
Collections are easier to consume than roles. Create multiple repositories for collections or roles and additional ones for playbooks and variables if useful.

• Collection structure
• Roles structure

5. Define inventory

Use a dynamic inventory source if possible, otherwise create a static inventory file with your target nodes.

• Dynamic inventory
• Static inventory

6. Choose execution engine

Content will be run in AAP later on?
Use ansible-navigator with Execution Environment from AAP (or create a custom one) during development on CLI.
Otherwise stick to ansible-core.

• Build Execution Environment and run with ansible-navigator

Final notes

Tip

Remember, these are only recommendations. Use your own judgement and experiences made from previous projects.
Embrace change! Your project will evolve, if changes are useful for better readability or functionality, do it (after discussing with and consulting the rest of the team).