Ansible create nested dictionary. Simplify your playbooks and enhance automation workflows.

Ansible create nested dictionary lan: - /etc - /home Or (probably even more future proof), a list of items with name and directories: backup_targets: - name: alphamule Say I have this dictionary war_files: server1: - file1. Please find below all the tasks, vars and run output. In below example, user want to update windows registry; 4 values per each 4 days ago · Note This lookup plugin is part of ansible-core and included in all Ansible installations. Is there any way to achieve this kind of loop in ansible? Apr 23, 2024 · I have a list of dicts where each dictionary has the same keys, just different values. home. Instead of writing repetitive tasks for similar operations, loops help you create cleaner, more maintainable playbooks while reducing code duplication. This is the combine function: ` def combine (original, update): for key, value in original. You can use the Ansible-specific filters documented here to manipulate your data, or use any of the standard filters shipped with Jinja2 - see the list of built-in filters in the official Jinja2 4 days ago · Note This filter plugin is part of ansible-core and included in all Ansible installations. For Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform subscriptions, see Life Cycle for version details. However, just like in the prior example, the dictionary will be overwritten with the latest key value pair, tomato in this example. For example, the nested Ansible: pulling values from nested dictionaries when Nov 29, 2020 · Q: "Loop and print dictionary. Jul 1, 2016 · I wanted to create a dictionary consisting of a single entry based on a dictionary with multiple app configurations – and the name of the app was stored in a variable. The community. Hoping I can get some help here. I've got a dictionary of key:value pairs that I want to loop through, while using said pairs as variables, not really sure how to go about this (Haven't used loops in ansible as of yet, though I did look through their documentation. Using variables Ansible uses variables to manage differences between systems. 0/16’ net_ipv6_subnet: ‘FD01::/64’ net_id: 1 nic_ids: 3333333333 4444444444 net_type: ‘ns’ net_ipv4_subnet: ‘10. What is a Map Filter? The map filter in Ansible is a powerful tool Aug 18, 2023 · The source nested dictionary is for instance the following: vpc: provider: net_type: ‘db’ net_ipv4_subnet: ‘10. Jul 3, 2024 · It looks like you intend that the value of each key should be a list of dictionaries. In David’s example, where the items in the first level of the loop are actually dictionary keys, to loop over the locations for each person, you would write: with_nested: - people - people [item. Oct 9, 2025 · The dict2items filter in Ansible is used to transform a dictionary into a list of key-value pairs. datacenter. If I understand your question correctly, you want to find the abbreviation of an animal given its FullName, taken from a list of Animals. Nested loops are easy but we need to be careful when we need some paired values inside the loop. war - file3. 9 and the rise of collections, I think it would be useful to answer it again here. Code: --- - hosts: localhost connection: local I have two lists of dictionaries and would like to loop through the cartesian product as one. This query instructs Ansible to iterate over each element in the my_list variable and create a new dictionary with the keys name and age, using the corresponding values from each dictionary in the original list. While Ansible is not recommended as a data processing/manipulation tool, you can use the existing Jinja2 templating in conjunction with the many added Ansible filters, lookups and tests to perform some very complex transformations. In this guide, we’ll explore how to manipulate and optimize nested lists in Ansible, leveraging powerful filters like flatten and unique to simplify workflows. We'll keep things straightforward and show you how this filter can be a real game-changer in automating tasks. 4 days ago · Note This module is part of ansible-core and included in all Ansible installations. I’ve written a combine function similar to whats in 2. See full list on middlewareinventory. After reading it, this felt like a perfect opportun Jan 18, 2022 · my_var: one_key: one_string: great environment: Acceptance var_list_one: abc var_list_two: xyz two_key: two_string: great environment: Production var_list_one: def var_list_two: whatever three_key: three_string: woow environment: else I've tried using combine, but this case seems too complex for simple combine since this a nested dict. Check out jmespath. Learn how to parse JSON data in Ansible, transform it into structured lists, and search for specific criteria using filters like `selectattr`. Explore examples, common mistakes, FAQs, and a summary of iterating over lists and dictionaries in Ansible. dict2items for easy linking to the plugin documentation and to avoid conflicting with other collections that may have the same filter plugin name. How to select attributes from Ansible dictorinary. I've tried using loop|dict2items (the structure isn't a dictionary, & it tells m Oct 1, 2014 · Activity Iterate over complex dicitonary structure in j2 tempalte Ansible Project 3 5 November 13, 2015 Traverse nested dictionary with keeping the keys Ansible Project 2 5 March 10, 2014 Iterate a dict over loop: different key value pair Ansible Developer 1 17 October 6, 2017 Nested looping with hash/dict so I can override values Ansible I have an Ansible playbook like the one below, I want use nested variable like this: msg={{{{Component}}. dict for easy linking to the plugin documentation and to avoid conflicting with other collections that may have the same lookup plugin name. The from_json filter then parses these contents, converting them from a JSON formatted string into a data structure (like a dictionary or list) that Ansible can work with. However, we recommend you use the Fully Qualified Collection Name (FQCN) ansible. 4 days ago · Note This lookup plugin is part of ansible-core and included in all Ansible installations. Feb 24, 2024 · Ansible Selectattr example. Often the easiest way to understand it is an Jan 31, 2024 · Ansible - parse a list of nested dictionaries to create a new list Asked 1 year, 9 months ago Modified 1 year, 9 months ago Viewed 91 times Jul 19, 2018 · Ansible Nested Loop with List and Dictionary Originally published at www. value. Important: The ansible-core 2. For example: server: ip: 10. . So, we need to know how to write lists and dictionaries in YAML. microlinux. general. This guide includes step-by-step instructions and examples, so you can get started right away. The trick is, I need to convert the dictionary into a list. This operation would be very easy to do with a classic script with with simple nested loops, but I can't do it in an Ansible playbook. Keys are strings, and values can be of any data type, including strings, numbers, lists, or even nested dictionaries. 0]. Nov 11, 2024 · Advanced Ansible Playbooks: YAML Data, Special Characters, and Best Practices In recent years, Ansible has become an essential tool for IT automation, simplifying configuration management and … Feb 5, 2015 · Ansible Project 1 19 September 18, 2015 Accessing a list of dictionaries, within a list of dictionaries, using with_items Ansible Project 1 8 October 5, 2013 How to traverse nested key in subelements in Ansible? Despite that, we recommend you use the FQCN for easy linking to the module documentation and to avoid conflicting with other collections that may have the same module name. 1 }} with_dict: "{{ var1 }}" with_items: "{{ var2 }}" I have no idea to loop over these two variables together and don’t wanna change the data type of the variables. I have some nested variables declared in Ansible like this: # vars/main. I'm getting different results when using loop vs with_items when trying to iterate over a list of dictionaries. I saw that there are other keywords than "with_items", like "with_nested" and "with_subelements". To represent the variations among those different systems, you can create variables with standard YAML syntax, including lists and dictionaries. 1. In addition, Ansible uses lists and dictionaries to exchange data within processes and with third parties. I resorted to looping over the original dictionary and calling the include with just one definition. In most cases, you can use the short plugin name dict2items. com Jun 5, 2023 · Just a quick self-note for those cases where you want an Ansible dictionary with multiple values per key, e. A case where Ansible can handle lists of dicts is when they are referring to similar things: my_vars: - name: bob legs: 4 type: cow - name: alice legs: 2 type: bird You can then iterate through that in two ways- either with_items or with_subelements. I have a dictionary with a list of datastores and an associated integer representing the number of VMs I can deploy (calculated earlier in my playbook based on the Feb 24, 2024 · How to Create List in Ansible To create a List in Ansible. Feb 24, 2016 · Learn how to use Ansible's set_fact module to create a dictionary from registered results in your playbooks. The syntax is not difficult but this may save others time since the docs and Google don’t make it terribly obvious. But it's a workaround in code, not an alternative to the original problem. Special and environment types explained. In most cases, you can use the short plugin name items2dict. ' appended to "{{ key_name }}" = "{{ composite_variable_to_lookup_value}}". here). Oct 10, 2025 · A dictionary in Ansible is enclosed in curly braces {} and consists of key-value pairs separated by colons :. dict_kv(key): Jul 19, 2018 · Ansible loops are simple and powerful with mixed data. Dict Looks Like: title: S Dec 18, 2023 · I don't think you understand what has been deprecated. Aug 22, 2016 · How can I change value of “name” in each dictionary during play of playbook and that this has affected on all further reference to the “test” dictionary? The following block of code is used to get a list of files from a directory. Oct 8, 2024 · Modifying nested data: Access and modify complex structures by combining Ansible’s set_fact with filters like combine and list operators like +. The map filter is a handy tool in Ansible, making it easier to manipulate and transform data within your playbooks. Oct 19, 2020 · Ansible, with_nested, How to asign dynamic variables in loop Ask Question Asked 5 years, 1 month ago Modified 1 year, 1 month ago Learn how to iterate over lists and dictionaries in Ansible with this comprehensive tutorial. You might have seen Gathering facts while starting the playing and this is the same fact we are talking May 13, 2023 · In this example, we use the json_query filter with the JMESPath query []. Nov 3, 2018 · While working on my Ansible Galaxy users role I came across a situation where I needed to loop through a list inside a dictionary inside a list. you’re using an Ansible EE on a production environment not managed by you), you can also use the selectattr Jinja2 filter, which comes pretty handy on such cases. Feel free to suggest or directly edit my question if it's not expressed clearly. Jun 10, 2025 · See: How to validate the arguments for a nested dictionary · Issue #2665 · ansible/ansible-documentation · GitHub SUMMARY I can’t find an example in the role argument validation documentation for how to document/vali… Learn how to append a dictionary to a list in Ansible with this easy-to-follow guide. How about you create a variable containing a dictionary of lists? Like this: backup_targets: alphamule. Aug 10, 2020 · json ansible jinja2 ansible-2. j2 template and populate peers based on the value of ansible_local. Nov 5, 2024 · Learn to handle nested YAML in Python: parse, access, traverse, and modify complex structures. But improper nesting can needlessly overcomplicate your playbooks. Dict2items Basic Usage Example of dict2items in a Playbook An example playbook demonstrating the use of dict2items: In this playbook, my_dict is converted into a list […] Aug 12, 2015 · Hi all, I have a dictionary with a nested dictionary defined in defaults/main. x ansible-template Improve this question Follow this question to receive notifications edited Aug 10, 2020 at 12:32 Oct 31, 2017 · Ansible doesn't deal with deep nesting well. Examples of commonly-used loops include changing ownership on several files and/or directories with the file module, creating multiple users with the user module, and repeating a polling step until a certain result is reached. Mar 26, 2024 · In some cases you may want to create nearly identical objects from a list of values, or another dictionary. subelements – traverse nested key from a list of dictionaries Note This lookup plugin is part of ansible-core and included in all Ansible installations. json_query can help here! 4 days ago · Manipulating data In many cases, you will need to perform complex operations with your variables. 10, I am trying to iterate over a nested dictionary. Mar 28, 2023 · My friend and peer Roberto Nozaki recently wrote How to work with lists and dictionaries in Ansible. techbeatly. {name: name, age: age}. Ansible loops are simple and powerful with mixed data. This is a sanitized example: My dictionary: Aug 25, 2023 · Here is how to get the new list: name: Removing a <nic_id> from the list inside the dictionary matching the <net_id> vars: vpc: provider: net_type: ‘db’ net_ipv4 4 days ago · This is the latest (stable) Ansible community documentation. n. Preserving structure: When modifying parts of a deeply nested structure, ensure that only the relevant portion is changed by merging the updated data back into the original structure. You will sure say “awesome” when you realize the easiness with loops. Jan 1, 2024 · In this blog post, let's explore what a map filter is in Ansible and look at some practical use cases. 0/16’ net_ipv6 Jun 16, 2022 · If you really do need a list inside your role, recreate a new list, combining the the default value to the input given to the role, taking advantage of the fact that, when combining two dictionaries containing the same key, the values of the second dictionary will override the values of the first one: Mar 25, 2021 · The possibilities are endless, but the point remains the same—you would not want to write 10 individual Ansible tasks to create 10 user accounts. set_fact for easy linking to the module documentation and to avoid conflicting with other collections that may have Dec 8, 2015 · Using ‘with_items’ I can iterate over items in ‘hubot_bots’, like ‘testbot’ here, and create resources, such as directories named after the key ‘testbot’ and then run commands accessing the values using ‘item. Aug 23, 2020 · Ansible: How to create nested dictionary using Jinja2 Asked 4 years, 8 months ago Modified 2 years, 9 months ago Viewed 2k times May 27, 2025 · What is Dictionary Lookup in Ansible? How it Works You use the dictionary's key within the lookup to retrieve the corresponding value. It's the jinja2 template that I can't figure out based on my exports list. Sep 18, 2024 · hey, i have a little problem maybe someone can help. Apr 6, 2022 · Ansible - Looping Over Lists and Dictionaries Recently I’ve been writing some Ansible plays for a personal project and looking around online reminded me just how much people struggle with handling loops. net Oct 28, 2021 · I'm trying to get the names of interfaces that meet a certain criteria within a given JSON in Ansible, using jmesquery. 3, and want to merge two nested dicts to template to a config file. I guess I'm not great at looking at their examples and converting it to what I need?) Basically a dictionary like key1: value1 I've had good results working with complex dictionaries using jmespath. Traverse nested dictionary with keeping the keys in ansible Ask Question Asked 6 years, 4 months ago Modified 4 years, 7 months ago 4 days ago · Selecting JSON data: JSON queries To select a single element or a data subset from a complex data structure in JSON format (for example, Ansible facts), use the community. Using set_fact to create an Ansible list As you might know, Ansible has a special directive called set_fact to create facts. yml --- domain_definition: - name: server01 cluster: cluster0 port: '8070' - name: s… Loops are one of Ansible’s most powerful features, allowing you to iterate over lists, dictionaries, and other data structures to execute tasks multiple times with different parameters. This will take that dictionary and create key/value pairs with it. This was a commonly needed ability at VMware on the NSX ALB (Avi) team as for many of our infra, and for our customers have a list of servers that we needed to build into a list of dictionaries as we require more than just a specific IP. append('x') %}New value of originalvar is Learn how to handle and optimize nested lists in Ansible using powerful filters like `flatten` and `unique`. : domain_definition. Nested lists, a common scenario, can pose challenges for efficient processing in playbooks. Let‘s dive deep into best practices for taming nested Ansible: iterating over a nested dictionary? Ask Question Asked 7 years ago Modified 7 years ago Jun 20, 2019 · Question: How can I loop through this dictionary in Ansible and add a 3rd key "key3" with accompanied value to each entry in "environments"? The desired situation would be a new_dict which contains the following: Mar 23, 2021 · In what context are you using Jinja2? If you're using it in Python it would be much easier to flatten the lists in Python, and if you're using Ansible, there are filters available that would make this easier as well. Apr 8, 2020 · Ansible how to create list of dictionary keys Asked 5 years, 7 months ago Modified 1 year, 4 months ago Viewed 41k times May 6, 2014 · My pull request for with_nested () allows for all kind of nested loops, including the simpler case that is handled by the ‘with_subelements’ lookup. In most cases, you can use the short plugin name nested. size }} with_dict: file_system Sep 14, 2016 · I want to use with_nested to assemble a list by iterating over two lists and extracting particular keys from both – ideally something like …: name: “Build flat list of security group rules that should exist” set_fact: … May 6, 2020 · A few days ago I was asked how to best deal with structures in Ansible which are mixing dictionaries and lists. 4 days ago · Dictionaries You can use the community. Iterating through nested list / dictionary in Jinja2 template I'm trying to dynamically configure multiple NFS servers in my system by generating their /etc/exports files using Ansible. name }} lv={{ item. Dictionaries are data structures that store key-value pairs. Core Concept Dictionary lookup is a fundamental technique in Ansible to extract specific values from dictionaries. yml, modifies a nested dict variable, then writes out the updated file) to this blog post: Download animals-ansible-change-nested-dict-example. Fortunately, Ansible supports looping over datasets to ensure that you can perform large scale operations using tightly defined code. g. json_query filter. This can be addressed by defining internal and external as lists instead of dictionaries. war server2: - file1. I want to extract the names of all customers when any of the dicts in the list mylst. --- - name: Create final list by adding device_id to san_mount_list without exceeding size_gb hosts: localhost gather_facts: f&hellip; Feb 4, 2021 · This questions has been partly answered here but since Ansible 2. owner’ and ‘item. Ansible: How to get a subelement of a nested list of dictionaries Ask Question Asked 6 years, 9 months ago Modified 6 years, 9 months ago 4 days ago · YAML Basics For Ansible, nearly every YAML file starts with a list. ---This video is based o Dec 27, 2023 · Nested variables allow you to model complex, structured data directly within Ansible to drive powerful automation workflows. items (): if not key in Nov 1, 2021 · Ansible, or jinja, has a few builtin filters to work with 2 lists, like intersect and difference and union, but they are all to work with simple lists. Dict looks like below which has nested items. Example Apr 23, 2024 · What you got there is actually a list of dictionaries with one key and a list as a value. sample data: environments: [ {title: outdoors, climate: variable Dec 27, 2023 · Create directories and files with specific permissions Rather than having to explicitly code these as loops in YAML, Ansible provides modules like with_items to handle the looping construct. Secondarily, the way to dynamically construct a dict is not to use jinja2 to build up text but rather use the fact that jinja2 is almost a programming language: 4 days ago · In most cases, you can use the short plugin name combine. Filter and Select items from Ansible dictionary using selectattr example. I can loop through the list and get the &quot;ip&quot; attribute I want but its a large list and wanted to kno Oct 9, 2025 · selectattr is a filter plugin in Ansible that allows you to select a subset of elements from a list of dictionaries based on the value of a particular attribute. Jan 7, 2016 · I’m hung up on syntax at the moment and was wondering if someone could point out what I’m doing incorrectly. Instead of writing complicated code to dig into each layer Jan 9, 2025 · Ansible variables enable you to manage differences between systems, environments, and configurations, making your automation tasks more streamlined and adaptable. During our technical discussions, we came across a use case for nested loops inside a playbook. yml -e 'version= Learn how to filter a list of dictionaries in Ansible using selectattr and map (attribute) to extract specific values efficiently. nested for easy linking to the plugin documentation and to avoid conflicting with other collections that may have the same lookup plugin name. Jun 21, 2023 · I'm looking to add a {key: pair} from a list of dictionaries, into a separate dictionary, where the new {key: pair} maps to an item within a list, within the new dictionary. builtin. Also jmespath queries can be used in Ansible with the json_query () filter. Each item in the list is a list of key/value pairs, commonly called a “hash” or a “dictionary”. 10. Builtin ansible. external are dictionaries, each containing 3 elements with the same key. Inside we have keys like ip, distro, purpose that map to associated values like IP addresses and strings. I’m trying to create an ntp. yml parent_key: child_key1: "child_value May 20, 2015 · As mentioned in the beginning, this isn’t really necessary in this case and certainly isn’t very much in Ansible’s spirit of simplicity, but it has saved me from duplicating information across multiple variables several times. zip and try it for yourself! ansible. For example, use dict2items to "loop and have key pair values in variables" item. But i am not able to get proper List of dictionary. Looping over a Dictionary To loop over this dictionary, you can use the dict2items filter, which converts the dictionary into a list of items. It’s particularly useful for iterating over a dictionary in playbooks or templates. I need to create a dictionary in … Nov 27, 2023 · If for any case you cannot install the jmespath library in order to use the json_query filter (e. This guide covers loop syntax, working with lists and dictionaries, nested loops, & conditionals. How do I do this. Jan 31, 2022 · I'm trying to dynamically configure multiple NFS servers in my system by generating their /etc/exports files using Ansible. Subelements walks a list of hashes (aka dictionaries) and then traverses a list with a given (nested sub-)key inside of those records. name }} size={{ item. This guide will walk you through the various Mar 26, 2024 · In some cases you may want to create nearly identical objects from a list of values, or another dictionary. Before I set off to create my own filter - is there a way this could still be achieved using native ansible/jinja filters? Thx Learn how to loop over Ansible variable arrays in Jinja2 templates to create nested dictionaries efficiently with practical examples. we have different ways, let us go through them with examples. Oct 15, 2020 · Let’s assume the following fictional dictionary with nested lists, dictionaries, and strings, of arbitrary depth. What are Ansible loops? Learn how to loop over lists and dictionaries in Ansible. locations Now, for a comparison with the Jan 3, 2024 · The file is read using Ansible's lookup plugin with the 'file' parameter, which fetches the raw contents of the file. Aug 16, 2019 · So the lists of dicts need to be merged, and overwritten if the ‘name’ attribute is the same (if I express myself correctly). Dec 21, 2023 · I need to be create a nested loop (I’m open to another way of doing this if somebody knows one). Jun 19, 2017 · I've attached an example playbook (which reads in animals. items2dict for easy linking to the plugin documentation and to avoid conflicting with other collections that may have the same filter plugin name. ' needs to be accommodated: "{{ dict_name }}" appended to '. You can append a new key value pair to the dictionary. With Ansible, you can execute tasks and playbooks on multiple systems with a single command. net: - BKA2g7FqDE - SiUKqRuYI _acme-challenge. netcup_dns My problem now is the result from acme_certicate challenge_data_dns: _acme-challenge. What I was looking for was the ability to merge dictionary lists and if it was somehow possible also do a join of properties. This article covers analyzing and using the data in lists and dictionaries, which is crucial for Jul 20, 2023 · I agree, but I think my exercise is also to learn how to use ansible/jija/python logic to update a single value based on a nested dictionary such as this, also such logic can be useful else where to update variables or dictionaries not just for config mgmt. You will sure say “awesome Nov 1, 2022 · When you're working with Ansible, it's inevitable that you'll deal with lists and dictionaries. The dictionary looks like that: var1: d1: t1: - p1 - p2 t2: - p1 d2: t1: - p1 I would like the function return something like that: d1, t1, p1 d1, t1, p2 d1, t2, p1 For any help, I will be grateful! How to work with Ansible variables in playbooks, inventories & command line, and where to set them. 2. username and password combinations. In most cases, you can use the short plugin name subelements even without specifying the collections: keyword. Nov 30, 2023 · I am wondering how can i append the dictionary with subnet_id as key into vpc_result subnets element to look like below. I have the following variables, a main dictionary, called db_dict. acme_certificate which seems to work, but i need to place the dns records, for this i use community. It's the jinja2 Loops Ansible offers the loop, with_<lookup>, and until keywords to execute a task multiple times. Apr 6, 2021 · It is typically straightforward to resolve Ansible errors where a simple variable used within an action is not defined. war and for now I just want to loop over each item (key), and then ove Learn how to parse and transform JSON data into a structured list in Ansible. When leveraged judiciously, nested variables make Ansible‘s "infrastructure as code" shine through declarative self-documenting playbooks. The problem is that the merged dictionary appears to be unicode preventing me from iterating over it in the template. I want to delete an item from the list inside the dictionary. This guide walks you through a practical example, including troubleshooting tips and best practices. Learn how to effectively create nested dictionaries in Ansible using Jinja2 for your automation tasks. It seems that it is re-creating a new dictionary or may be overriding an existing dictionary for every item in the with_items. 10 distro: Ubuntu purpose: database Here, server is the dictionary name. war - file2. combine for easy linking to the plugin documentation and to avoid conflicting with other collections that may have the same filter plugin name. union does not work here, and combine only works for individual dicts, not lists of dicts. This guide uses the `from_json` filter and `json_query` for efficient JSON handling. There’s another small quirk to YAML. Sep 17, 2015 · Say I have two variable like these: var1: key1: val1 key2: val2 var2: - item1 - item2 Can I loop over these two variables like below? - shell: echo {{ item. This guide demonstrates how to verify conditions dynamically. Hopefully, the example will explain this better than I am able to. I want a single dictionary with all the keys. community_release_num}}, but when I run playbook: ansible-playbook vartest. It then registers a variable with the contents of any files that were found. env has a key with name n1 I imagine this can be done with a nested loo Nov 27, 2017 · Ansible - Looping through a list of nested Dictionaries Asked 7 years, 8 months ago Modified 6 years, 4 months ago Viewed 4k times Jan 24, 2020 · I have a dictionary with key values and few values are lists. — – name: Get a list of files a… Nov 18, 2015 · Hi All, I’m using ansible 1. Jan 21, 2020 · Foremost, ansible will only auto-coerce JSON strings into a dict, but you have used python syntax. Feb 14, 2021 · A dictionary, instead of a list, can be created by simply changing the concatenation of the lists to the combination of the dictionaries e. Dec 27, 2023 · So leverage dictionaries with nested models to represent your real-world data structures – then unlock their potential using Ansible‘s versatile looping functionality for simplified automation. I can use the nested dictionary in a task like this: `` ` name: Create Logicals Volumes on primary VG lvol: vg={{ file_system_system_vg. Nov 10, 2024 · In Ansible, the dot is used to access attributes of dictionaries or objects. Effectively this is flattened to only the last element of each dictionary. com on July 19, 2018. org for an interactive tutorial. " A: There are more options when the variable is a dictionary. 4 days ago · Note This filter plugin is part of ansible-core and included in all Ansible installations. dict_kv filter to create a single-entry dictionary with value | community. value Dec 5, 2019 · Below is a contrived example of my data. See examples. In most cases, you can use the short plugin name dict. I say that because ansible won’t natively loop over a dictionary. After all, they are all part of YAML, which administrators use to create Ansible playbooks. Simplify your playbooks and enhance automation workflows. internal and services. I’m specifically going to be focusing on the “dict2items” plugin. However, when dealing with nested dictionary variables in your Ansible tasks, it can become more complex because not only can the leaf be missing, but also any of the parent container paths. adapter’, etc. subelements lookup – traverse nested key from a list of dictionaries Edit on GitHub Dec 27, 2023 · What Exactly is an Ansible Dictionary? Ansible dictionaries provide a way to store related data together in key-value pairs, much like Python dictionaries. Each item in this list is another dictionary with a 'key' and a Feb 22, 2021 · With Ansible 2. 0. In this blog post, we dive into how these variables can be best utilized, through a series of step-by-step guides and practical examples. Follow our step-by-step guide for a successful impleme 4 days ago · Collection Index Collections in the Ansible Namespace Ansible. Ansible loop over nested dictionary Asked 7 years ago Modified 1 year, 10 months ago Viewed 17k times Jan 10, 2023 · This gets a little harrier. In most cases, you can use the short module name set_fact even without specifying the collections keyword. Apr 10, 2024 · This is why loops are so powerful in Ansible: they let us manage multiple items with a single task, no matter how many items we have. Let’s start with a quick definition of each type of plugin Jun 28, 2025 · Learn how to use an Ansible loop to automate repetitive tasks. example. Feb 2, 2024 · Ansible - Nested Loop with list of dictionaries when dictionary values are lists Asked 1 year, 7 months ago Modified 1 year, 7 months ago Viewed 559 times Oct 3, 2024 · I have my code written like below . Feb 26, 2025 · To summarize then I want to access a dictionary value with a composite created from variables for both the dictionary name and the key (and somehow the '. I’ll describe my problem as best I can: I need to be able to deploy a fixed number of VMs (VMware) within my VMware cluster(s). I want to generate lets encrypt certs with ansible. 9. Think of Ansible Introduction Ansible's flexibility in automation often involves handling intricate data structures. With_items vs loop explained. Oct 8, 2019 · Ansible hack: Create a dictionary during task execution and append it into one variable The use case I had in hand that I had a playbook with huge number of tasks. Learn how to automate JSON data transformations with Ansible and Jinja2 templates. The thing is that the items in the list are named, it's not a list containin Mar 1, 2024 · The subelements lookup plugin is designed to iterate over a list of dictionaries and a specified sub-list within each dictionary. yml of my role: file_system_system_vg: name: "A Name" lv: {} where lv is the nested dictionary. I'm hoping to be able to do this with a jinja2 template. Please update the syntax appropriately; you can find JSON syntax documentation all over the place (e. Using filters to manipulate data Filters let you transform JSON data into YAML data, split a URL to extract the hostname, get the SHA1 hash of a string, add or multiply integers, and much more. In Ansible parlance facts are variables too. " First of all, there is a problem with your data structure, as services. "Specifying a list of dictionaries for vars: is deprecated in favor of specifying a dictionary. Aug 2, 2015 · When I execute following code it is shows a dictionary with only one key that corresponds to the last item of the with_items. 19/Ansible 12 release has made significant templating changes that might require you to update playbooks and roles. Jun 15, 2020 · The part I am missing is after the nested includes that run in a loop, I want to print a summary of specifc vars to the screen for confirmation to the user running the playbook. Apr 26, 2015 · 47 (Related to Callbacks or hooks, and reusable series of tasks, in Ansible roles): Is there any better way to append to a list or add a key to a dictionary in Ansible than (ab)using a jina2 template expression? I know you can do something like: - name: this is a hack shell: echo "{% originalvar. value }} {{ item. key and item. json_query filter lets you query a complex JSON structure and iterate over it using a loop structure. 0/16’ net_ipv6_subnet: ‘FD00::/64’ net_id: 0 nic_ids: 1111111111 2222222222 net_type: ‘dns’ net_ipv4_subnet: ‘10. Dot notation allows you to refer to specific elements within nested structures, such as items in dictionaries or host facts. sbhmaf kyvxima tpsdl oipr wyx fpn vywugud ymozc yuustpth kpyd vykxm yibj kple cwnmcw srsnxk