super fast way to start testing ansible stuff locally without VMs

ansible-localhost.md

set up ansible to work on localhost

i've found this useful for debugging ansible modules and syntax without having to use VMs or test in dev environments.

install ansible

pip install ansible

make some relevant config files

~/.ansible.cfg:

[defaults]
hostfile = ~/.ansible-hosts

~/.ansible-hosts:

localhost ansible_connection=local

make a test playbook and run!

helloworld.yml:

---

- hosts: all
  tasks:
    - shell: echo 'hello world'

run!

$ ansible-playbook helloworld.yml

PLAY [all] ********************************************************************

GATHERING FACTS ***************************************************************
ok: [localhost]

TASK: [shell echo 'hello world'] **********************************************
changed: [localhost]

PLAY RECAP ********************************************************************
localhost                  : ok=2    changed=1    unreachable=0    failed=0

For future users that stumble on this, the hostfile variable in .ansible.cfg was changed to inventory after 1.9, so that file should be:

~/.ansible.cfg

[defaults]
inventory = ~/.ansible-hosts

If you don't want to add or change your config file, consider this way

1. Install ansible
2. Add Playbook

---
- hosts: localhost
  connection: local
  tasks:
    - shell: echo 'hello world'

3. Run the Playbook

This way some warnings will be thrown about implicit localhost and an empty hosts list, but it works just fine for me.

very nice @bleaktradition thank you

I am using ansible v-2.16.3. echo seems not working for me: I do not see TASK: [shell echo 'hello world']. Instead, this is my output: TASK [shell] *********

I am using ansible v-2.16.3. echo seems not working for me: I do not see TASK: [shell echo 'hello world']. Instead, this is my output: TASK [shell] *********

The following works for me in v-2.16.3

- hosts: localhost
  connection: local
  tasks:
   - name: Print message
     ansible.builtin.debug:
       msg: Hello world