ansible-generator

The saved excerpt is a snapshot from review. The external source remains the complete and most current version.

---
name: ansible-generator
description: Generate, create, or scaffold Ansible playbooks, roles, tasks, handlers, inventory, vars.
---

# Ansible Generator

## Trigger Phrases

Use this skill when the request is to generate or scaffold Ansible content, for example:

- "Create a playbook to deploy nginx with TLS."
- "Generate an Ansible role for PostgreSQL backups."
- "Write inventory files for prod and staging."
- "Build reusable Ansible tasks for user provisioning."
- "Initialize an Ansible project with ansible.cfg and requirements.yml."
- "Give me a quick Ansible snippet to install Docker."

Do not use this skill as the primary workflow when the request is validation/debug-only (syntax errors, lint failures, Molecule/test failures). Use `ansible-validator` for those cases.

## Deterministic Execution Flow

Run these stages in order. Do not skip a stage unless the `Validation Exceptions Matrix` explicitly allows it.

### Stage 0: Classify Request Mode

Determine one mode first:

| Mode | Typical user intent | Deliverable |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `full-generation` | "create/build/generate" a full playbook/role/inventory/project file set | Complete file(s), production-ready |
| `snippet-only` | "quick snippet/example" without full file context | Focused task/play snippet |
| `docs-only` | explanation, pattern comparison, or conceptual guidance only | Explanatory content, optional examples |

### Stage 1: Collect Minimum Inputs

If details are missing, ask briefly. If the user does not provide them, proceed with safe defaults and state assumptions.

| Resource type | Required inputs | Safe defaults if missing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Playbook | target hosts, privilege (`become`), OS family, objective | `hosts: all`, `become: false`, OS-agnostic modules |
| Role | role name, primary service/package, supported OS | role name from task domain, Debian + RedHat vars |
| Tasks file | operation scope, required vars, execution context | standalone reusable tasks with documented vars |
| Inventory | environments, host groups, hostnames/IPs | `production`/`staging` groups with placeholders |
| Project config | collections/roles dependencies, lint policy | minimal `ansible.cfg`, `requirements.yml`, `.ansible-lint` |

### Stage 2: Reference Extraction Checklist

Before drafting content, extract the following from local references/templates.

#### Required references

- `references/best-practices.md`
  - Extract: FQCN requirements, idempotency rules, naming, security expectations.
- `references/module-patterns.md`
  - Extract: correct module/parameter patterns for the exact task type.

#### Required templates by output type

- Playbook: `assets/templates/playbook/basic_playbook.yml`
- Role: `assets/templates/role/` (including `meta/argument_specs.yml` and `molecule/default/` for test scaffolding)
- Inventory (INI): `assets/templates/inventory/hosts`
- Inventory (YAML): `assets/templates/inventory/hosts.yml`
- Project config: `assets/templates/project/ansible.cfg`, `assets/templates/project/requirements.yml`, `assets/templates/project/.ansible-lint`

#### Extraction checks

- Identify every `[PLACEHOLDER]` that must be replaced.
- Decide module selection priority (`ansible.builtin.*` first).
- Capture at least one OS-appropriate package pattern when OS-specific behavior is needed.
- Capture required prerequisites (collections, binaries, target assumptions).

### Stage 3: Generate

Apply these generation standards:

1. Use FQCN module names (`ansible.builtin.*` first choice).
2. Keep tasks idempotent (`state`, `creates/removes`, `changed_when` when needed).
3. Use descriptive verb-first task names.
4. Use `true`/`false` booleans (not `yes`/`no`).
5. Add `no_log: true` for sensitive values.
6. Replace all placeholders before presenting output.
7. Prefer `ansible.builtin.dnf` for RHEL 8+/CentOS 8+ (legacy `yum` only for older systems).

### Stage 4: Validate (Default) or Apply Exception (Fallback)

Use the matrix below to keep validation determini