How to automatically install Ansible Galaxy roles?

Question

All my Ansible playbooks/roles are checked in to my git repo.

However, for Ansible Galaxy roles I always have to explicitly download them one by one on every machine

Answer 1

I often find myself installing installing a Java JDK. Using a role makes that touch easier. I've tried a couple of different ways (including lots of .gitmodules and submodule... I have to use multiple git systems for work and all it gets ugly). My largest requirement is that I not check role code into my playbook project, mostly so I can keep everything in one place.

The contents of my 'requirements.yml' file:

- src: https://github.com/staylorx/ansible-role-wls-prep.git
  version: master
  name: staylorx.wls-prep

- src: https://my-work-git-extravaganza.com
  version: 2.x
  name: coolplace.niftyrole

#From Ansible Galaxy
- src: staylorx.oracle-jdk

I run a separate playbook, install-roles.yml:

---

- hosts: localhost

  tasks:
    - file:
        path:  roles
        state: absent

    - local_action:
        command ansible-galaxy install -r requirements.yml --roles-path roles

    - lineinfile:
        dest:   .gitignore
        regexp: '^\/roles$'
        line:   '/roles'
        state:  present

I run this first playbook, then I run my roles in any playbook normally. For me the secret is to ensure it's ignored by git so I don't check the roles in by mistake. Also since I wipe out the folder every time, I ensure I don't need to force or ignore errors.