.. _module_defaults: Module defaults =============== If you frequently call the same module with the same arguments, it can be useful to define default arguments for that particular module using the ``module_defaults`` keyword. Here is a basic example:: - hosts: localhost module_defaults: ansible.builtin.file: owner: root group: root mode: 0755 tasks: - name: Create file1 ansible.builtin.file: state: touch path: /tmp/file1 - name: Create file2 ansible.builtin.file: state: touch path: /tmp/file2 - name: Create file3 ansible.builtin.file: state: touch path: /tmp/file3 The ``module_defaults`` keyword can be used at the play, block, and task level. Any module arguments explicitly specified in a task will override any established default for that module argument:: - block: - name: Print a message ansible.builtin.debug: msg: "Different message" module_defaults: ansible.builtin.debug: msg: "Default message" You can remove any previously established defaults for a module by specifying an empty dict:: - name: Create file1 ansible.builtin.file: state: touch path: /tmp/file1 module_defaults: file: {} .. note:: Any module defaults set at the play level (and block/task level when using ``include_role`` or ``import_role``) will apply to any roles used, which may cause unexpected behavior in the role. Here are some more realistic use cases for this feature. Interacting with an API that requires auth:: - hosts: localhost module_defaults: ansible.builtin.uri: force_basic_auth: true user: some_user password: some_password tasks: - name: Interact with a web service ansible.builtin.uri: url: http://some.api.host/v1/whatever1 - name: Interact with a web service ansible.builtin.uri: url: http://some.api.host/v1/whatever2 - name: Interact with a web service ansible.builtin.uri: url: http://some.api.host/v1/whatever3 Setting a default AWS region for specific EC2-related modules:: - hosts: localhost vars: my_region: us-west-2 module_defaults: amazon.aws.ec2: region: '{{ my_region }}' community.aws.ec2_instance_info: region: '{{ my_region }}' amazon.aws.ec2_vpc_net_info: region: '{{ my_region }}' .. _module_defaults_groups: Module defaults groups ---------------------- .. versionadded:: 2.7 Ansible 2.7 adds a preview-status feature to group together modules that share common sets of parameters. This makes it easier to author playbooks making heavy use of API-based modules such as cloud modules. +---------+---------------------------+-----------------+ | Group | Purpose | Ansible Version | +=========+===========================+=================+ | aws | Amazon Web Services | 2.7 | +---------+---------------------------+-----------------+ | azure | Azure | 2.7 | +---------+---------------------------+-----------------+ | gcp | Google Cloud Platform | 2.7 | +---------+---------------------------+-----------------+ | k8s | Kubernetes | 2.8 | +---------+---------------------------+-----------------+ | os | OpenStack | 2.8 | +---------+---------------------------+-----------------+ | acme | ACME | 2.10 | +---------+---------------------------+-----------------+ | docker* | Docker | 2.10 | +---------+---------------------------+-----------------+ | ovirt | oVirt | 2.10 | +---------+---------------------------+-----------------+ | vmware | VMware | 2.10 | +---------+---------------------------+-----------------+ * The `docker_stack <docker_stack_module>`_ module is not included in the ``docker`` defaults group. Use the groups with ``module_defaults`` by prefixing the group name with ``group/`` - for example ``group/aws``. In a playbook, you can set module defaults for whole groups of modules, such as setting a common AWS region. .. code-block:: YAML # example_play.yml - hosts: localhost module_defaults: group/aws: region: us-west-2 tasks: - name: Get info aws_s3_bucket_info: # now the region is shared between both info modules - name: Get info ec2_ami_info: filters: name: 'RHEL*7.5*'