Back to Tools
Infrastructure as Code
Ansible
Ansible is widely used for configuration management and automation. Unlike Terraform, which is more focused on provisioning infrastructure, Ansible is often used to configure systems after they exist.
AutomationConfig ManagementAgentless
Key Concepts
Playbooks define automation tasks in YAML.
Ansible is agentless and usually connects over SSH.
Inventory files define target hosts and groups.
Modules perform reusable tasks like package install or service control.
Common Interview Questions
What is Ansible used for?
How is Ansible different from Terraform?
What is a playbook in Ansible?
Use Case
Use Ansible for agentless server configuration, package installs, and operational automation.
Common Use Cases
Configuring Linux servers after provisioning.
Installing packages and managing services across hosts.
Automating operational tasks and deployments.
Pros
Agentless and easy to start with.
Very useful for server configuration and automation.
Human-readable YAML playbooks.
Cons
Can become messy in large environments without standards.
Not ideal as the main tool for cloud infrastructure lifecycle.
Execution speed may be slower than some alternatives at scale.