getting started with Ansible

Install pipx:

sudo apt install python3-pip
sudo pip install pipx

Install ansible-core:

pipx install --include-deps ansible
pipx install ansible-core
ansible --version
pipx inject --include-apps ansible argcomplete
activate-global-python-argcomplete --user

Also install this to manage Windows boxes:

ansible-galaxy collection install ansible.windows

Generate a SSH key for the control node, and append its public key to managed node authorized_keys files.

Create a directory for your first playbook and cd into it. Create a basic inventory list in inventory.ini and include all hostnames/IPs you want to manage with Ansible:

[myhosts]
10.0.0.5
10.0.0.6
10.0.0.7

Finally, create a playbook called playbook.yml:

- name: My first play
  hosts: myhosts
  tasks:
   - name: Ping my hosts
     ansible.builtin.ping:
 
   - name: Print message
     ansible.builtin.debug:
      msg: Hello world

Deploy it with ansible-playbook -i inventory.ini playbook.yml