Introduction
The Ansible Community Day Berlin 2023 brought together Ansible enthusiasts from around the world to discuss, collaborate, and share insights on the automation landscape. Among the attendees were Eric Lavarde and Moritz Schönwetter, who introduced us to a remarkable project focused on standardizing Ansible best practices.
Meet Eric Lavarde and Moritz Schönwetter
[Eric Lavarde](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericlavarde/) and [Moritz Schönwetter](https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-schoenwetter/)) are prominent figures in the Red Hat community, holding roles as Principal Architects and Managers of the Automation Community of Practice (COP). Their project, aimed at consolidating and promoting Ansible best practices, showcases their dedication to elevating Ansible's capabilities.
Standardizing Ansible Best Practices
In their insightful presentation, Eric and Moritz delved into the importance of standardizing Ansible best practices. They recognized that while individual consultants, engineers, and support personnel had their own effective methods, there was a need to establish a unified approach. This approach ensures that everyone involved in Ansible-related activities follows a common set of guidelines and practices.
The initiative began by adopting GitOps principles, treating best practices as code. Collaborative efforts led to the development of a repository that encompasses best practices for Ansible. These recommendations extend beyond the scope of [Ansible-Lint](/articles/ansible-lint), addressing code organization, role structure, inventory management, and more.
Differentiating from Ansible Lint
Eric and Moritz clarified that their best practices initiative goes beyond [Ansible-Lint](/articles/ansible-lint). While [Ansible-Lint](/articles/ansible-lint) primarily focuses on checking code for formatting and field usage, this project extends its scope to cover broader aspects of Ansible playbook development. It encompasses considerations related to code organization and playbook structuring, areas where [Ansible-Lint](/articles/ansible-lint) may not provide direct guidance.
The Future of the Best Practices Project
Regarding the project's future, Eric and Moritz expressed their aspiration to compile a comprehensive Ansible community book. This book would serve as a valuable resource for Ansible practitioners worldwide. While the vision is ambitious, it aligns perfectly with the collaborative and community-driven spirit of Ansible.
Eri