What is idempotency in Ansible?

What is idempotency in Ansible?

Idempotency in Ansible means that running the same playbook multiple times will not change the system after the first application.

Can you give me an example of how idempotency works in a playbook?

Sure! If you have a task that installs a package, running it again won't reinstall the package if it's already present.

Why is idempotency important in automation?

Idempotency ensures that your automation scripts are safe to run multiple times without unintended side effects.

How can I ensure my Ansible playbooks are idempotent?

You can use Ansible modules that are designed to be idempotent, like apt, yum, or file, and check for existing states.