Example
Roles also enable you to define other roles as a dependency by creating a meta/main.yml file with a dependencies block:
dependencies:
- role: common
It's also possible to pass a value to a parameter/variable in the dependent role:
dependencies:
- { role: common, some_parameter: 3 }
Or even execute the dependent role conditionally:
dependencies:
- { role: common, some_parameter: 3 }
- { role: sshd, enable_sshd: false,
when: environment == 'production' }
Dependent roles are always executed before the roles that depend on them. Also, they are only executed once. If two roles state the same one as their dependency, it is only executed the first time.
Imagine the roles role1, role2 and role3 with the folling meta/main.yml's:
role1/meta/main.yml:
dependencies:
- role: role3
role2/meta/main.yml:
dependencies:
- role: role3
When executing role1 and role2 in the same playbook (with role1 called before role2), the execution order would be the following:
role3 -> role1 -> role2
You may override this behaviour by specifying allow_duplicates: yes in meta/main.yml of role1 and role2. The resulting execution order would the be:
role3 -> role1 -> role3 -> role2
