Ansible Library: json_file

This is a module that lets you change JSON files.

Requirements

None

Dependencies

None

Usage Examples

- hosts: all
  tasks:
    - name: Change value of 'foo' to 'bar'
      json_file:
        dest: /etc/file.conf
        key: 'foo'
        value: 'bar'

This module can handle nested JSON using a dot ('.') in the key. For example, given this file:

{ "foo": {
    "bar": "buzz"
  }
}

To change the value of "bar" to "whatever", do this:

- hosts: all
  tasks:
    - name: Change value of 'bar' to 'whatever'
      json_file:
        dest: /etc/file.conf
        key: 'foo.bar'
        value: 'whatever'

If a key name has a dot, you need to escape it:

{ "foo.bar": "buzz" }

You can change it like this:

- hosts: all
  tasks:
    - name: Change value of 'foo.bar' to 'whatever'
      json_file:
        dest: /etc/file.conf
        key: 'foo\.bar'
        value: 'whatever'

Setting a value to null is tricky because of a bug in Ansible. To set it to null, use None:

- hosts: all
  tasks:
    - name: Set 'foo' to null
      json_file:
        dest: /etc/file.conf
        key: 'foo'
        value: None

Sometimes, you need to save a number as a string in the JSON file. Set the as_string argument to 'yes' for this:

- hosts: all
  tasks:
    - name: Set 'foo' to "25"
      json_file:
        dest: /etc/file.conf
        key: 'foo'
        value: 25
        as_string: yes

This module supports all options available in the Ansible file module, like 'owner', 'group', and 'mode'.

Acknowledgements

This library is based on the ini_file core module and @FauxFaux's ghetto_json library.

Limitations

json_file only works with JSON files that are dictionaries (i.e., have a top-level '{').

It does not work with lists.

License

MIT

Author Information

Pieter Lexis (@lieter_)