7 Ansible Interview Questions (With Sample Answers And Tips)

Updated 27 March 2023

Ansible is an important software development tool that many IT professionals use for configuration management, cloud provisioning and automation. If you are appearing for a software development interview, then you may face questions about Ansible and its applications. Learning how to answer those questions can help you improve your chances of getting hired. In this article, we list a few Ansible interview questions, share their sample answers and provide a few tips to help you prepare your own responses.

7 Ansible Interview Questions With Sample Answers

Here are common Ansible interview questions that interviewers may ask you to check your skills and experience in using this software development tool:

1. What is Ansible?

Interviewers may begin the interview by asking this question first, as it helps them assess your foundational knowledge of this topic. While answering this question, you can highlight how this tool is helpful to you. Mentioning specific features that you find valuable can allow interviewers to evaluate your experience level.

Example: ‘Ansible is a very effective open-source configuration management and automation tool that we use to enhance scalability and reliability of applications across an organisation. This tool follows a simple procedure and is efficient enough to automate a wide range of systems. As it uses SSH, we can download and update applications without installing a separate agent on each system. This feature also makes Ansible lightweight and fast to deploy. It is also easier to learn in comparison to other IT automation tools.'

2. Describe how Ansible works

By asking this question, interviewers can assess your in-depth knowledge of this tool. Answer in a clear and concise way to cover the basics of how Ansible works. If you have experience with Ansible, provide an example of when you used it.

Example: ‘Ansible involves multiple pieces like modules, plugins and playbooks working together to become an IT automation tool. It works by connecting control machines and managed nodes on a network. The system from which Ansible runs is the controlling machine. Other devices that a controlling computer manages are called managed nodes. Ansible connects various nodes on a network and sends modules to managed nodes. These modules are programmes or applications that get executed over SSH.'

3. What is an Ansible playbook?

You may encounter questions about Ansible's features during an interview. Provide a clear and in-depth answer to demonstrate your experience with the Ansible playbook. This can help interviewers understand your expertise in this software development tool.

Example: ‘Ansible playbook is a configuration file that uses YAML and helps in sending commands to remote systems via scripts. It has collections of plays with ordered sequences of tasks. These tasks can be performed against hosts from Ansible inventory. Playbooks offer instructions for the control module. These are human-readable and can be used through the command line interface.'

4. What are some advantages of Ansible?

This is another important question that interviewers may ask to test your knowledge of Ansible. There are several benefits of Ansible that you can include in your answer. Consider providing a short and clear answer that lists the advantages of Ansible relevant to the job role for which you are interviewing.

Example: ‘The primary uses of Ansible include intra-service orchestration, configuration management and updating servers. In my previous job, I used Ansible to perform day-to-day tasks related to application deployment and cloud provisioning. Ansible also helped me maintain systems and ensure they were up-to-date. This software tool has a very fast learning rate and is also easy to instal. In addition, it is easy to deploy and uses a simple syntax in YAML. Another advantage of Ansible that I want to mention is that it is completely agentless. It has some powerful features for modelling complex IT workflows.'

5. Tell us the requirements for the Ansible server

By asking this question, interviewers can evaluate if you know how to run Ansible. Clearly mention the requirements for running this tool. This question can be a great way to demonstrate your technical skills.

Example: ‘Ansible can be run from control machines with Python 2 or Python 3. We can use virtual machines to use Windows servers as target systems.'

6. What certifications do you have?

Interviewers may ask if you have any certifications relevant to Ansible. Mentioning specific certifications can help you highlight your commitment to learning new things. This question can be a great opportunity to tell the interviewer that you are eager to master different technologies relevant to the industry. If you want to gain any certification in the future, you can also mention them in your answer.

Example: ‘When I first started working as a software engineer, I learnt that earning certifications can help me be more productive. I pursued a Red Hat Certified Specialist in Advanced Automation course and improved my knowledge of Ansible. This certification course helped me manage inventory variables, instal Ansible towers and manage projects and workflows.'

7. How do you work under pressure?

Technical jobs may involve making quick decisions or working under pressure. Interviewers may ask this question to assess if you can stay positive and calm during such situations. While answering this question, you can use the STAR method. Consider providing a situation and briefly explain your role and what actions you took to achieve the desired results. You can provide a few examples from your previous job to demonstrate that you have experience working under pressure.

Example: ‘Throughout my career, I always looked for challenges that motivate me to give my best. In my previous job, one time my colleague had to take a leave due to personal reasons. So, I took up both tasks and completed them on time without letting stress affect me. I used my time management skills to deliver both tasks before the deadline. While working under pressure, I act decisively and figure out the most efficient way to work on short notice.'

Tips For Ansible Interview

Here are some helpful tips that you can follow and prepare for an Ansible interview:

Do your research

While preparing for the interview, research the company by visiting its website or social media pages. It can help you reference what you found during research in the interview. Interviewers may ask you questions about the skills and experiences you listed on your resume. Carefully study your resume and know it well. You can also review the job description to understand what the company is looking for in potential candidates. Identify key skills for the job and highlight them in your answers during the interview.

Highlight your soft and hard skills

While answering questions about Ansible, highlight both your soft and hard skills. Professionals working in the IT department may have many responsibilities such as upgrading systems and troubleshooting problems. Highlighting communication skills can help interviewers understand that you are able to explain technical concepts to professionals from non-technical backgrounds.

Ask follow-up questions

At the end of the interview, you can ask follow-up questions to the interviewer. Here are some questions that you can ask:

How many people work in the IT department?
What are the goals and vision of your organisation?
What software and tools will I use in this role?
Is there any training that I will need for this job?
What does the onboarding process look like here?
What skills do I need for this role?

Be honest

While answering technical questions, be honest and provide clear answers. Avoid using wild guesses when answering such questions. If you are unable to answer them then explain how you are eager to find out. This can help you highlight your willingness to learn and honesty during the interview.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are associated with Indeed.

7 Ansible Interview Questions (With Sample Answers And Tips)