GitHub - AlexRosbach/Replibook: Scan a server. Generate an Ansible playbook. Reproduce it anywhere.

Scan a server. Generate an Ansible playbook. Reproduce it anywhere.

Replibook takes a snapshot of what's installed and running on your machine — packages, services, Docker containers, Compose deployments — and turns it into a ready-to-use Ansible playbook that recreates the same setup on another host.

Project updates, release notes, and occasional build notes are posted on X / @itneedtoknow.

Works on Linux (apt + systemd), macOS (Homebrew), and Windows (installed programs, services, network settings and scheduled tasks as review-first inventory). The Windows desktop app provides a branded UI for creating and applying playbooks through an Ansible-capable backend such as WSL.

Important

Generated playbooks can contain sensitive information, especially Docker environment variables and host-specific paths. Review generated output before committing, sharing, or applying it to another host.

Replibook does not back up Docker volumes, bind-mounted files, databases, uploads, application data or arbitrary files. It generates reproduction tasks from discovered configuration metadata; handle data backups separately.

pipx install git+https://github.com/AlexRosbach/Replibook.git@v1.1.0

playbooks/
├── myserver_playbook.yml   # The Ansible playbook
└── inventory.ini           # Matching inventory file

replibook apply myserver_playbook.yml --inventory inventory.ini

replibook apply myserver_playbook.yml --inventory inventory.ini --install-deps

# Interactive (default)
replibook

# Skip the menu, scan everything
replibook --all

# List automation-friendly scanner keys
replibook modules

# List practical scan profiles
replibook profiles

# Role-oriented scan for rebuilding a configured server/workstation
replibook scan --profile role --output ./playbooks

# Terminal server style scan: system, programs, services, tasks and network context
replibook scan --profile terminal_server --output ./playbooks

# Other role-oriented scans
replibook scan --profile web_server --output ./playbooks
replibook scan --profile database_server --output ./playbooks
replibook scan --profile workstation --output ./playbooks
replibook scan --profile automation_node --output ./playbooks

# Run selected scanner modules without prompts
replibook scan --modules system,network,scheduled_tasks --output ./playbooks

# Exclude generated sections after scan review
replibook scan --all --exclude-sections network,scheduled_tasks

# Save raw scan data for review or drift comparison
replibook scan --all --save-snapshot ./snapshots/server-a.json

# Compare two snapshots
replibook diff ./snapshots/server-a-before.json ./snapshots/server-a-after.json

# Print a remote scan workflow for SSH targets
replibook remote-recipe server-a.example.com --user admin

# Custom output directory
replibook --all --output /opt/playbooks

# Generate an SSH inventory without the interactive wizard
replibook --all \
  --target-connection ssh \
  --target-host 192.168.1.50 \
  --target-user ubuntu \
  --target-key ~/.ssh/id_rsa

# Dry-run a generated playbook
replibook apply ./playbooks/myserver_playbook.yml --inventory ./playbooks/inventory.ini --check

# Apply and install missing Ansible dependencies if needed
replibook apply ./playbooks/myserver_playbook.yml --inventory ./playbooks/inventory.ini --install-deps

# Help
replibook --help

╭─────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│  Replibook v1.1.0                                   │
│  Ansible Playbook Generator · detected: macos       │
╰─────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯

Scan modules

╭─ Installed Packages (Homebrew) ─────────────────────╮
│ Reads Homebrew formulas and casks installed on this │
│ Mac.                                                │
╰─────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
? [ ] Include Installed Packages (Homebrew)? Yes

╭─ Homebrew Services ─────────────────────────────────╮
│ Reads services managed through brew services.       │
╰─────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
? [ ] Include Homebrew Services? Yes

? Output directory for playbooks: ./playbooks
? Generate inventory for another host over SSH? No

  Scanning...
  → Installed Packages (Homebrew)
  → Homebrew Services
  → Docker Containers & Images
  → Docker Compose Deployments

  Installed Packages (Homebrew): 47 found
  Homebrew Services:              3 found
  Docker Containers & Images:     2 found
  Docker Compose Deployments:     1 found

  Generating playbook...

✓ Playbook written to: ./playbooks/mymac_playbook.yml
✓ Inventory written to: ./playbooks/inventory.ini

---
# Generated by Replibook on 2025-05-18 14:32:00
# Source host: mymac (macos)

- name: Replibook — Reproduce mymac
  hosts: replibook
  become: false
  tasks:

    # ── Homebrew Formulas ─────────────────────────────────────
    - name: Install Homebrew formulas
      community.general.homebrew:
        name:
          - git
          - htop
          - jq
        state: present
        update_homebrew: true

    # ── Homebrew Casks ────────────────────────────────────────
    - name: Install Homebrew casks
      community.general.homebrew_cask:
        name:
          - visual-studio-code
          - rectangle
        state: present

    # ── Docker Containers ──────────────────────────────────────
    - name: Run container my-app
      community.docker.docker_container:
        name: my-app
        image: nginx:latest
        state: started
        restart_policy: unless-stopped

replibook/
├── scanner/          # Scanner modules (packages, services, docker, deployments)
├── generator/        # Playbook assembler + Jinja2 template
├── models/           # Data models
└── utils/            # OS detection