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AWX integrates with source control management (SCM) systems to manage project content including playbooks, roles, and inventory files. Projects in AWX point to SCM repositories and can be configured to update automatically.

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Supported SCM Types

AWX supports the following source control systems:
  • Manual - Local project files on the AWX server
  • Git - Git repositories (most common)
  • Subversion (SVN) - SVN repositories
  • Red Hat Insights - Red Hat Insights integration
  • Remote Archive - Remote tar, zip, or other archive files

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Git Integration

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Basic Configuration

To configure a Git project: 
Project Configuration:
  Name: My Ansible Project
  Organization: Default
  SCM Type: Git
  SCM URL: https://github.com/ansible/ansible-examples.git
  SCM Branch/Tag/Commit: main

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Git Credentials

For private repositories, create a Source Control credential: 
Credential Type: Source Control
Fields:
  Username: git-user
  Password: <token or password>
  # OR for SSH:
  SSH Private Key: <paste SSH private key>
  SSH Key Unlock: <passphrase if key is encrypted>

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Advanced Git Options

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Branch/Tag/Commit

Specify a specific version to checkout: 
SCM Branch: main              # Branch name
SCM Branch: v2.1.0            # Tag name
SCM Branch: a1b2c3d4          # Specific commit SHA

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Refspec

For advanced Git operations, specify a custom refspec: 
SCM Refspec: refs/pull/*/head:refs/remotes/origin/pr/*
This allows you to fetch and use pull request branches.

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Project Options

  • Clean - Discard local changes before updating (equivalent to git clean -fdx)
  • Delete on Update - Delete the project directory before syncing
  • Track Submodules - Update Git submodules on each project update
  • Update Revision on Launch - Automatically update project before running jobs
  • Allow Branch Override - Let job templates override the project branch

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SSH Key Authentication

For Git over SSH, configure your credential with an SSH private key: 
Credential Configuration:
  Name: GitHub SSH Key
  Credential Type: Source Control
  Username: git
  SSH Private Key: |
    -----BEGIN OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY-----
    b3BlbnNzaC1rZXktdjEAAAAABG5vbmUAAAAEbm9uZQAAAAAAAAABAAABFwAAAAdzc2gtcn
    ...
    -----END OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY-----

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HTTPS with Personal Access Token

For GitHub, GitLab, or other platforms using tokens: 
SCM URL: https://github.com/myorg/myrepo.git
Credential:
  Username: oauth2  # or your username
  Password: ghp_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  # Personal Access Token

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Subversion (SVN) Integration

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Configuration

Project Configuration:
  Name: SVN Project
  SCM Type: Subversion
  SCM URL: https://svn.example.com/repos/ansible
  SCM Branch: trunk  # or branches/dev, tags/v1.0

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SVN Credentials

Credential Type: Source Control
Fields:
  Username: svn-user
  Password: svn-password

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Red Hat Insights Integration

Integrate with Red Hat Insights for vulnerability and compliance scanning: 
Project Configuration:
  Name: Insights Project
  SCM Type: Red Hat Insights
  Credential: <Insights Credential>
The Insights credential requires: 
Credential Type: Red Hat Insights
Fields:
  Username: insights-username
  Password: insights-password

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Remote Archive Integration

Pull project content from remote archives: 
Project Configuration:
  Name: Archive Project
  SCM Type: Remote Archive
  SCM URL: https://example.com/playbooks.tar.gz
Supported formats:
  • .tar.gz / .tgz
  • .tar.bz2
  • .zip

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SCM Inventory Sources

Use project content as inventory sources: 
Inventory Source Configuration:
  Name: SCM Inventory
  Source: Sourced from a Project
  Project: <select project>
  Inventory File: inventory/hosts  # relative path in project
  Update on Project Update: Yes

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Supported Inventory Formats

  • INI format - Traditional Ansible inventory
  • YAML format - Modern YAML-based inventory
  • Dynamic scripts - Executable inventory scripts
  • Inventory plugins - Ansible inventory plugin YAML files

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Example Project Structure

ansible-project/
├── playbooks/
│   ├── site.yml
│   └── webservers.yml
├── roles/
│   └── common/
├── inventory/
│   ├── production/
│   │   ├── hosts
│   │   ├── group_vars/
│   │   └── host_vars/
│   └── staging/
│       └── hosts
└── collections/
    └── requirements.yml

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Project Updates

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Manual Updates

Update a project via the UI or API: 
curl -X POST https://awx.example.org/api/v2/projects/1/update/ \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"

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Automatic Updates

Configure projects to update automatically:
  • Update on Launch - Update before job template runs
  • Update on Project Commit - Use webhooks to trigger updates (GitHub, GitLab)
  • Scheduled Updates - Set up scheduled project syncs

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Webhook Configuration

Enable webhook notifications for automatic project updates:
  1. In AWX, enable webhooks on the project
  2. Copy the webhook URL and key
  3. Configure in your SCM platform:
GitHub: 
Webhook URL: https://awx.example.org/api/v2/webhook/github/
Content Type: application/json
Secret: <webhook-key>
Events: Just the push event
GitLab: 
URL: https://awx.example.org/api/v2/webhook/gitlab/
Secret Token: <webhook-key>
Trigger: Push events

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Troubleshooting

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Common Issues

SSH Key Authentication Fails:
  • Verify the SSH key format (OpenSSH, not PEM)
  • Check key permissions on the Git server
  • Ensure the key is added to authorized_keys or deployment keys
Git Clone Fails with SSL Error:
  • Verify SSL certificate on Git server
  • Consider using “Verify SSL” option in project settings
Submodules Not Updating:
  • Enable “Track Submodules” in project options
  • Verify submodule URLs are accessible with provided credentials
Branch Override Not Working:
  • Ensure “Allow Branch Override” is enabled on project
  • Verify the prompt setting is enabled on job template

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Debug Project Updates

View project update logs: 
# Get project update job
curl https://awx.example.org/api/v2/projects/1/project_updates/ \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"

# View specific update output
curl https://awx.example.org/api/v2/project_updates/123/stdout/ \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>"

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Best Practices

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Repository Organization

  • Keep playbooks, roles, and inventory in a clear structure
  • Use collections/requirements.yml for Ansible collections
  • Store credentials in AWX, not in the repository
  • Use .gitignore to exclude sensitive files

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Branch Strategy

  • Use main or master for production
  • Create feature branches for development
  • Use tags for releases
  • Enable branch override for testing

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Performance

  • Use shallow clones for large repositories (Git default)
  • Enable caching when possible
  • Schedule updates during low-usage periods
  • Use webhooks instead of polling

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Security

  • Use SSH keys or personal access tokens (not passwords)
  • Rotate credentials regularly
  • Limit credential access via RBAC
  • Enable branch protection in SCM platform
  • Review commit signatures and verification

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API Examples

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Create Git Project

curl -X POST https://awx.example.org/api/v2/projects/ \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "My Git Project",
    "organization": 1,
    "scm_type": "git",
    "scm_url": "https://github.com/ansible/ansible-examples.git",
    "scm_branch": "main",
    "scm_clean": true,
    "scm_update_on_launch": true,
    "credential": 5
  }'

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Update Project

curl -X PATCH https://awx.example.org/api/v2/projects/1/ \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"scm_branch": "develop"}'

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See Also

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