Ansible 14.0.0a3 Pre-Release: What's New in Ansible 14 (Preview)
By Luca Berton · Published 2024-01-01 · Category: installation
Ansible 14.0.0a3 pre-release overview. New collections, dropped collections, porting guide, and how to prepare for the Ansible 14 community package upgrade.
Introduction
The Ansible 14.0.0a3 pre-release (alpha 3) is now available for testing. The Ansible community package bundles ansible-core with a curated set of collections, providing a batteries-included automation experience.
Ansible 14 will ship with ansible-core 2.21 and includes updated collections, new additions, and some removals.
Installing the Pre-Release
Test in an isolated environment:
Or automate with a playbook:
Ansible 13 vs Ansible 14
Key differences between versions:
| Aspect | Ansible 13 | Ansible 14 | |--------|-----------|-----------| | ansible-core | 2.20.x | 2.21.x | | Python (control) | 3.10+ | 3.10+ (expected) | | Collections | ~85 | Updated set | | Status | Current stable | Pre-release |
Checking the Porting Guide
Before upgrading, review the porting guide for breaking changes:
Upgrade Path from Ansible 13
When Ansible 14 stable releases, follow this upgrade path:
Collection Updates in Ansible 14
The Ansible 14 package includes updated versions of popular collections. Check which collections are included:
Notable Collection Releases This Week
Several collections received updates that will be included in Ansible 14: • community.general 12.6.0 — Last feature release for 12.x; 13.0.0 coming in ~4 weeks • community.crypto 3.2.0 — New ACME dns-account-01 and dns-persist-01 support • kubernetes.core 6.4.0 — Helm v4 compatibility, improved k8s_drain • community.routeros 3.20.0 — New API module features • community.sops 2.3.0 — ansible-core 2.21 support
Best Practices Stay on Ansible 13.6.0 for production — the current stable release Test alpha/pre-releases in isolated environments only Use FQCN in all playbooks — ensures forward compatibility Pin collection versions in requirements.yml for reproducible builds Review the porting guide before any major version upgrade
FAQ
When will Ansible 14 stable be released?
Based on the alpha release timeline, expect Ansible 14.0.0 stable in approximately 4-8 weeks (May-June 2026).
Can I use Ansible 14 with ansible-core 2.20?
No. Ansible 14 is built against ansible-core 2.21. The package versions are tightly coupled.
What happens to community.general 10.x?
The 10.x.y release train reaches End of Life when community.general 13.0.0 releases. Upgrade to 12.x or wait for 13.x.
Should I migrate from Ansible 13 to 14 now?
Not yet. Wait for the stable release. Use this pre-release period to test compatibility and update any deprecated patterns in your playbooks.
Conclusion
Ansible 14.0.0a3 represents the next evolution of the community package. While it's too early for production use, testing now ensures a smooth upgrade path when stable arrives.
Current recommendation: Run Ansible 13.6.0 in production, test 14.0.0a3 in isolated environments.
Related Articles • Ansible 13 to Ansible 14 Upgrade Guide • Ansible Core 2.21 Beta: New Features Preview • What is Ansible AWX
Category: installation