Simple Proof of Concept Using Semaphore and Ansible

This is a simple project designed as a Proof of Concept (PoC) for using Semaphore with Ansible.

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Prerequisites

Before getting started, make sure you have:

• Docker installed
• Docker Compose installed
• Git installed
• Access to this repository

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Getting Started

Clone the project and create a directory where Semaphore will store its data:

git clone https://github.com/douglastos/Semaphore.git
cd Semaphore
mkdir semaphore_data

Start the project using:

docker compose up -d

⚠️ Note: If you're using an older version, use docker-compose up -d.

You should see an output similar to:

[+] Running 11/11
 ✔ semaphore Pulled                                                                                                                                                         21.5s
...
 ✔ Container semaphore        Started

Access Semaphore at: http://localhost:3000

You should see the login screen:

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Default Credentials

Login using the default user:

• Username: admin
• Password: admin

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Creating a Project

On the next screen, create a new project — you can separate them by client or environment if needed.

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SSH Key Setup (Inside the Container)

We'll now generate an SSH key to allow Semaphore to connect to the target server.

Access the container shell:

docker container exec -it semaphore bash

Then run the following commands inside the container:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "semaphore@yourproject" -f ~/.ssh/semaphore
ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/semaphore.pub deploy@<your_server_ip>

Sample output:

...
Number of key(s) added: 1

Now try logging into the machine with: 
"ssh -i /home/semaphore/.ssh/semaphore deploy@10.110.1.52"

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Web Interface Configuration

Now back in the Semaphore web UI, configure the following items in order:

1. Key Store
2. Repositories
3. Variable Groups
4. Inventory
5. Task Templates

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1. Key Store

Copy the private key from the container:

cat /home/semaphore/.ssh/semaphore

Paste the contents into the "Key Store" section:

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2. Repositories

Add your Git repository:

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3. Variable Groups

Create environment variables as needed:

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4. Inventory

Set up the target servers or environments:

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5. Task Templates

Create a playbook task template:

Then, run it:

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✅ Done

You now have a running Semaphore + Ansible environment ready for automation and testing.

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Author

Douglas Ribeiro