# Python functions in ansible

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/python-functions-in-ansible/46518>\
**Category:** Guides, FAQs & Howtos\
**Tags:** ansible-core, howto, galaxy-ng\
**Created:** [October 23, 2026, 11:42am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/python-functions-in-ansible/46518 "2026-10-23T11:42:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kks](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/kks/32/10352_2.png) [@kks](https://forum.ansible.com/u/kks)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2026, 11:42am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/python-functions-in-ansible/46518/1 "2026-10-23T11:42:15Z")

</div>

Ever wanted to use function from python in ansible, but did not want to create a filter pluging for the function. Starting with ansible-core 2.19 you can do it directly in ansible.

I’ve been working on some experimental ansible plugins in my [capable.core219](https://galaxy.ansible.com/ui/repo/published/capable/core219/) collection that allows to use some\* builtin python functions directly in ansible with help of python lamda functions:

```yaml
- name: Try this lesson on localhost
  hosts: localhost
  gather_facts: false
  vars:
    summation: "{{ lookup('capable.core219.lambda', 'lambda n: sum(range(n + 1))') }}"
    padded: "{{ 'lambda value: format(value, \"05d\")' | capable.core219.lambda }}"
    ranger: "{{ lookup('capable.core219.lambda', 'lambda stop: range(stop)') }}"
  tasks:
    - name: Use sum and range in lambda
      ansible.builtin.assert:
        that:
          - summation(4) == 10
          - "padded(42) == '00042'"
          - ranger(4) | list == [0, 1, 2, 3]

```

As you can see `summation, padder, ranger` behave like functions that you can use dirently in ansible.

If you want to use whatever function you created to map over a list, you can do that with help of `apply` filter:

```yaml
- hosts: localhost
  gather_facts: false
  vars:
    adder: "{{ lookup('capable.core219.lambda', 'lambda x: x + 1') }}"
    values:
      - 1
      - 2
      - 3
  tasks:
    - name: Apply filter via map
      ansible.builtin.assert:
        that:
          - "(values | map('capable.core219.apply', adder) | list) == [2, 3, 4]"

```

Documentation: [Collections | Capable Ansible Collections](https://capable-core.github.io/collections/)  
Collections: [Ansible Galaxy](https://galaxy.ansible.com/ui/namespaces/capable/)

\* there is a whitelist of what can be used due to security and other considerations

PS This is continuation to this discussion [How to solve ansible challenge from ansible-core maintainer - #2 by nitzmahone](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-solve-ansible-challenge-from-ansible-core-maintainer/45285/2)