docs/reference/playbook-authoring.md

@@ -124,6 +124,8 @@ re-runs are safe.
 |---|---|
 | `# description: <text>` comment | Description shown on selection (first match) |
 | first play `name:` | Description fallback |
+| `# steward:category: <text>` | Grouping badge in the browse list + run form |
+| `# steward:confirm: true` | Requires a confirmation tick before the run launches |
 | `vars:` scalar entries | Run-time fill-in fields (placeholder = default) |
 | `vars_prompt:` entries | Run-time fields (required if no default) |
 | secret-looking var name / `private: true` | Field masked + value not persisted |
@@ -132,16 +134,36 @@ re-runs are safe.
 Everything else (SSH user/key, become password, the inventory, `steward_token`
 etc. for the agent playbooks) is injected by Steward at run time.
 
-## Metadata convention & extensibility
+## Metadata comments
 
-Today the **only comment-based metadata** Steward parses is `# description:`.
-Everything else is *structural* (`vars`, `vars_prompt`, `hosts`, the play
-`name`). If we add more comment metadata later, it will use a reserved
-**`# steward:<key>: <value>`** namespace (e.g. `# steward:category: maintenance`,
-`# steward:confirm: true` for a run-confirmation gate) so it can't collide with
-ordinary comments. **These extra keys are not implemented yet** — only
-`# description:` is. Don't author playbooks that depend on `# steward:*` keys
-until this doc says they're live.
+Steward reads metadata from magic comments (Ansible rejects unknown play keys,
+so comments are the portable place). Two forms:
+
+- `# description: <text>` — the description (see §1).
+- `# steward:<key>: <value>` — the namespaced metadata block. First match per
+  key wins; keys are case-insensitive.
+
+**Implemented `# steward:` keys:**
+
+| Key | Example | Effect |
+|---|---|---|
+| `category` | `# steward:category: maintenance` | Free-text grouping label. Shown as a badge in the browse list and on the run form. Purely organizational. |
+| `confirm` | `# steward:confirm: true` | Marks the playbook as significant/destructive. The run form then requires an explicit confirmation tick before it can be launched. Use for data-loss-capable plays (prune with volumes, resets, etc.). Truthy values: `true`/`yes`/`1`/`on`. |
+| `description` | `# steward:description: ...` | Alias for `# description:` (the unprefixed form takes precedence if both exist). |
+
+```yaml
+---
+# description: Reclaim disk on Docker/Swarm nodes by pruning unused data.
+# steward:category: maintenance
+# steward:confirm: true
+- name: Docker system prune
+  hosts: all
+  ...
+```
+
+Other `# steward:<key>:` keys are simply ignored today — the namespace is
+reserved, so it's safe to add ones Steward doesn't yet understand without
+breaking anything, but only `category`, `confirm`, and `description` do something.
 
 ## Minimal annotated example
 

steward/ansible/PLAYBOOK_CONVENTIONS.md

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# Steward playbook conventions (quick reference)
+
+What Steward reads from a playbook in this subsystem. Full guide:
+`docs/reference/playbook-authoring.md`. Parser:
+`steward/ansible/sources.py` — `discover_playbook_meta()` and
+`discover_playbook_variables()`.
+
+## Magic comments (metadata)
+
+```yaml
+---
+# description: One line on what this playbook does.   # shown on selection
+# steward:category: maintenance                       # grouping badge
+# steward:confirm: true                               # require confirm to run
+- name: …            # used as the description if no `# description:` comment
+  hosts: all         # Steward generates the inventory from the chosen target/group
+```
+
+- `# description:` — first match wins; case-insensitive; falls back to first
+  play `name:`.
+- `# steward:<key>: <value>` — namespaced metadata. Implemented keys:
+  - `category` — free-text grouping label (badge in browse + run form).
+  - `confirm` — `true`/`yes`/`1`/`on` → run form requires a confirmation tick.
+  - `description` — alias for `# description:` (unprefixed wins if both present).
+  - Unknown `# steward:*` keys are ignored (namespace reserved for future use).
+
+## Structural cues (no comments needed)
+
+- **`vars:` scalars** → editable run-time fields (default shown as placeholder;
+  blank = keep default; values sent as highest-precedence extra-vars).
+- **`vars_prompt:`** → run-time fields (required when no default; `private: true`
+  → masked).
+- **Secret naming** — a var whose name contains `password`/`passwd`/`secret`/
+  `token`/`api_key`/`private_key`/`credential` is masked **and not persisted**.
+- **`hosts: all`** — target via the run form's scope; don't hardcode hosts.
+- **Credentials** — never embed them. Steward connects as the managed `steward`
+  account (passwordless sudo; use `become: true`) or one-time bootstrap creds.
+
+Be idempotent — Steward re-runs playbooks (updates, schedules, retries).

steward/ansible/bundled/host_agent/install.yml

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ---
 # description: Install or re-enroll the Steward host agent on an already-provisioned host.
+# steward:category: host-agent
 # Install (or update) the Steward host agent on a target. Mirrors the
 # curl-based install.sh. Pass the per-host registration token as extra-vars:
 #   steward_url=https://steward.example  steward_token=<token from Host Agents>

steward/ansible/bundled/host_agent/provision.yml

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ---
 # description: Provision a fresh host — create the steward account + managed key + passwordless sudo, then install the agent.
+# steward:category: host-agent
 # First-contact provisioning: bring a fresh host under Steward management, then
 # install the host agent — all in one idempotent run.
 #

steward/ansible/bundled/host_agent/update.yml

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ---
 # description: Update the Steward host agent (refresh agent.py + restart) on hosts already running it.
+# steward:category: host-agent
 # Update an already-installed Steward host agent: refresh agent.py and restart.
 #
 # Deliberately does NOT touch the registration token or /etc/steward-agent.conf

steward/ansible/bundled/maintenance/docker_prune.yml

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 ---
 # description: Reclaim disk on Docker / Swarm nodes by pruning unused images, containers, networks and build cache.
+# steward:category: maintenance
+# steward:confirm: true
 # Reclaim disk on Docker / Docker Swarm nodes by removing unused data.
 # Safe by default: prunes dangling images, stopped containers, unused networks
 # and build cache. Set extra-vars to widen scope:

steward/ansible/routes.py

@@ -50,7 +50,16 @@ async def browse():
     all_sources = _get_sources()
     source_data = []
     for source in all_sources:
-        playbooks = src_module.discover_playbooks(source["path"])
+        playbooks = []
+        for path in src_module.discover_playbooks(source["path"]):
+            contents = src_module.read_playbook(source["path"], path)
+            meta = (src_module.discover_playbook_meta(contents) if contents is not None
+                    else {"description": "", "category": ""})
+            playbooks.append({
+                "path": path,
+                "category": meta["category"],
+                "description": meta["description"],
+            })
         inventories = src_module.discover_inventories(source["path"])
         source_data.append({
             "source": source,
@@ -165,14 +174,15 @@ async def playbook_vars():
     playbook_path = (request.args.get("playbook_path", "") or "").strip()
     source = next((s for s in _get_sources() if s["name"] == source_name), None)
     variables: list = []
-    description = ""
+    meta: dict = {"description": "", "category": "", "confirm": False}
     if source and playbook_path:
         contents = src_module.read_playbook(source["path"], playbook_path)
         if contents is not None:
             variables = src_module.discover_playbook_variables(contents)
-            description = src_module.discover_playbook_description(contents)
+            meta = src_module.discover_playbook_meta(contents)
     return await render_template(
-        "ansible/_playbook_vars.html", variables=variables, description=description)
+        "ansible/_playbook_vars.html", variables=variables,
+        description=meta["description"], category=meta["category"], confirm=meta["confirm"])
 
 
 @ansible_bp.get("/run-form/<source_name>/<path:playbook_path>")
@@ -189,7 +199,7 @@ async def run_form(source_name: str, playbook_path: str):
     if contents is None:
         return "Playbook not found", 404
     variables = src_module.discover_playbook_variables(contents)
-    description = src_module.discover_playbook_description(contents)
+    meta = src_module.discover_playbook_meta(contents)
     inventories = src_module.discover_inventories(source["path"])
 
     async with current_app.db_sessionmaker() as db:
@@ -201,7 +211,8 @@ async def run_form(source_name: str, playbook_path: str):
     return await render_template(
         "ansible/_run_form.html",
         source_name=source_name, playbook_path=playbook_path,
-        variables=variables, description=description, targets=targets, groups=groups,
+        variables=variables, description=meta["description"], category=meta["category"],
+        confirm=meta["confirm"], targets=targets, groups=groups,
         inventories=inventories,
     )
 

steward/ansible/sources.py

@@ -20,6 +20,52 @@ _SECRET_VAR_RE = re.compile(
 # A playbook self-describes via a `# description:` magic comment (Ansible rejects
 # unknown play keys, so a comment is the portable place). First match wins.
 _DESCRIPTION_RE = re.compile(r"^\s*#\s*description:\s*(.+?)\s*$", re.I | re.M)
+# Namespaced metadata: `# steward:<key>: <value>` (category, confirm, …).
+_STEWARD_META_RE = re.compile(r"^\s*#\s*steward:(\w+):\s*(.+?)\s*$", re.I | re.M)
+_TRUTHY = {"1", "true", "yes", "on"}
+
+
+def _first_play_name(content: str) -> str:
+    import yaml
+    try:
+        plays = yaml.safe_load(content)
+    except yaml.YAMLError:
+        return ""
+    if isinstance(plays, list):
+        for play in plays:
+            if isinstance(play, dict) and play.get("name"):
+                return str(play["name"]).strip()
+    return ""
+
+
+def discover_playbook_meta(content: str) -> dict:
+    """Parse Steward's playbook metadata from magic comments.
+
+    Returns {description, category, confirm}. Sources:
+      - description: ``# description:`` (primary) or ``# steward:description:``;
+        falls back to the first play's ``name:``.
+      - category: ``# steward:category: <text>`` (free-text grouping label).
+      - confirm: ``# steward:confirm: true`` → require an explicit confirmation
+        in the run form before launching (for destructive playbooks).
+    First match wins for each key.
+    """
+    steward: dict[str, str] = {}
+    for km in _STEWARD_META_RE.finditer(content):
+        steward.setdefault(km.group(1).lower(), km.group(2).strip())
+
+    m = _DESCRIPTION_RE.search(content)
+    if m:
+        description = m.group(1).strip()
+    elif steward.get("description"):
+        description = steward["description"]
+    else:
+        description = _first_play_name(content)
+
+    return {
+        "description": description,
+        "category": steward.get("category", ""),
+        "confirm": str(steward.get("confirm", "")).strip().lower() in _TRUTHY,
+    }
 
 # Name of the always-present, read-only source of first-party playbooks shipped
 # inside the app (maintenance tasks, host-agent install). Not operator-editable.
@@ -200,25 +246,9 @@ def delete_playbook(source_path: str, relative_path: str) -> tuple[bool, str | N
 
 
 def discover_playbook_description(content: str) -> str:
-    """A human-readable description of what a playbook does.
-
-    Reads a ``# description: ...`` magic comment (first match), so any playbook
-    can self-describe without touching its YAML structure. Falls back to the
-    first play's ``name:``. Returns "" if neither is present.
-    """
-    m = _DESCRIPTION_RE.search(content)
-    if m:
-        return m.group(1).strip()
-    import yaml
-    try:
-        plays = yaml.safe_load(content)
-    except yaml.YAMLError:
-        return ""
-    if isinstance(plays, list):
-        for play in plays:
-            if isinstance(play, dict) and play.get("name"):
-                return str(play["name"]).strip()
-    return ""
+    """A human-readable description of what a playbook does (see
+    discover_playbook_meta). Returns "" if none can be determined."""
+    return discover_playbook_meta(content)["description"]
 
 
 def discover_playbook_variables(content: str) -> list[dict]:

steward/templates/ansible/_playbook_vars.html

@@ -1,12 +1,23 @@
 {# Description + discovered variable fields for a selected playbook. Shared by
    the browse run form, host run form, and schedule form. Expects `variables`
    and `description`. Rendered standalone by /ansible/playbook-vars. #}
-{% if description %}
+{% if description or category %}
 <div style="background:var(--bg);border-left:3px solid var(--accent);border-radius:3px;
             padding:0.5rem 0.7rem;margin:0.25rem 0 0.6rem;font-size:0.82rem;color:var(--text-muted);">
+  {% if category %}<span style="display:inline-block;font-size:0.68rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.04em;
+      background:var(--bg-elevated);color:var(--text-dim);border-radius:3px;padding:0.05em 0.45em;margin-right:0.4rem;">{{ category }}</span>{% endif %}
   {{ description }}
 </div>
 {% endif %}
+{% if confirm %}
+<label style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:0.5rem;background:color-mix(in srgb,var(--red) 10%,var(--bg-elevated));
+              border:1px solid color-mix(in srgb,var(--red) 35%,var(--border));border-radius:6px;
+              padding:0.6rem 0.8rem;margin:0 0 0.6rem;font-size:0.82rem;font-weight:normal;cursor:pointer;">
+  <input type="checkbox" name="confirmed" required style="margin-top:0.15rem;">
+  <span><strong style="color:var(--red);">Confirm:</strong> this playbook is marked as making
+  significant or destructive changes. Tick to enable running it.</span>
+</label>
+{% endif %}
 {% if variables %}
 <div style="margin:0.5rem 0 0.25rem;font-size:0.82rem;color:var(--text-muted);font-weight:600;">
   Playbook variables

steward/templates/ansible/browse.html

@@ -70,13 +70,19 @@
         <tbody>
         {% for pb in sd.playbooks %}
         <tr>
-            <td style="font-family:ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:0.88rem;">{{ pb }}</td>
+            <td>
+                <div style="display:flex;align-items:center;gap:0.5rem;flex-wrap:wrap;">
+                    {% if pb.category %}<span style="font-size:0.68rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.04em;background:var(--bg-elevated);color:var(--text-dim);border-radius:3px;padding:0.05em 0.45em;">{{ pb.category }}</span>{% endif %}
+                    <span style="font-family:ui-monospace,monospace;font-size:0.88rem;">{{ pb.path }}</span>
+                </div>
+                {% if pb.description %}<div style="font-size:0.78rem;color:var(--text-muted);margin-top:0.15rem;">{{ pb.description }}</div>{% endif %}
+            </td>
             <td class="td-actions">
-                <a href="/ansible/browse/{{ sd.source.name }}/{{ pb }}" class="btn btn-sm btn-ghost" style="margin-right:0.5rem;">View</a>
+                <a href="/ansible/browse/{{ sd.source.name }}/{{ pb.path }}" class="btn btn-sm btn-ghost" style="margin-right:0.5rem;">View</a>
                 {% if sd.editable and session.user_role == 'admin' %}
-                <a href="/ansible/playbooks/edit/{{ sd.source.name }}/{{ pb }}" class="btn btn-sm btn-ghost" style="margin-right:0.5rem;">Edit</a>
+                <a href="/ansible/playbooks/edit/{{ sd.source.name }}/{{ pb.path }}" class="btn btn-sm btn-ghost" style="margin-right:0.5rem;">Edit</a>
                 {% endif %}
-                <a hx-get="/ansible/run-form/{{ sd.source.name }}/{{ pb }}"
+                <a hx-get="/ansible/run-form/{{ sd.source.name }}/{{ pb.path }}"
                    hx-target="#run-form-{{ sd.source.name }}" hx-swap="innerHTML"
                    style="cursor:pointer;" class="btn btn-sm btn-ghost">Run</a>
             </td>

tests/test_playbook_variables.py

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import json
 from steward.ansible.executor import build_extra_vars_file
 from steward.ansible.sources import (
     discover_playbook_description,
+    discover_playbook_meta,
     discover_playbook_variables,
 )
 
@@ -137,3 +138,31 @@ def test_description_falls_back_to_play_name():
 def test_description_empty_when_neither_present():
     assert discover_playbook_description("- hosts: all\n  tasks: []\n") == ""
     assert discover_playbook_description("not: : valid") == ""
+
+
+# ── steward:category / steward:confirm metadata ───────────────────────────────
+
+def test_meta_category_and_confirm():
+    content = """---
+# description: Prune docker.
+# steward:category: maintenance
+# steward:confirm: true
+- hosts: all
+  tasks: []
+"""
+    meta = discover_playbook_meta(content)
+    assert meta["description"] == "Prune docker."
+    assert meta["category"] == "maintenance"
+    assert meta["confirm"] is True
+
+
+def test_meta_confirm_falsey_and_absent():
+    assert discover_playbook_meta("# steward:confirm: false\n- hosts: all")["confirm"] is False
+    assert discover_playbook_meta("- hosts: all\n  name: x")["confirm"] is False
+    assert discover_playbook_meta("- hosts: all\n  name: x")["category"] == ""
+
+
+def test_meta_steward_description_alias():
+    # `# steward:description:` works when there's no plain `# description:`.
+    meta = discover_playbook_meta("# steward:description: via namespace\n- hosts: all")
+    assert meta["description"] == "via namespace"