sys-token-store

Description

sys-token-store is a lightweight Ansible helper role for resolving and persisting per-user application tokens in a unified and idempotent way.

It provides a single source of truth for application tokens while keeping runtime usage simple and consistent across roles.

The role is intentionally not a secret generator.
It only stores and propagates tokens that already exist (e.g. created by bootstrap processes or provided externally).

Overview

This role stores and manages per-user application tokens in a local YAML store file (idempotent read/write helpers).

Cosmos

The diagram places sys-token-store in the Infinito.Nexus cosmos: the components it deploys (capabilities), the central services it consumes (dependencies), and its outward reach (federation and bridged external networks).

flowchart LR
    subgraph role [sys-token-store 💻]
        svc_token_store["token-store"]
    end

Solid 1:1 edges are fixed relationships; dashed 0..1 edges are conditional (enabled only in matching deployments); red 0..0 edges are turned off in this role. Node markers show the role’s deploy modes (💻 host, 🐳 compose, 🐝 swarm); ❌ marks a service that is explicitly turned off, and ⚙️ an Ansible role dependency declared in meta/main.yml.

Features

  • Automated provisioning: Configured by Ansible without manual steps.

Core Principles

  • Single logic for all roles

    • Always resolve tokens as: users → token store → empty

  • No implicit token generation

    • Empty tokens are rejected

  • Idempotent persistence

    • Store file is only rewritten when content actually changes

  • Lookup-based runtime resolution

    • Tokens are resolved through lookup('users'), which hydrates from the store on each lookup call

  • Case-sensitive keys

    • User keys and application IDs must match exactly

Token Resolution Order

When resolving a token, the following order is used:

  1. lookup('users', '<user>').tokens.<application_id>

  2. Token store file (tokens.yml)

  3. Empty string ('')

No automatic fallback generation happens.

Store Format

Tokens are stored in a single YAML file:

users:
  administrator:
    tokens:
      web-app-matomo: "46e50b0eb52d0d141a7d6cf9b3d0b3e2"

Default location:

/var/lib/infinito/secrets/tokens.yml

Permissions are restricted to root by default.

Provided Tasks

write.yml

Persists a token so it is available through the users lookup on subsequent reads.

This is the canonical way to store tokens.

Input

  • sys_token_store_user_key

  • sys_token_store_app

  • sys_token_store_token (must be non-empty)

Effects

  • Updates the token store file (idempotent)

  • Makes the token available via lookup('users', '<user>').tokens['<app>']

  • Exports sys_token_store_token

Empty tokens are rejected explicitly.

Usage Examples

Persist a token

- include_role:
    name: sys-token-store
    tasks_from: write.yml
  vars:
    sys_token_store_user_key: administrator
    sys_token_store_app: web-app-matomo
    sys_token_store_token: "{{ matomo_token_value }}"

After this, the token is available as:

lookup('users', 'administrator').tokens['web-app-matomo']

What This Role Does Not Do

  • ❌ No token generation

  • ❌ No encryption

  • ❌ No user management

  • ❌ No application-specific logic

It is a generic infrastructure helper.

Best Practices

  • Keep all user and application keys lowercase

  • Use stable application_id values

  • Let application roles create tokens

  • Let sys-token-store handle persistence

Credits

Implemented by Kevin Veen-Birkenbach. Part of the Infinito.Nexus Project and maintained by Kevin Veen-Birkenbach. Licensed under the Infinito.Nexus Community License (Non-Commercial).