Use notify in a loop to target dynamic handlers

Short answer

Use notify with item in a loop so each changed template can notify a matching handler name.

Request

template memcached and apache units and notify Restart item handlers

Example

A quick heads-up: Every environment is different. Review and test this example before you run it on systems you care about.

---
- name: Template services and notify matching handlers
  hosts: all
  become: true
  gather_facts: false
  tasks:
    - name: Template services
      ansible.builtin.template:
        src: "{{ item }}.j2"
        dest: "/etc/systemd/system/{{ item }}.service"
      notify: "Restart {{ item }}"
      loop:
        - memcached
        - apache

  handlers:
    - name: Restart memcached
      ansible.builtin.service:
        name: memcached
        state: restarted

    - name: Restart apache
      ansible.builtin.service:
        name: apache
        state: restarted

How it works

A looped task can notify handlers with a templated name. If any loop iteration reports changed, Ansible treats the task as changed and runs all notified handlers from that task.

When to use it

• Deploying several unit files with matching restart handlers
• Dynamic notify strings built from loop items

Requirements

• Ansible: >=2.14

Validation

• Syntax validated
• Not execution-tested
• Last verified 2026-09-16