- Replace legacy utils/run_once.yml with the new helpers utils/once_flag.yml and utils/once_finalize.yml
- Introduce utils/compose_up.yml to ensure docker-compose stacks are up and to flush handlers safely without coupling to run-once flags
- Migrate all affected roles (desk-*, dev-*, sys-ctl-*, sys-svc-*, web-app-*, web-svc-*, util-*) to the new run-once helpers
- Rework sys-svc-msmtp to auto-load Mailu once per deploy, check reachability, and reuse the running stack instead of requiring multiple playbook passes
- Adjust web-app-mailu to integrate cert deployment, handler flushing, and run-once handling so Mailu is fully initialized in a single deploy
- Improve Matomo, CDN, logout and CSP/health-check related roles to cooperate with the new compose_up / once_* pattern
- Simplify alarm/backup/timer/service orchestration (sys-ctl-alm-*, sys-bkp-provider, sys-timer-cln-bkps, etc.) by moving run-once logic into dedicated 01_core.yml files
- Update integration tests so utils/once_flag.yml and utils/once_finalize.yml are recognised as valid run-once providers, keeping the global run_once_* guarantees consistent
- Align frontend injection and service dependencies so Mastodon- and Mailu-related services can be brought up coherently within a single deployment cycle rather than several iterations
- Improved get_service_name filter plugin (clearer suffix handling, consistent var names).
- Added MODE_ASSERT flag to optionally execute validation/assertion tasks.
- Fixed systemd unit handling: consistent use of %I instead of %i, correct escaping of instance names.
- Unified on_failure behavior and alarm composer scripts.
- Cleaned up redundant logging, handlers, and debug config.
- Strengthened sys-service template resolution with assert (only active when MODE_ASSERT).
- Simplified timer and suffix handling with get_service_name filter.
- Hardened sensitive tasks with no_log.
- Added conditional asserts across roles (Keycloak, DNS, Mailu, Discourse, etc.).
These changes improve consistency, safety, and validation across the automation stack.
Conversation: https://chatgpt.com/share/68a4ae28-483c-800f-b2f7-f64c7124c274
