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# netlab: Embed Configuration Templates in a Lab Topology File « ipSpace.net blog

**[ipSpace.net Blog](https://daily.dev/sources/ipspace)** · 3 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments

## Summary

netlab release 25.09 introduces a `configlets` dictionary in the lab topology file, allowing users to embed custom configuration templates directly without separate files. The `files` plugin generates `.j2` template files (e.g., `ifup.j2`, `ifdown.j2`) when running `netlab up` or `netlab create`. Multi-vendor templates are supported by using a nested dictionary keyed by platform (e.g., `eos`, `frr`), producing per-platform files in a subdirectory. A known limitation exists for sharing a base template across multiple platforms, with a fix planned for release 25.11.

## Full article

daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: <https://blog.ipspace.net/2025/10/netlab-configlets>

## Questions this post answers

### How do I embed custom configuration templates directly in a netlab topology file?

In netlab release 25.09, you can add a `configlets` dictionary to the lab topology file. The `files` plugin reads this dictionary and generates `.j2` template files in the lab directory when you run `netlab up` or `netlab create`. For multi-vendor support, the value of each configlet entry can itself be a dictionary keyed by platform (e.g., `eos`, `frr`), producing per-platform files in a named subdirectory.

_Network engineers building multi-vendor labs track netlab releases and patterns like these on daily.dev._

### How do I create multi-vendor configuration templates in netlab for different platforms like Arista EOS and FRR?

Set the configlet value to a nested dictionary keyed by platform name. For example, under `configlets.ifup`, adding `eos` and `frr` keys with their respective commands causes the files plugin to create `ifup/eos.j2` and `ifup/frr.j2` in the lab directory. A `base` entry for fallback to other platforms exists but has a known limitation in this scenario, with a fix coming in release 25.11.

_Developers automating multi-vendor network labs find netlab release notes and workarounds like this on daily.dev._

## Similar posts on daily.dev

- [Compress netlab Lab Topologies with Dot Notation « ipSpace.net blog](https://daily.dev/posts/compress-netlab-lab-topologies-with-dot-notation-ipspace-net-blog-johomwxka) · ipSpace.net Blog · 0 upvotes · 0 comments

---

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