# Why netlab uses its own device configuration templates

DevFeed: [Why netlab uses its own device configuration templates](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/why-doesn-t-netlab-use-x-for-device-configuration-templates-11315.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://blog.ipspace.net/2026/01/netlab-not-using-vendor-templates/>)

Published: 2026-01-22T07:14:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [ipSpace.net blog](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/ipspace-net-blog.md>)

Topics: [Automation](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/automation.md>), [Network](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/network.md>), [configuration](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/configuration.md>), [gRPC](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/grpc.md>)

Tags: [configuration](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/configuration.md>), [netlab](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/netlab.md>), [network](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/network.md>), [network-automation](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/network-automation.md>)

## AI overview

The article explains netlab's approach to device configuration generation. It describes transforming a high-level lab-topology model into device-level data and configurations, and discusses why the project uses a simpler model and Jinja2-based templates rather than relying on broader vendor or standards-based models.

## Source excerpt

Petr Ankudinov made an interesting remark when I complained about how much time I wasted waiting for Cisco 8000v to boot when developing netlab device configuration templates: For Arista part - just use AVD with all templates included and ANTA for testing. I was always wondering why netlab is not doing that. Like any other decent network automation platform, netlab uses a high-level data model (lab topology) to describe the network. That data model is then transformed into a device-level data model, and the device-level data structures are used to generate device configurations. Read more ...