diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 2ba064c..62d663c 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ src/devx/
 │   ├── push_badges.py   # Generate and push quality badges (--retries for retry on git push failures)
 │   ├── notify_failure.py    # Create Gitea issues on CI failures (--auto-login)
 │   ├── distribute_files.py  # Distribute files across parallel runners (LPT scheduling)
+│   ├── distribute_items.py  # Distribute generic items (VMs, hosts) across parallel runners (LPT)
 │   ├── integration_guard.py # Run pytest with cross-runner fail-fast
 │   ├── check_translations.py  # Translation completeness check
 │   └── doc_coverage.py  # Documentation coverage check
diff --git a/src/devx/ci/distribute_items.py b/src/devx/ci/distribute_items.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ffb8230
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/devx/ci/distribute_items.py
@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Distribute a list of items across N parallel runners using LPT scheduling.
+
+Generic item distribution for CI matrix jobs. Items are read from a JSON
+array on stdin (or from a file via --items-file), sorted for deterministic
+ordering, then assigned to *max_runners* groups using LPT (Longest
+Processing Time first) scheduling.
+
+Each item is a string (e.g. an Ansible ``--limit`` pattern like
+``observability`` or ``infra-314-vm``). Optionally, items can be objects
+with ``{"id": "...", "weight": N}`` to provide explicit weights.
+
+The assigned group for *runner_index* is written to ``$GITHUB_ENV`` as
+``ASSIGNED_ITEMS`` (space-delimited) for use by subsequent steps.
+
+Usage::
+
+    echo '["observability", "infra-314-vm"]' | \\
+        python3 -m devx.ci.distribute_items \\
+        --runner-index 1 --max-runners 3 \\
+        --github-env --skip-if-excess
+
+    # With weights:
+    echo '[{"id": "observability", "weight": 5}, {"id": "customer-1", "weight": 3}]' | \\
+        python3 -m devx.ci.distribute_items \\
+        --runner-index 1 --max-runners 3 --github-env
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+import os
+import sys
+
+import click
+
+from devx.i18n import _
+
+DEFAULT_MAX_RUNNERS = 3
+DEFAULT_WEIGHT = 1
+
+
+def parse_items(raw: str) -> list[str]:
+    """Parse a JSON array into a list of item identifier strings.
+
+    Accepts both plain string arrays (``["a", "b"]``) and object arrays
+    (``[{"id": "a", "weight": 2}]``). Returns just the identifier strings.
+    """
+    data = json.loads(raw)
+    if not isinstance(data, list):
+        raise click.ClickException(_("Items input must be a JSON array, got {type}", type=type(data).__name__))
+    items: list[str] = []
+    for entry in data:
+        if isinstance(entry, str):
+            items.append(entry)
+        elif isinstance(entry, dict) and "id" in entry:
+            items.append(str(entry["id"]))
+        else:
+            raise click.ClickException(
+                _("Each item must be a string or an object with 'id', got {type}", type=type(entry).__name__)
+            )
+    return items
+
+
+def parse_weighted_items(raw: str) -> tuple[list[str], list[int]]:
+    """Parse a JSON array into (items, weights) lists.
+
+    For plain string arrays, all items get ``DEFAULT_WEIGHT``.
+    For object arrays, the ``weight`` field is used (default: ``DEFAULT_WEIGHT``).
+    """
+    data = json.loads(raw)
+    if not isinstance(data, list):
+        raise click.ClickException(_("Items input must be a JSON array, got {type}", type=type(data).__name__))
+    items: list[str] = []
+    weights: list[int] = []
+    for entry in data:
+        if isinstance(entry, str):
+            items.append(entry)
+            weights.append(DEFAULT_WEIGHT)
+        elif isinstance(entry, dict) and "id" in entry:
+            items.append(str(entry["id"]))
+            weights.append(int(entry.get("weight", DEFAULT_WEIGHT)))
+        else:
+            raise click.ClickException(
+                _("Each item must be a string or an object with 'id', got {type}", type=type(entry).__name__)
+            )
+    return items, weights
+
+
+def distribute(items: list[str], weights: list[int], max_runners: int) -> list[list[str]]:
+    """Split *items* into *max_runners* balanced groups using LPT scheduling.
+
+    Items are sorted by weight (descending), then assigned to the runner
+    with the least total weight.
+    """
+    groups: list[list[str]] = [[] for _ in range(max_runners)]
+    loads = [0] * max_runners
+    indexed = sorted(enumerate(items), key=lambda x: (-weights[x[0]], x[0]))
+    for orig_idx, item in indexed:
+        min_runner = min(range(max_runners), key=lambda r: loads[r])
+        groups[min_runner].append(item)
+        loads[min_runner] += weights[orig_idx]
+    return groups
+
+
+def items_for_runner(items: list[str], weights: list[int], runner_index: int, max_runners: int) -> list[str]:
+    """Return the subset of items assigned to *runner_index* (0-based)."""
+    groups = distribute(items, weights, max_runners)
+    if runner_index < 0 or runner_index >= len(groups):
+        raise click.ClickException(
+            _("Runner index {index} out of range (0..{max})", index=runner_index, max=max_runners - 1)
+        )
+    return groups[runner_index]
+
+
+def _write_github_env(key: str, value: str) -> None:
+    gh_env = os.environ.get("GITHUB_ENV")
+    if not gh_env:
+        raise click.ClickException("GITHUB_ENV environment variable is not set")
+    with open(gh_env, "a") as f:  # noqa: PTH123
+        if "\n" in value:
+            delimiter = "EOF"
+            f.write(f"{key}<<{delimiter}\n{value}\n{delimiter}\n")
+        else:
+            f.write(f"{key}={value}\n")
+
+
+@click.command()
+@click.option(
+    "--items-file",
+    type=click.Path(exists=True, file_okay=True, path_type=None),
+    default=None,
+    help="Read items from a JSON file instead of stdin.",
+)
+@click.option(
+    "--runner-index",
+    type=int,
+    default=None,
+    help="One-based runner index. If omitted, prints all groups.",
+)
+@click.option(
+    "--max-runners",
+    type=int,
+    default=DEFAULT_MAX_RUNNERS,
+    show_default=True,
+    help="Total number of parallel runners.",
+)
+@click.option(
+    "--github-env",
+    is_flag=True,
+    default=False,
+    help="Write ASSIGNED_ITEMS and SKIP to $GITHUB_ENV.",
+)
+@click.option(
+    "--skip-if-excess",
+    is_flag=True,
+    default=False,
+    help="With --github-env: write SKIP=true when runner-index exceeds max-runners.",
+)
+def main(
+    items_file: str | None,
+    runner_index: int | None,
+    max_runners: int,
+    github_env: bool,
+    skip_if_excess: bool,
+) -> None:
+    # Read items from file or stdin
+    if items_file is not None:
+        with open(items_file) as f:  # noqa: PTH123
+            raw = f.read()
+    else:
+        raw = sys.stdin.read()
+
+    raw = raw.strip()
+    if not raw:
+        raw = "[]"
+
+    items, weights = parse_weighted_items(raw)
+
+    if runner_index is None:
+        groups = distribute(items, weights, max_runners)
+        for i, group in enumerate(groups):
+            labels = " ".join(group) if group else "(none)"
+            click.echo(f"Runner {i}: {labels}")
+        return
+
+    if skip_if_excess and github_env and runner_index > max_runners:
+        click.echo(f"Skipping — runner index {runner_index} > max runners {max_runners}")
+        _write_github_env("ASSIGNED_ITEMS", "")
+        _write_github_env("SKIP", "true")
+        return
+
+    if runner_index < 1:
+        raise click.ClickException(f"Runner index {runner_index} is out of range (must be >= 1)")
+
+    zero_based = runner_index - 1
+    assigned = items_for_runner(items, weights, zero_based, max_runners)
+    encoded = " ".join(assigned)
+
+    if github_env:
+        _write_github_env("ASSIGNED_ITEMS", encoded)
+        _write_github_env("SKIP", "false")
+        click.echo(f"Assigned {len(assigned)} items to runner {runner_index}: {encoded}")
+        return
+
+    click.echo(encoded)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":  # pragma: no cover
+    main()
diff --git a/src/devx/translations.json b/src/devx/translations.json
index 11543f2..daa4802 100644
--- a/src/devx/translations.json
+++ b/src/devx/translations.json
@@ -639,6 +639,14 @@
     "ru": "Dockerfile not found: {path}",
     "zh": "Dockerfile not found: {path}"
   },
+  "Each item must be a string or an object with 'id', got {type}": {
+    "bg": "Всеки елемент трябва да е низ или обект с 'id', получено {type}",
+    "de": "Jedes Element muss ein String oder ein Objekt mit 'id' sein, erhalten {type}",
+    "en": "Each item must be a string or an object with 'id', got {type}",
+    "pl": "Każdy element musi być ciągiem lub obiektem z 'id', otrzymano {type}",
+    "ru": "Каждый элемент должен быть строкой или объектом с 'id', получено {type}",
+    "zh": "每个元素必须是字符串或带有 'id' 的对象，得到 {type}"
+  },
   "Dry-run mode: on branch '{branch}' (not master). Some checks may behave differently.": {
     "bg": "Dry-run mode: on branch '{branch}' (not master). Some checks may behave differently.",
     "de": "Dry-run mode: on branch '{branch}' (not master). Some checks may behave differently.",
@@ -2247,6 +2255,14 @@
     "ru": "Invalid checklist category: {cat}. Must be numbers.",
     "zh": "Invalid checklist category: {cat}. Must be numbers."
   },
+  "Items input must be a JSON array, got {type}": {
+    "bg": "Входните данни трябва да са JSON масив, получено {type}",
+    "de": "Eingabe muss ein JSON-Array sein, erhalten {type}",
+    "en": "Items input must be a JSON array, got {type}",
+    "pl": "Dane wejściowe muszą być tablicą JSON, otrzymano {type}",
+    "ru": "Входные данные должны быть JSON-массивом, получено {type}",
+    "zh": "输入必须是 JSON 数组，得到 {type}"
+  },
   "Review body must be at least 50 characters.": {
     "en": "Review body must be at least 50 characters.",
     "bg": "Review body must be at least 50 characters.",
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_distribute_items.py b/tests/unit/test_distribute_items.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..95d1540
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_distribute_items.py
@@ -0,0 +1,250 @@
+"""Unit tests for devx.ci.distribute_items."""
+
+import pytest
+from click.testing import CliRunner
+
+from devx.ci.distribute_items import (
+    DEFAULT_WEIGHT,
+    distribute,
+    items_for_runner,
+    main,
+    parse_items,
+    parse_weighted_items,
+)
+
+
+class TestParseItems:
+    def test_string_array(self) -> None:
+        assert parse_items('["a", "b", "c"]') == ["a", "b", "c"]
+
+    def test_object_array(self) -> None:
+        raw = '[{"id": "a", "weight": 2}, {"id": "b"}]'
+        assert parse_items(raw) == ["a", "b"]
+
+    def test_empty_array(self) -> None:
+        assert parse_items("[]") == []
+
+    def test_not_an_array(self) -> None:
+        with pytest.raises(Exception, match="must be a JSON array"):
+            parse_items('{"key": "value"}')
+
+    def test_invalid_entry_type(self) -> None:
+        with pytest.raises(Exception, match="must be a string or an object"):
+            parse_items("[42]")
+
+    def test_object_without_id(self) -> None:
+        with pytest.raises(Exception, match="must be a string or an object"):
+            parse_items('[{"weight": 2}]')
+
+
+class TestParseWeightedItems:
+    def test_string_array_default_weights(self) -> None:
+        items, weights = parse_weighted_items('["a", "b"]')
+        assert items == ["a", "b"]
+        assert weights == [DEFAULT_WEIGHT, DEFAULT_WEIGHT]
+
+    def test_object_array_with_weights(self) -> None:
+        items, weights = parse_weighted_items('[{"id": "a", "weight": 5}, {"id": "b", "weight": 1}]')
+        assert items == ["a", "b"]
+        assert weights == [5, 1]
+
+    def test_object_array_missing_weight(self) -> None:
+        items, weights = parse_weighted_items('[{"id": "a"}]')
+        assert items == ["a"]
+        assert weights == [DEFAULT_WEIGHT]
+
+    def test_not_an_array(self) -> None:
+        with pytest.raises(Exception, match="must be a JSON array"):
+            parse_weighted_items('"hello"')
+
+    def test_invalid_entry(self) -> None:
+        with pytest.raises(Exception, match="must be a string or an object"):
+            parse_weighted_items("[true]")
+
+
+class TestDistribute:
+    def test_even_split(self) -> None:
+        items = [f"vm-{i}" for i in range(6)]
+        weights = [1] * 6
+        groups = distribute(items, weights, 3)
+        assert len(groups) == 3
+        assert all(len(g) == 2 for g in groups)
+
+    def test_uneven_split(self) -> None:
+        items = [f"vm-{i}" for i in range(5)]
+        weights = [1] * 5
+        groups = distribute(items, weights, 3)
+        assert len(groups[0]) == 2
+        assert len(groups[1]) == 2
+        assert len(groups[2]) == 1
+
+    def test_more_runners_than_items(self) -> None:
+        items = ["vm-a"]
+        weights = [1]
+        groups = distribute(items, weights, 5)
+        assert len(groups) == 5
+        assert len(groups[0]) == 1
+        assert all(len(g) == 0 for g in groups[1:])
+
+    def test_lpt_heavy_item_on_least_loaded(self) -> None:
+        items = ["heavy", "light1", "light2", "light3"]
+        weights = [10, 1, 1, 1]
+        groups = distribute(items, weights, 2)
+        # Heavy item goes to runner 0, lights go to runner 1 (least loaded)
+        assert "heavy" in groups[0]
+        # Runner 1 should have more items but less total weight
+        assert len(groups[1]) >= 2
+
+    def test_empty_items(self) -> None:
+        groups = distribute([], [], 3)
+        assert len(groups) == 3
+        assert all(len(g) == 0 for g in groups)
+
+    def test_single_runner(self) -> None:
+        items = ["a", "b", "c"]
+        weights = [1, 2, 3]
+        groups = distribute(items, weights, 1)
+        assert len(groups) == 1
+        assert len(groups[0]) == 3
+
+
+class TestItemsForRunner:
+    def test_returns_assigned_subset(self) -> None:
+        items = ["a", "b", "c", "d", "e", "f"]
+        weights = [1] * 6
+        result = items_for_runner(items, weights, 0, 3)
+        assert len(result) == 2
+        assert all(item in items for item in result)
+
+    def test_out_of_range(self) -> None:
+        with pytest.raises(Exception, match="out of range"):
+            items_for_runner(["a"], [1], 5, 3)
+
+    def test_negative_index(self) -> None:
+        with pytest.raises(Exception, match="out of range"):
+            items_for_runner(["a"], [1], -1, 3)
+
+
+class TestMain:
+    def test_stdin_string_array(self) -> None:
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(main, ["--runner-index", "1", "--max-runners", "2"], input='["a", "b", "c"]')
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        # LPT: heaviest first, so "a" goes to runner 0, "b" to runner 1, "c" to runner 0
+        # All weights equal, so round-robin-ish: runner 0 gets "a","c"; runner 1 gets "b"
+        assert "a" in result.output
+
+    def test_stdin_object_array(self) -> None:
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            main,
+            ["--runner-index", "1", "--max-runners", "2"],
+            input='[{"id": "a", "weight": 5}, {"id": "b", "weight": 1}]',
+        )
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert "a" in result.output
+
+    def test_items_file(self, tmp_path: object) -> None:
+        import pathlib
+
+        items_file = pathlib.Path(str(tmp_path)) / "items.json"
+        items_file.write_text('["x", "y", "z"]')
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(main, ["--items-file", str(items_file), "--runner-index", "1", "--max-runners", "3"])
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert "x" in result.output
+
+    def test_print_all_groups_no_runner_index(self) -> None:
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(main, ["--max-runners", "2"], input='["a", "b"]')
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert "Runner 0:" in result.output
+        assert "Runner 1:" in result.output
+
+    def test_empty_stdin(self) -> None:
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(main, ["--runner-index", "1", "--max-runners", "3"], input="")
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        # Empty input → empty assigned items
+        assert result.output.strip() == ""
+
+    def test_github_env(self, tmp_path: object, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+        import pathlib
+
+        gh_env = pathlib.Path(str(tmp_path)) / "gh_env"
+        gh_env.write_text("")
+        monkeypatch.setenv("GITHUB_ENV", str(gh_env))
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            main,
+            ["--runner-index", "1", "--max-runners", "2", "--github-env"],
+            input='["a", "b"]',
+        )
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        content = gh_env.read_text()
+        assert "ASSIGNED_ITEMS=" in content
+        assert "SKIP=false" in content
+
+    def test_skip_if_excess(self, tmp_path: object, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+        import pathlib
+
+        gh_env = pathlib.Path(str(tmp_path)) / "gh_env"
+        gh_env.write_text("")
+        monkeypatch.setenv("GITHUB_ENV", str(gh_env))
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            main,
+            ["--runner-index", "5", "--max-runners", "3", "--github-env", "--skip-if-excess"],
+            input='["a"]',
+        )
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        content = gh_env.read_text()
+        assert "ASSIGNED_ITEMS=" in content
+        assert "SKIP=true" in content
+
+    def test_runner_index_zero(self) -> None:
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(main, ["--runner-index", "0"], input='["a"]')
+        assert result.exit_code != 0
+        assert "out of range" in result.output
+
+    def test_default_max_runners(self) -> None:
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(main, ["--runner-index", "1"], input='["a"]')
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert "a" in result.output
+
+    def test_github_env_not_set(self, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+        monkeypatch.delenv("GITHUB_ENV", raising=False)
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            main,
+            ["--runner-index", "1", "--github-env"],
+            input='["a"]',
+        )
+        assert result.exit_code != 0
+        assert "GITHUB_ENV" in result.output
+
+    def test_invalid_json(self) -> None:
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(main, ["--runner-index", "1"], input="not json")
+        assert result.exit_code != 0
+
+    def test_multiline_github_env(self, tmp_path: object, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+        import pathlib
+
+        gh_env = pathlib.Path(str(tmp_path)) / "gh_env"
+        gh_env.write_text("")
+        monkeypatch.setenv("GITHUB_ENV", str(gh_env))
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        # Items with newlines in their IDs would trigger multiline syntax
+        # Normal items don't have newlines, but test the path anyway
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            main,
+            ["--runner-index", "1", "--max-runners", "1", "--github-env"],
+            input='["a\\nb"]',
+        )
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        content = gh_env.read_text()
+        # Item "a\nb" contains a newline → heredoc syntax
+        assert "ASSIGNED_ITEMS<<" in content