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Last active April 25, 2024 17:43
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Ansible variable precedence (order, hierarchy)

Ansible variable precedence

Source: http://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/playbooks_variables.html#variable-precedence-where-should-i-put-a-variable

From least to most important

  • command line values (for example, -u my_user, these are not variables)
  • role defaults (defined in role/defaults/main.yml)
  • inventory file or script group vars
  • inventory group_vars/all
  • playbook group_vars/all
  • inventory group_vars/*
  • playbook group_vars/*
  • inventory file or script host vars
  • inventory host_vars/*
  • playbook host_vars/*
  • host facts / cached set_facts
  • play vars
  • play vars_prompt
  • play vars_files
  • role vars (defined in role/vars/main.yml)
  • block vars (only for tasks in block)
  • task vars (only for the task)
  • include_vars
  • set_facts / registered vars
  • role (and include_role) params
  • include params
  • extra vars (always win precedence)
@devarshgandhi1
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Awesome Gist!! Very helpful.

@Elmeri
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Elmeri commented May 22, 2018

Good stuff

@aaronjameshorne
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This makes things clear now. Thanks.

@quazar0
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quazar0 commented Nov 7, 2018

I have seen variables in a playbooks/vars/main.yml file, where is that in the list?

@let-thomas
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Well this list does not seems to fully true. In version 2.7 set_fact does not override role vars.
I.e. https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/user_guide/playbooks_variables.html#variable-precedence-where-should-i-put-a-variable seems to be more precise.

@jdaku
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jdaku commented May 4, 2021

Great ! Can you link example, please

@dbvdb
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dbvdb commented May 28, 2022

Super !

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