1.. _common_return_values: 2 3Return Values 4------------- 5 6.. contents:: Topics 7 8Ansible modules normally return a data structure that can be registered into a variable, or seen directly when output by 9the `ansible` program. Each module can optionally document its own unique return values (visible through ansible-doc and on the :ref:`main docsite<ansible_documentation>`). 10 11This document covers return values common to all modules. 12 13.. note:: Some of these keys might be set by Ansible itself once it processes the module's return information. 14 15 16Common 17^^^^^^ 18 19backup_file 20``````````` 21For those modules that implement `backup=no|yes` when manipulating files, a path to the backup file created. 22 23changed 24``````` 25A boolean indicating if the task had to make changes. 26 27failed 28`````` 29A boolean that indicates if the task was failed or not. 30 31invocation 32`````````` 33Information on how the module was invoked. 34 35msg 36``` 37A string with a generic message relayed to the user. 38 39rc 40`` 41Some modules execute command line utilities or are geared for executing commands directly (raw, shell, command, etc), this field contains 'return code' of these utilities. 42 43results 44``````` 45If this key exists, it indicates that a loop was present for the task and that it contains a list of the normal module 'result' per item. 46 47skipped 48``````` 49A boolean that indicates if the task was skipped or not 50 51stderr 52`````` 53Some modules execute command line utilities or are geared for executing commands directly (raw, shell, command, etc), this field contains the error output of these utilities. 54 55stderr_lines 56```````````` 57When `stderr` is returned we also always provide this field which is a list of strings, one item per line from the original. 58 59stdout 60`````` 61Some modules execute command line utilities or are geared for executing commands directly (raw, shell, command, etc). This field contains the normal output of these utilities. 62 63stdout_lines 64```````````` 65When `stdout` is returned, Ansible always provides a list of strings, each containing one item per line from the original output. 66 67 68.. _internal_return_values: 69 70Internal use 71^^^^^^^^^^^^ 72 73These keys can be added by modules but will be removed from registered variables; they are 'consumed' by Ansible itself. 74 75ansible_facts 76````````````` 77This key should contain a dictionary which will be appended to the facts assigned to the host. These will be directly accessible and don't require using a registered variable. 78 79exception 80````````` 81This key can contain traceback information caused by an exception in a module. It will only be displayed on high verbosity (-vvv). 82 83warnings 84```````` 85This key contains a list of strings that will be presented to the user. 86 87deprecations 88```````````` 89This key contains a list of dictionaries that will be presented to the user. Keys of the dictionaries are `msg` and `version`, values are string, value for the `version` key can be an empty string. 90 91.. seealso:: 92 93 :ref:`all_modules` 94 Learn about available modules 95 `GitHub modules directory <https://github.com/ansible/ansible/tree/devel/lib/ansible/modules>`_ 96 Browse source of core and extras modules 97 `Mailing List <https://groups.google.com/group/ansible-devel>`_ 98 Development mailing list 99 `irc.libera.chat <https://libera.chat/>`_ 100 #ansible IRC chat channel 101