EX294 Transform data with filters and plugins Practice Question
A playbook needs to generate a default value for a variable if it is undefined or empty. Which filter with a default value should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
Red Hat often tests the distinction between filters that handle undefined variables (`default`) versus filters that perform conditional logic (`ternary`) or error handling (`fail`), and the trap here is that candidates may confuse `coalesce` (a common SQL function) with a valid Ansible filter, leading them to select option D.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
my_var | default('fallback')
The `default` filter in Ansible is specifically designed to provide a fallback value when a variable is undefined or evaluates to an empty string (with the `omit` parameter). It is the idiomatic way to handle missing or empty variables in Jinja2 templates within Ansible playbooks, ensuring idempotency and avoiding undefined variable errors.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
my_var | fail('fallback')
Why it's wrong here
fail filter makes the task fail with a message.
- ✗
my_var | ternary('fallback', my_var)
Why it's wrong here
ternary is used for if-else conditions, not for default.
- ✓
my_var | default('fallback')
Why this is correct
default filter returns 'fallback' if my_var is undefined.
- ✗
my_var | coalesce('fallback')
Why it's wrong here
coalesce returns first non-null argument, but if my_var is undefined it raises an error.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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