EX294 Manage task execution and roles Practice Question
An administrator is debugging a playbook that uses multiple roles and wants to limit execution to a specific set of tasks. Which three methods can be used to filter task execution? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse options that control execution flow (like '--step' or '--check') with options that actually filter which tasks are included or excluded from the run, leading candidates to select non-filtering options.
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
✓
Use the '--tags' command-line option.
Option A is correct because the '--tags' command-line option filters execution so that only tasks (and roles) tagged with the specified tag names are run, which directly limits a playbook to a specific set of tasks. Option B is correct because '--skip-tags' performs the inverse filtering, excluding tasks carrying the given tags while running everything else, another valid way to narrow execution. Option E is correct because '--start-at-task' begins execution at the first task whose name matches the given value, effectively limiting the run to that task and those following it. Option C is not a filtering method: '--check' runs the playbook in dry-run/check mode, reporting changes without applying them. Option D is also not a filter: '--step' prompts interactively before each task, allowing the operator to confirm or skip tasks one at a time rather than selecting a task set.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Use the '--tags' command-line option.
Why this is correct
The --tags option restricts execution to tasks and roles carrying the named tags, so only those tagged tasks run. This filters execution without editing the playbook, satisfying the requirement to limit a multi-role playbook to a specific set of tasks.
- ✓
Use the '--skip-tags' command-line option.
Why this is correct
Using `--skip-tags` excludes tasks carrying the named tags from the entire run, satisfying the requirement to limit execution to a specific set of tasks. Combined with tag assignment in roles, it filters precisely at runtime without editing playbooks, letting the administrator suppress unwanted tagged tasks while the remaining tagged tasks still execute.
- ✗
Use the '--check' command-line option.
Why it's wrong here
--check runs the playbook in dry-run mode, predicting changes without applying them, so it reports what would happen rather than restricting which tasks execute. It suits validating changes before a real run, not filtering task selection.
- ✗
Use the '--step' command-line option.
Why it's wrong here
--step prompts for confirmation before each task, letting you skip individual tasks interactively, but it does not select a defined subset. Tags and --start-at-task filter by declared criteria; --step is for walking through a playbook task by task.
- ✓
Use the '--start-at-task' command-line option.
Why this is correct
The --start-at-task option begins execution at the first task whose name matches the given string, skipping all preceding tasks. This filters execution to the remaining tasks from that point, useful when debugging a specific stage of a multi-role playbook.
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