EX294 Transform data with filters and plugins Practice Question
An Ansible playbook needs to convert a list of server names into a comma-separated string for an API call. Which filter should be applied to the list variable 'server_list'?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse `join` with `combine` (which works on dicts) or attempt to use regex filters on lists, not realizing that `join` is the only filter that directly converts a list to a delimited string.
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
✓
join(',')
The `join` filter in Ansible is designed to concatenate list elements into a single string using a specified delimiter. Applying `join(',')` to `server_list` will produce a comma-separated string, exactly as required for the API call.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
map('regex_replace', '^', '')
Why it's wrong here
regex_replace substitutes matched patterns within each element, so mapping it over the list returns a list, not a joined string; the empty-match pattern changes nothing. It is used for in-place text substitution inside individual strings, which would be correct if each server name needed reformatting rather than concatenation.
- ✗
combine(',')
Why it's wrong here
combine merges dictionaries, not lists, so passing a comma string raises an error instead of producing a delimited string. It is the right filter when recursively merging two or more hash variables, such as layering default and override configuration dictionaries, not for joining list elements.
- ✓
join(',')
Why this is correct
The join filter concatenates list elements into a single string using the supplied separator, so join(',') converts server_list into the comma-separated value the API expects. It operates directly on the list without requiring a loop.
- ✗
regex_replace('\n', ',')
Why it's wrong here
regex_replace operates on a string, so applying it to a list fails; even on a string it replaces newline characters, and the list contains no newlines. It is correct when normalising multi-line text output, such as converting line breaks in a registered command's stdout into commas.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This EX294 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Red Hat certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the EX294 exam.