Understanding the Purpose of failed_when in Ansible
This EX294 practice question tests your understanding of implement advanced ansible automation. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Exhibit
- name: Check if package is installed
command: rpm -q httpd
register: result
failed_when: result.rc != 0 and 'not installed' not in result.stderr
changed_when: false
Refer to the exhibit. What is the purpose of the 'failed_when' condition?
Exhibit
- name: Check if package is installed
command: rpm -q httpd
register: result
failed_when: result.rc != 0 and 'not installed' not in result.stderr
changed_when: false
A
It fails the task only if the return code is non-zero and the error does not indicate 'not installed'.
Correct: This is exactly what the condition defines.
B
It ensures the task never fails regardless of return code.
Why wrong: Incorrect: The task can still fail if rc != 0 and 'not installed' is not in stderr.
C
It fails the task only if the package is installed.
Why wrong: Incorrect: If the package is installed, rc=0, so the condition is false and task does not fail.
D
It fails the task if the package is not installed.
Why wrong: Incorrect: If the package is not installed, stderr contains 'not installed', which makes the overall condition false, so the task does not fail.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
It fails the task only if the return code is non-zero and the error does not indicate 'not installed'.
The 'failed_when' condition in Ansible allows you to define custom failure criteria for a task. In the exhibit, the condition 'failed_when: result.rc != 0 and "not installed" not in result.stderr' means the task will only be marked as failed if the return code is non-zero AND the error message does not contain the string 'not installed'. This is useful when a command returns a non-zero exit code for expected reasons (e.g., package not found), and you want to treat that as a non-failure.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
It fails the task only if the return code is non-zero and the error does not indicate 'not installed'.
Why this is correct
Correct: This is exactly what the condition defines.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
It ensures the task never fails regardless of return code.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: The task can still fail if rc != 0 and 'not installed' is not in stderr.
✗
It fails the task only if the package is installed.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: If the package is installed, rc=0, so the condition is false and task does not fail.
✗
It fails the task if the package is not installed.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: If the package is not installed, stderr contains 'not installed', which makes the overall condition false, so the task does not fail.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume 'failed_when' always causes failure when the condition is true, but they overlook that the condition is a logical AND of two parts, and the second part ('not installed' not in stderr) is a negative check that prevents failure when the expected error message appears.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Ansible tasks register the result of a module or command, which includes attributes like 'rc' (return code), 'stdout', and 'stderr'. The 'failed_when' clause is evaluated as a Jinja2 expression; if it returns true, the task is marked as failed. A subtle behavior is that 'failed_when' overrides the default failure detection (non-zero rc), so you must explicitly include the rc check if you still want to fail on non-zero rc for other errors. In real-world scenarios, this is commonly used with package managers like 'yum' or 'apt' where a non-zero exit code may indicate the package is not installed, which is acceptable in a check mode or idempotency context.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the EX294 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Implement advanced Ansible automation — This question tests Implement advanced Ansible automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: It fails the task only if the return code is non-zero and the error does not indicate 'not installed'. — The 'failed_when' condition in Ansible allows you to define custom failure criteria for a task. In the exhibit, the condition 'failed_when: result.rc != 0 and "not installed" not in result.stderr' means the task will only be marked as failed if the return code is non-zero AND the error message does not contain the string 'not installed'. This is useful when a command returns a non-zero exit code for expected reasons (e.g., package not found), and you want to treat that as a non-failure.
What should I do if I get this EX294 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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