This EX294 practice question tests your understanding of transform data with filters and plugins. 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.
A junior admin is tasked with creating a playbook that sets a variable 'app_status' to 'starting' if a service file exists, otherwise sets it to 'stopped'. Which filter should be used to test if a file exists from Ansible facts?
path
Why wrong: path is not a standard filter for existence check.
exists
The 'exists' filter returns true if the file exists (requires stat result).
is_dir
Why wrong: is_dir checks if a path is a directory.
file
Why wrong: file is not a filter; it's a module.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
exists
Option B is correct because the `exists` filter in Ansible checks whether a file path exists on the managed node, returning a boolean. This filter is used with the `stat` module or directly on a fact like `app_status` to conditionally set a variable based on file existence, which is exactly what the junior admin needs to test for the service file.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
path
Why it's wrong here
path is not a standard filter for existence check.
exists
Why this is correct
The 'exists' filter returns true if the file exists (requires stat result).
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
is_dir
Why it's wrong here
is_dir checks if a path is a directory.
file
Why it's wrong here
file is not a filter; it's a module.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse the `exists` filter with the `stat` module's `exists` attribute or mistakenly think `path` or `file` are filters, when Ansible's Jinja2 filters are distinct from module parameters.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, the `exists` filter leverages the `os.path.exists()` function from Python's standard library when Ansible executes Jinja2 templating on the controller or target. In a real-world scenario, you might combine `stat` to register a result and then use `result.stat.exists` to set `app_status`, but the `exists` filter directly on a path string is a concise alternative. Note that the `exists` filter works on the control node unless used with `delegate_to: localhost`, so for remote file checks, you must first gather facts or use the `stat` module.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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FAQ
Transform data with filters and plugins — This question tests Transform data with filters and plugins — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: exists — Option B is correct because the `exists` filter in Ansible checks whether a file path exists on the managed node, returning a boolean. This filter is used with the `stat` module or directly on a fact like `app_status` to conditionally set a variable based on file existence, which is exactly what the junior admin needs to test for the service file.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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