This EX294 practice question tests your understanding of manage task execution and roles. 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.
dependencies:
- role: common
allow_duplicates: falseRefer to the exhibit. A playbook already includes the 'common' role in its roles list. The current role depends on 'common' with 'allow_duplicates: false'. How many times will the 'common' role run?
dependencies:
- role: common
allow_duplicates: falseOnce.
Because allow_duplicates: false prevents the role from running multiple times.
Not at all.
Why wrong: The role still runs once from the playbook's roles list.
Depends on the order of roles.
Why wrong: allow_duplicates: false unconditionally prevents duplicates regardless of order.
Twice.
Why wrong: allow_duplicates: false prevents the second run.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Once.
Option A is correct because the 'common' role is already listed in the playbook's roles list, and the current role declares a dependency on 'common' with 'allow_duplicates: false'. In Ansible, when a role dependency is defined with 'allow_duplicates: false', Ansible checks if the role has already been executed in the current play. Since 'common' is already in the roles list, it will not run again, resulting in a single execution.
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.
Once.
Why this is correct
Because allow_duplicates: false prevents the role from running multiple times.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Not at all.
Why it's wrong here
The role still runs once from the playbook's roles list.
Depends on the order of roles.
Why it's wrong here
allow_duplicates: false unconditionally prevents duplicates regardless of order.
Twice.
Why it's wrong here
allow_duplicates: false prevents the second run.
Common exam traps
Red Hat often tests the misconception that role dependencies always run regardless of duplicates, or that the order of roles in the playbook affects duplicate detection, when in fact 'allow_duplicates: false' is a global setting that prevents any role from running more than once per play.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, Ansible's role dependency resolution uses a depth-first traversal with duplicate detection. When 'allow_duplicates: false' is set (the default is 'true'), Ansible maintains a list of roles already executed for the current play and skips any role that has already been run. This is implemented in the 'RoleRequirement' class in the Ansible source code, which checks the 'role_names' list before adding a role to the execution queue. In real-world scenarios, this prevents infinite loops or redundant tasks when multiple roles depend on a common base role, such as a 'firewall' or 'ntp' role.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Manage task execution and roles — This question tests Manage task execution and roles — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Once. — Option A is correct because the 'common' role is already listed in the playbook's roles list, and the current role declares a dependency on 'common' with 'allow_duplicates: false'. In Ansible, when a role dependency is defined with 'allow_duplicates: false', Ansible checks if the role has already been executed in the current play. Since 'common' is already in the roles list, it will not run again, resulting in a single execution.
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: Jul 4, 2026
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.
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