# Return Values

Topics

- Return Values
  - Common
    - backup_file
    - changed
    - failed
    - invocation
    - msg
    - rc
    - results
    - skipped
    - stderr
    - stderr_lines
    - stdout
    - stdout_lines
  - Internal use
    - ansible_facts
    - exception
    - warnings
    - deprecations

Ansible modules normally return a data structure that can be registered into a variable, or seen directly when output by the ansible program. Each module can optionally document its own unique return values (visible through ansible-doc and on the main docsite.

This document covers return values common to all modules.

Note

Some of these keys might be set by Ansible itself once it processes the module’s return information.

## Common

### backup_file

For those modules that implement backup=no|yes when manipulating files, a path to the backup file created.

### changed

A boolean indicating if the task had to make changes.

### failed

A boolean that indicates if the task was failed or not.

### invocation

Information on how the module was invoked.

### msg

A string with a generic message relayed to the user.

### rc

Some modules execute command line utilities or are geared for executing commands directly (raw, shell, command, etc), this field contains ‘return code’ of these utilities.

### results

If this key exists, it indicates that a loop was present for the task and that it contains a list of the normal module ‘result’ per item.

### skipped

A boolean that indicates if the task was skipped or not

### stderr

Some modules execute command line utilities or are geared for executing commands directly (raw, shell, command, etc), this field contains the error output of these utilities.

### stderr_lines

When stderr is returned we also always provide this field which is a list of strings, one item per line from the original.

### stdout

Some modules execute command line utilities or are geared for executing commands directly (raw, shell, command, etc). This field contains the normal output of these utilities.

### stdout_lines

When stdout is returned, Ansible always provides a list of strings, each containing one item per line from the original output.

## Internal use

These keys can be added by modules but will be removed from registered variables; they are ‘consumed’ by Ansible itself.

### ansible_facts

This key should contain a dictionary which will be appended to the facts assigned to the host. These will be directly accessible and don’t require using a registered variable.

### exception

This key can contain traceback information caused by an exception in a module. It will only be displayed on high verbosity (-vvv).

### warnings

This key contains a list of strings that will be presented to the user.

### deprecations

This key contains a list of dictionaries that will be presented to the user. Keys of the dictionaries are msg and version, values are string, value for the version key can be an empty string.

See also

all_modules
  Learn about available modules
GitHub Core modules directory
  Browse source of core modules
Github Extras modules directory
  Browse source of extras modules.
Mailing List
  Development mailing list
irc.freenode.net
  #ansible IRC chat channel