text: .. _special_variables:
  
  Special Variables
  =================
  
  Magic variables
  ---------------
  These variables cannot be set directly by the user; Ansible will always override them to reflect internal state.
  
  ansible_check_mode
      Boolean that indicates if we are in check mode or not
  
  ansible_config_file
      The full path of used Ansible configuration file
  
  ansible_dependent_role_names
      The names of the roles currently imported into the current play as dependencies of other plays
  
  ansible_diff_mode
      Boolean that indicates if we are in diff mode or not
  
  ansible_forks
      Integer reflecting the number of maximum forks available to this run
  
  ansible_inventory_sources
      List of sources used as inventory
  
  ansible_limit
      Contents of the ``--limit`` CLI option for the current execution of Ansible
  
  ansible_loop
      A dictionary/map containing extended loop information when enabled via ``loop_control.extended``
  
  ansible_loop_var
      The name of the value provided to ``loop_control.loop_var``. Added in ``2.8``
  
  ansible_index_var
      The name of the value provided to ``loop_control.index_var``. Added in ``2.9``
  
  ansible_parent_role_names
      When the current role is being executed by means of an :ref:`include_role <include_role_module>` or :ref:`import_role <import_role_module>` action, this variable contains a list of all parent roles, with the most recent role (in other words, the role that included/imported this role) being the first item in the list.
      When multiple inclusions occur, this list lists the *last* role (in other words, the role that included this role) as the *first* item in the list. It is also possible that a specific role exists more than once in this list.
  
      For example: When role **A** includes role **B**, inside role B, ``ansible_parent_role_names`` will equal to ``['A']``. If role **B** then includes role **C**, the list becomes ``['B', 'A']``.
  
  ansible_parent_role_paths
      When the current role is being executed by means of an :ref:`include_role <include_role_module>` or :ref:`import_role <import_role_module>` action, this variable contains a list of all parent roles, with the most recent role (in other words, the role that included/imported this role) being the first item in the list.
      Please refer to ``ansible_parent_role_names`` for the order of items in this list.
  
  ansible_play_batch
      List of active hosts in the current play run limited by the serial, aka 'batch'. Failed/Unreachable hosts are not considered 'active'.
  
  ansible_play_hosts
      List of hosts in the current play run, not limited by the serial. Failed/Unreachable hosts are included in this list.
  
  ansible_play_hosts_all
      List of all the hosts that were targeted by the play
  
  ansible_play_role_names
      The names of the roles currently imported into the current play. This list does **not** contain the role names that are
      implicitly included via dependencies.
  
  ansible_playbook_python
      The path to the python interpreter being used by Ansible on the controller
  
  ansible_role_names
      The names of the roles currently imported into the current play, or roles referenced as dependencies of the roles
      imported into the current play.
  
  ansible_role_name
      The fully qualified collection role name, in the format of ``namespace.collection.role_name``
  
  ansible_collection_name
      The name of the collection the task that is executing is a part of. In the format of ``namespace.collection``
  
  ansible_run_tags
      Contents of the ``--tags`` CLI option, which specifies which tags will be included for the current run. Note that if ``--tags`` is not passed, this variable will default to ``["all"]``.
  
  ansible_search_path
      Current search path for action plugins and lookups, in other words, where we search for relative paths when you do ``template: src=myfile``
  
  ansible_skip_tags
      Contents of the ``--skip-tags`` CLI option, which specifies which tags will be skipped for the current run.
  
  ansible_verbosity
      Current verbosity setting for Ansible
  
  ansible_version
     Dictionary/map that contains information about the current running version of ansible, it has the following keys: full, major, minor, revision and string.
  
  group_names
      List of groups the current host is part of
  
  groups
      A dictionary/map with all the groups in inventory and each group has the list of hosts that belong to it
  
  hostvars
      A dictionary/map with all the hosts in inventory and variables assigned to them
  
  inventory_hostname
      The inventory name for the 'current' host being iterated over in the play
  
  inventory_hostname_short
      The short version of `inventory_hostname`
  
  inventory_dir
      The directory of the inventory source in which the `inventory_hostname` was first defined
  
  inventory_file
      The file name of the inventory source in which the `inventory_hostname` was first defined
  
  omit
      Special variable that allows you to 'omit' an option in a task, for example ``- user: name=bob home={{ bobs_home|default(omit) }}``
  
  play_hosts
      Deprecated, the same as ansible_play_batch
  
  ansible_play_name
      The name of the currently executed play. Added in ``2.8``.
  
  playbook_dir
      The path to the directory of the playbook that was passed to the ``ansible-playbook`` command line.
  
  role_name
      The name of the role currently being executed.
  
  role_names
      Deprecated, the same as ansible_play_role_names
  
  role_path
      The path to the dir of the currently running role
  
  Facts
  -----
  These are variables that contain information pertinent to the current host (`inventory_hostname`). They are only available if gathered first. See :ref:`vars_and_facts` for more information.
  
  ansible_facts
      Contains any facts gathered or cached for the `inventory_hostname`
      Facts are normally gathered by the :ref:`setup <setup_module>` module automatically in a play, but any module can return facts.
  
  ansible_local
      Contains any 'local facts' gathered or cached for the `inventory_hostname`.
      The keys available depend on the custom facts created.
      See the :ref:`setup <setup_module>` module and :ref:`local_facts` for more details.
  
  .. _connection_variables:
  
  Connection variables
  ---------------------
  Connection variables are normally used to set the specifics on how to execute actions on a target. Most of them correspond to connection plugins, but not all are specific to them; other plugins like shell, terminal and become are normally involved.
  Only the common ones are described as each connection/become/shell/etc plugin can define its own overrides and specific variables.
  See :ref:`general_precedence_rules` for how connection variables interact with :ref:`configuration settings<ansible_configuration_settings>`, :ref:`command-line options<command_line_tools>`, and :ref:`playbook keywords<playbook_keywords>`.
  
  ansible_become_user
      The user Ansible 'becomes' after using privilege escalation. This must be available to the 'login user'.
  
  ansible_connection
      The connection plugin actually used for the task on the target host.
  
  ansible_host
      The ip/name of the target host to use instead of `inventory_hostname`.
  
  ansible_python_interpreter
      The path to the Python executable Ansible should use on the target host.
  
  ansible_user
      The user Ansible 'logs in' as.
  