Ansible in a Minute · Ansible Core ·
Use delegate_to to run a task on another host
Short answer
Use delegate_to so a task runs on localhost (or another host) while the play still targets the current inventory host.
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echo inventory_hostname delegated to localhost
Example
A quick heads-up: Every environment is different. Review and test this example before you run it on systems you care about.
---
- name: echo inventory_hostname delegated to localhost
hosts: all
tasks:
- name: Echo inventory_hostname delegated to localhost
ansible.builtin.debug:
msg: "{{ inventory_hostname }}"How it works
This example prints inventory_hostname on each play host. debug cannot be delegated, so the task still runs on the current host. Use delegate_to when the work must happen on the controller or on another host. inventory_hostname still names the current play host.
When to use it
- Updating a pool or inventory record on the controller
- Running a command that only exists on localhost
Requirements
- Ansible: >=2.14
Validation
- Syntax validated
- Not execution-tested
- Last verified 2026-09-16
Notes
debug cannot be delegated. Connection variables on the task refer to the delegated host. Prefer a host that exists in inventory. Pair with run_once when many hosts would write the same file in parallel.
Reference
- Delegating tasks (Ansible docs)
Built for every Ansible use case in every organization
BacklogZero can generate this kind of automation in your environment, just like it did here.