Ansible in a Minute · Ansible Core ·
Use a list variable for multiple values
Short answer
Define a YAML list variable and select an item by index. The first item is index 0.
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define a region list and print the first item
Example
A quick heads-up: Every environment is different. Review and test this example before you run it on systems you care about.
---
- name: Define regions as a list variable
hosts: all
gather_facts: false
vars:
region:
- northeast
- southeast
- midwest
tasks:
- name: Print the first region
ansible.builtin.debug:
msg: "{{ region[0] }}"How it works
A list variable stores several values under one name. YAML lists use a dash per item. Index 0 is the first value, so region[0] is northeast.
When to use it
- Storing several names, paths, or regions in one variable
- Selecting one list item by index in a later task
Requirements
- Ansible: >=2.14
Validation
- Syntax validated
- Not execution-tested
- Last verified 2026-09-22
Notes
You can also write the same list as region: [northeast, southeast, midwest]. Use loop: "{{ region }}" when you must run a task for every item.
Reference
- Defining variables as lists (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.