List Tags & Tasks Before Running
Preview with --list-tags / --list-tasks.
List Tags & Tasks Before Running is a free DevOps Bootcamp lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 4 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the DevOps Bootcamp learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.
Look Before You Leap
Before running anything, Ansible can show you what a playbook would do. No changes are made during these previews. 👀
See Every Tag
Run with --list-tags to print all the tags defined across the playbook, grouped by play.
ansible-playbook site.yml --list-tagsWhy List Tags
It is the fastest way to discover which labels exist before deciding what to pass to --tags or --skip-tags.
See Every Task
The --list-tasks option prints the ordered list of tasks Ansible plans to run, with their names and tags.
ansible-playbook site.yml --list-tasksCombine With Filters
Add your tag filter to the preview. Now --list-tasks shows exactly the tasks that the chosen tags would run.
ansible-playbook site.yml --tags config --list-tasksPreview a Skip
The same works with skipping. Confirm that --skip-tags removes the right tasks before you commit to a real run.
ansible-playbook site.yml --skip-tags deploy --list-tasksList the Hosts
A sibling option, --list-hosts, shows which hosts a play targets so you confirm the blast radius first.
ansible-playbook site.yml --list-hostsListing Is Read-Only
All list options just parse and report. They never connect to hosts or change a thing, so they are always safe to run.
Listing vs Check Mode
Listing shows the plan without contacting hosts. Check mode (--check) connects and simulates changes. They answer different questions.
A Safe Workflow
List tags, pick the right ones, then list tasks to confirm. Only after that do you run the playbook for real. 🧭
Putting It Together
This single command previews the exact tasks the deploy tag will run, so you verify scope before any real change. ✅
ansible-playbook site.yml --tags deploy --list-tasksQuick Check
You want to preview the planned tasks without touching any host. Which option fits?
Recap
You learned to preview safely with --list-tags and --list-tasks, combine them with filters, and tell listing apart from check mode. ✅
Frequently asked questions
Is the “List Tags & Tasks Before Running” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “List Tags & Tasks Before Running” is free to read here on the web, and the DevOps Bootcamp course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the DevOps Bootcamp course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.
What will I learn in “List Tags & Tasks Before Running”?
Preview with --list-tags / --list-tasks. You practise DevOps Bootcamp with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start DevOps Bootcamp?
No prior experience is required. DevOps Bootcamp on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 4 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.
How long does the “List Tags & Tasks Before Running” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this DevOps Bootcamp lesson?
Yes. Every DevOps Bootcamp lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.
All lessons in this course
- Tagging Tasks, Plays & Roles
- Filter Runs with --tags & --skip-tags
- The always & never Special Tags
- List Tags & Tasks Before Running