Ansible Delete File: Remove Files & Directories with file Module

To delete files and directories in Ansible, use ansible.builtin.file with state: absent. It's idempotent — running it twice won't cause errors if the file is already gone.

Delete a Single File

- name: Remove temporary file
  ansible.builtin.file:
    path: /tmp/installer.sh
    state: absent

See also: Ansible Delete Files in Directory: find & file Modules (Examples)

Delete a Directory (Recursively)

- name: Remove build directory
  ansible.builtin.file:
    path: /opt/app/build
    state: absent

This removes the directory and everything inside it — equivalent to rm -rf.

Delete a Symlink

- name: Remove symbolic link
  ansible.builtin.file:
    path: /opt/app/current
    state: absent

See also: Ansible Set File Permissions 755: chmod with file Module Guide

Delete Multiple Files

- name: Remove multiple files
  ansible.builtin.file:
    path: "{{ item }}"
    state: absent
  loop:
    - /tmp/installer.sh
    - /tmp/setup.log
    - /var/cache/myapp/temp.db

Delete Files Matching a Pattern

Use ansible.builtin.find + ansible.builtin.file together:

- name: Find all .log files older than 7 days
  ansible.builtin.find:
    paths: /var/log/myapp
    patterns: "*.log"
    age: 7d
  register: old_logs
- name: Remove old log files
  ansible.builtin.file:
    path: "{{ item.path }}"
    state: absent
  loop: "{{ old_logs.files }}"
  loop_control:
    label: "{{ item.path }}"

See also: Ansible slurp Module: Read Remote Files as Base64 (Complete Guide)

Delete All Files in a Directory (Keep Directory)

- name: Find all files in temp directory
  ansible.builtin.find:
    paths: /opt/app/tmp
    file_type: any
  register: temp_contents
- name: Remove all contents
  ansible.builtin.file:
    path: "{{ item.path }}"
    state: absent
  loop: "{{ temp_contents.files }}"
  loop_control:
    label: "{{ item.path }}"

Safe Deletion Pattern: Check Before Delete

- name: Check if file exists
  ansible.builtin.stat:
    path: /opt/app/data.db
  register: data_file
- name: Backup before delete
  ansible.builtin.copy:
    src: /opt/app/data.db
    dest: /backup/data.db.{{ ansible_date_time.iso8601_basic_short }}
    remote_src: true
  when: data_file.stat.exists
- name: Remove original
  ansible.builtin.file:
    path: /opt/app/data.db
    state: absent
  when: data_file.stat.exists

Clean Up Old Deployments

- name: Find old deployment directories
  ansible.builtin.find:
    paths: /opt/app/releases
    file_type: directory
    age: 30d
  register: old_releases
- name: Keep only last 5 releases
  ansible.builtin.file:
    path: "{{ item.path }}"
    state: absent
  loop: "{{ (old_releases.files | sort(attribute='mtime') | list)[:-5] }}"
  loop_control:
    label: "{{ item.path | basename }}"
  when: old_releases.files | length > 5

Delete Files on Windows

- name: Remove file on Windows
  ansible.windows.win_file:
    path: C:\Temp\installer.exe
    state: absent
- name: Remove directory on Windows
  ansible.windows.win_file:
    path: C:\Temp\build
    state: absent

Common Mistakes

Not Using state: absent

# WRONG — this creates an empty file, doesn't delete!
- ansible.builtin.file:
    path: /tmp/old-file.txt
    state: touch
# RIGHT — state: absent deletes
- ansible.builtin.file:
    path: /tmp/old-file.txt
    state: absent

Using command Instead of file Module

# BAD — not idempotent, ansible-lint warns
- ansible.builtin.command: rm -rf /tmp/build
# GOOD — idempotent, clean
- ansible.builtin.file:
    path: /tmp/build
    state: absent

FAQ

Is state: absent idempotent?

Yes. If the file or directory doesn't exist, Ansible reports ok (no change). If it exists, Ansible removes it and reports changed. Running the task again reports ok.

How do I delete files matching a wildcard pattern?

Use ansible.builtin.find to locate files matching your pattern, register the results, then loop over them with ansible.builtin.file + state: absent. The file module doesn't support glob patterns directly.

Can I recover deleted files?

No. state: absent permanently removes files — there's no recycle bin. Always back up important files before deletion, and test your playbook with --check mode first.

Conclusion

Use ansible.builtin.file with state: absent for all file and directory deletions. It's idempotent, clean, and the recommended approach. For pattern-based deletion, combine find + file modules. Always back up before deleting important data.

Related Articles

• Ansible file Module Guide • Ansible File Operations • Ansible Check If File Exists