Ansible win_file Module: Create Directory on Windows Hosts (Guide)

How to create a directory in Windows-like systems with Ansible?

I'm going to show you a live Playbook and some simple Ansible code. I'm Luca Berton and welcome to today's episode of Ansible Pilot

See also: Ansible win_file Module: Create & Manage Files on Windows (Guide)

Ansible create a directory

> ansible.windows.win_file Creates, touches, or removes files or directories

Today we're talking about the Ansible module win_file. The full name is ansible.windows.win_file, which means that is part of the collection of modules to interact with windows machines. It's a module pretty stable and out for years. It creates, touches, or removes files or directories. For Linux targets, use the ansible.builtin.file module instead

Main Parameters

• path path - file path • state string - file/absent/directory/touch

This module has some parameters to perform different tasks. The only required is "path", where you specify the filesystem path of the file you're going to edit. The state defines the type of object we are modifying, the default is "file" but for our use case, we need the "directory" option.

See also: Ansible Backup Windows 10/11/2019/2022: win_robocopy Playbook (Guide)

Links

• ansible.windows.win_file

## Playbook

How to create an "example" directory/folder in the Desktop of the user on Windows-like systems with Ansible Playbook.

code

---
- name: win_file module demo
  hosts: all
  vars:
    mydir: 'C:\Users\vagrant\Desktop\example'
  tasks:
    - name: Create a directory
      ansible.windows.win_file:
        path: "{{ mydir }}"
        state: directory

execution

ansible-pilot $ ansible-playbook -i virtualmachines/win/inventory create\ directory/directory_create_windows.yml
PLAY [win_file module demo] ***********************************************************************
TASK [Gathering Facts] ****************************************************************************
ok: [WindowsServer]
TASK [Create a directory] *************************************************************************
changed: [WindowsServer]
PLAY RECAP ****************************************************************************************
WindowsServer              : ok=2    changed=1    unreachable=0    failed=0    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0
ansible-pilot $

idempotency

ansible-pilot $ ansible-playbook -i virtualmachines/win/inventory create\ directory/directory_create_windows.yml
PLAY [win_file module demo] ***********************************************************************
TASK [Gathering Facts] ****************************************************************************
ok: [WindowsServer]
TASK [Create a directory] *************************************************************************
ok: [WindowsServer]
PLAY RECAP ****************************************************************************************
WindowsServer              : ok=2    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=0    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0
ansible-pilot $

before execution

after execution

code with ❤️ in GitHub

The other states: remove a directory and create an empty file

The same win_file module handles the rest of the lifecycle through the state parameter. Two states are worth knowing beyond directory:

Remove a directory (or file) with state: absent:

    - name: Remove the example directory
      ansible.windows.win_file:
        path: "{{ mydir }}"
        state: absent

Be careful: with state: absent a directory is deleted recursively — every file and subfolder inside it goes too — so double-check the path before you run it.

Create an empty file with state: touch (the Windows equivalent of touch on Linux):

    - name: Create an empty marker file
      ansible.windows.win_file:
        path: 'C:\Users\vagrant\Desktop\example\.installed'
        state: touch

Note that touch is not idempotent: like the Linux file module it updates the file's timestamp on every run, so the task always reports changed. Use it only when you actually want that behaviour (for example writing a marker file); for a plain "make sure this file exists" check, a state that doesn't re-touch is a better fit.

See also: Ansible win_stat: Check if File or Directory Exists on Windows (Examples)

Conclusion

Now you know how to create a directory in Windows-like systems with Ansible — and how to remove one with state: absent or drop an empty file with state: touch using the same ansible.windows.win_file module.

Related Articles

• the Ansible inventory deep-dive • symlinks with ansible.builtin.file • patching Windows with Ansible • configure a Windows host for Ansible (WinRM) • run commands on Windows with win_command vs win_shell