How to Check If a Directory Exists on Windows-like Systems with Ansible

Discover how to check if a directory exists on Windows-like systems using Ansible ansible.windows.win_stat module. Follow along with a practical Playbook example to validate directory presence and integrate this capability into your automation workflows.

How to check if a directory/folder exists on 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

Ansible check directory exists on Windows-like systems

ansible.windows.win_stat

Get information about Windows files

Let's talk about the Ansible module win_stat.

The full name is ansible.windows.win_stat, which means that is part of the collection of modules specialized to interact with Windows target host.

It's a module pretty stable and out for years.

It works in Windows and Windows Server operating systems.

It gets information about Windows files.

For Linux target use the [ansible.builtin.stat](/articles/check-if-a-directory-exists-ansible-module-stat) module instead.

Parameters & Return Values

Mandatory Parameters

path string

Main Return Values

stat complex - isdir

The only mandatory parameter is "path" which is the filesystem full path of the object to check.

The module returns a complex object, the property that is interesting for us is "isdir". This attribute is "true" if the object is a directory

Links

[ansible.windows.win_stat](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/windows/win_stat_module.html)

## Playbook

How to check if the "example" directory/folder exists on the Desktop of the user on Windows-like systems with Ansible Playbook.

code

``yaml


---
name: check if is a directory
  hosts: all
  vars:
    directory: 'C:\Users\vagrant\Desktop\example'
  tasks:
    - name: Check the directory
      ansible.windows.win_stat:
        path: "{{ directory }}"
      register: dir_data
    - name: Directory found
      ansible.builtin.debug:
        msg: "Directory {{ directory }} present"
      when: dir_data.stat.isdir is defined and dir_data.stat.isdir



directory doesn't exist execution

![win_stat directory doesn't exist](/articles/ansible_module_win_stat_dir1.jpg)

`bash


ansible-pilot $ ansible-playbook -i virtualmachines/win/inventory check\ directory\ exists/directory_exists_windows.yml
PLAY [check if is a directory] **
TASK [Gathering Facts] 
ok: [WindowsServer]
TASK [Check the directory] **
ok: [WindowsServer]
TASK [Directory found] 
skipping: [WindowsServer]
PLAY RECAP **
WindowsServer              : ok=2    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=0    skipped=1    rescued=0    ignored=0
ansible-pilot $



directory exist execution

![win_stat directory exist](/articles/ansible_module_win_stat_dir2.jpg)

``bash

ansible-pilot $ ansible-playbook -i virtualmachines/win/i