# action plugin vs module

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/action-plugin-vs-module/16708>\
**Category:** Ansible Project\
**Tags:** ansible-project\
**Created:** [November 6, 2014, 3:25pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/action-plugin-vs-module/16708 "2014-11-06T15:25:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Brian\_Coca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@Brian\_Coca](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Brian_Coca)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 3:25pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/action-plugin-vs-module/16708/1 "2014-11-06T15:25:37Z")

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action\_plugins are a special type of module, or a compliment to existing modules.

action\_plugins get run on the ‘master’ instead of on the target, for modules like file/copy/template, some of the work needs to be done on the master before it executes things on the target. The action plugin executes first and can then execute (or not) the normal module.