# Comparing files **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [June 16, 2013, 3:24am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/comparing-files/12969 "2013-06-16T03:24:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![celine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@celine](https://forum.ansible.com/u/celine)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 3:24am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/comparing-files/12969/1 "2013-06-16T03:24:27Z")
Hi, I wish to compare the file in client machine with the file in server machine. I wish to know if the contents are the same. How do I do it? tasks: - name: Compare 2 files action: How do I input my action statement? Many thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Brian\_Coca1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Brian\_Coca1](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Brian_Coca1)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 4:02am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/comparing-files/12969/2 "2013-06-17T04:02:07Z")
you can use copy: to compare if both files are differnt, using --check to not overrite. and --diff will do an actual diff. ---
**Author:** ![celine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@celine](https://forum.ansible.com/u/celine)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 7:02am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/comparing-files/12969/3 "2013-06-17T07:02:01Z")
Hi Brian, Thank you for your reply. I am new to ansible so i am sorry if the question i am asking in of low level. I wish to compare file new1 on client computer with file newfile on server computer. I tried this: tasks: - name: Compare 2 files action: copy --check src=/home/client/Desktop/new1 dest=/home/server/Desktop/newfile . I got this error: msg: this module requires key=value arguments. How can i know which key or value it requires? Thanks a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Kavin\_Kankeshwar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/35a633/32.png) [@Kavin\_Kankeshwar](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Kavin_Kankeshwar)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 7:39am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/comparing-files/12969/4 "2013-06-17T07:39:48Z")
As far as i know, --check should be passed when running the playbook, Not within the playbook. e.g. from Doc site. ```auto ansible-playbook foo.yml --check ``` [http://www.ansibleworks.com/docs/playbooks2.html#check-mode-dry-run-check](http://www.ansibleworks.com/docs/playbooks2.html#check-mode-dry-run-check) Regards, ---
**Author:** ![celine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@celine](https://forum.ansible.com/u/celine)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 8:18am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/comparing-files/12969/5 "2013-06-17T08:18:37Z")
Yes, i saw this too. But how does Ansbile knows which file i want it to compare to? My objective is to compare a file on client with another file on the server. ---
**Author:** ![jpmens1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jpmens1](https://forum.ansible.com/u/jpmens1)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 10:33am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/comparing-files/12969/6 "2013-06-17T10:33:07Z")
> Yes, i saw this too. But how does Ansbile knows which file i want it to > compare to? My objective is to compare a file on client with another file > on the server. I don't think there's a module that will do that for you. I suggest you look at the `fetch' module with which you can retrieve a file, then do the comparison manually using `command' module and md5sum program. Alternatively, you can `copy' the file to the remote and do the checksumming there. Either way, I think you've have to transfer the file. Check the documentation of the modules (ansible.cc/docs/modules) which detail all the options or use the `ansible-doc' command on an individual module to find supported options.         -JP ---
**Author:** ![Edgars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Edgars](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Edgars)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 12:04pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/comparing-files/12969/7 "2013-06-17T12:04:05Z")
Create a Playbook with copy task: > * * * > > - name: test > hosts: all > sudo: True > tasks: > - name: whatever > action: copy src=/var/repository/smb.j2 dest=/etc/samba/smb.conf Run Playbook with --check and --diff: > ansible-playbook diff.yml -kK -u admin --limit=HostA --check --diff This will not actually copy your file to remote host, but will do diff comparison between those files Edgars ---
**Author:** ![Brian\_Coca1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Brian\_Coca1](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Brian_Coca1)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 12:22pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/comparing-files/12969/8 "2013-06-17T12:22:06Z")
for copy and template modules, src= is on the machine you execute ansible from, dest= is on the target machine, that is how you can get them to compare (using --check and --diff options on the command line). ---
**Author:** ![celine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@celine](https://forum.ansible.com/u/celine)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 1:30am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/comparing-files/12969/9 "2013-06-20T01:30:35Z")
Thanks everyone for your help 🙂