# Using multiple vars\_files

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-multiple-vars-files/12597>\
**Category:** Ansible Project\
**Created:** [March 28, 2013, 8:57am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-multiple-vars-files/12597 "2013-03-28T08:57:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mathieu\_Guillaume](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Mathieu\_Guillaume](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Mathieu_Guillaume)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 8:57am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-multiple-vars-files/12597/1 "2013-03-28T08:57:00Z")

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I want to read from multiple vars\_files in a playbook.

Using a list of lists works, but I’m wondering if it’s actually intended or if I’m just lucky due do how it’s coded.

Example:

vars\_files:

- 
  - vars/myapp/defaults

- vars/empty
- 
  - vars/cluster/${clusterid}

- vars/empty
- 
  - vars/myapp/${appid}

- vars/empty

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Michael\_DeHaan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Michael\_DeHaan2](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Michael_DeHaan2)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 11:08pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-multiple-vars-files/12597/2 "2013-03-28T23:08:05Z")

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It is indeed intended to work like that 🙂

What it does is match the first file there is, so you can do it  
exactly as you have it -- an example OS specific includes based on  
facts (or variables) that fall back to a default.