# Including and Importing Tasks — Ansible: Automate Servers with Playbooks

Source: https://www.geekswithgeeks.com/en/ansible/role-include-import

> Split long task lists and choose between static imports and dynamic includes.

## Static or dynamic

To keep files short, move groups of tasks into separate files and pull them in. **`import_tasks`** is **static**: Ansible processes it when it parses the playbook, so tags and `when` on the import apply to every task inside. **`include_tasks`** is **dynamic**: it is evaluated at run time, which allows loops and variables in the file name but makes `--list-tasks` and tag inheritance behave differently. Prefer imports for fixed structure and includes when the choice depends on data at run time.

## Import vs include

Illustrative snippet. The include picks the file by OS at run time.

```yaml
- name: Always-present baseline tasks
  ansible.builtin.import_tasks: baseline.yml

- name: OS-specific tasks chosen at run time
  ansible.builtin.include_tasks: "{{ ansible_os_family | lower }}.yml"
```

**Quiz:** Which one is evaluated at run time?

- [x] include_tasks
- [ ] import_tasks
- [ ] Neither
- [ ] Both, always

*Answer:* include_tasks. include_* is dynamic; import_* is processed when the playbook is parsed.