> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.snyk.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.snyk.io/developer-tools/snyk-cli/scan-and-maintain-projects-using-the-cli/snyk-cli-for-iac/iac-exclusions-using-the-command-line.md). # IaC exclusions using the command line How to exclude Snyk IaC issues using the command line When you scan directories or a large collection of IaC files using the Snyk CLI `iac test` command, it is easy to include unwanted files or directories in your scan by mistake. When this happens, use your command line tools to exclude specific files or directories from the scan. This page describes some solutions to the most typical use cases. {% hint style="info" %} The following examples use command line tools like `find` and `xargs` that are widespread in UNIX-like environments. Make sure that the tools are available on your platform. {% endhint %} ## Exclude files of the wrong type Sometimes your Projects contain different kinds of files, and you want to scan only files with a specific extension, excluding everything else. The following command scans only files with a `.tf` extension contained in the current working directory and its subdirectories. Files that do not have a `.tf` extension will not be scanned. ``` find . -type file -name '*.tf' | xargs snyk iac test ``` ## Exclude directories by name In very large projects, it is common to save files that have different purposes in distinct directories. For example, you might save IaC files for your development, staging, and production environments in different directories. When scanning such Projects, you may want to exclude some of these directories. This command scans every file with a `.tf` extension in the current directory and its subdirectories, except those in the `prod` subdirectory. ``` find . -name '*.tf' -not -path './prod/*' | xargs snyk iac test ``` --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://docs.snyk.io/developer-tools/snyk-cli/scan-and-maintain-projects-using-the-cli/snyk-cli-for-iac/iac-exclusions-using-the-command-line.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.