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State Management

Updated Jun 11, 2022 ·

Overview​

Terraform keeps track of all deployed infrastructure using a state file, usually named terraform.tfstate. This file is a JSON-formatted record of every resource and its attributes.

  • Tracks the current status of all resources
  • Detects and corrects configuration drift
  • Keeps an updated record of current resource states

Refresh​

You can refresh the state file to ensure it matches the actual deployed infrastructure.

terraform refresh

NOTE: This command does not create, modify, or destroy resources; it only syncs Terraform’s view with reality.

Viewing State​

You can inspect the resources recorded in the state file using Terraform commands.

  • To show all resources in the current state:

    terraform state list

    Output:

    module.ec2[0].aws_instance.web
    module.ec2[1].aws_instance.web

  • To display full details for a specific resource:

    terraform state show module.ec2[0].aws_instance.web

    Output:

    # module.ec2[0].aws_instance.web:
    resource "aws_instance" "web" {
        id           = "i-0abcd1234efgh5678"
        ami          = "ami-0a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8"
        instance_type = "t2.micro"
    }

Remote State​

Terraform state can be stored locally or remotely for better collaboration and security.

  • Can be stored in S3, GCS, or other backends
  • Supports team collaboration without conflicts
  • Encrypts data at rest and in transit
  • Centralizes state for multiple users or CI/CD pipelines

Using remote state makes Terraform safer and easier to manage across teams.

State Locking​

Terraform locks the state during writes to prevent corruption.

  • Prevents concurrent changes by multiple users
  • Ensures state consistency
  • Avoids accidental overwrites

Locking keeps your infrastructure safe during updates.

Remove State File​

You can remove resources from the state without deleting them from the cloud.

  • Rarely needed, but useful for orphaned resources
  • Does not affect actual deployed resources

To remove:

terraform state rm <resource_name>