github.com/Kevinklinger/open_terraform@v0.11.12-beta1/website/docs/state/index.html.md (about)

     1  ---
     2  layout: "docs"
     3  page_title: "State"
     4  sidebar_current: "docs-state"
     5  description: |-
     6    Terraform must store state about your managed infrastructure and configuration. This state is used by Terraform to map real world resources to your configuration, keep track of metadata, and to improve performance for large infrastructures.
     7  ---
     8  
     9  # State
    10  
    11  Terraform must store state about your managed infrastructure and
    12  configuration. This state is used by Terraform to map real world
    13  resources to your configuration, keep track of metadata, and to improve
    14  performance for large infrastructures.
    15  
    16  This state is stored by default in a local file named "terraform.tfstate",
    17  but it can also be stored remotely, which works better in a team environment.
    18  
    19  Terraform uses this local state to create plans and make changes to your
    20  infrastructure. Prior to any operation, Terraform does a
    21  [refresh](/docs/commands/refresh.html) to update the state with the
    22  real infrastructure.
    23  
    24  For more information on why Terraform requires state and why Terraform cannot
    25  function without state, please see the page [state purpose](/docs/state/purpose.html).
    26  
    27  ## Inspection and Modification
    28  
    29  While the format of the state files are just JSON, direct file editing
    30  of the state is discouraged. Terraform provides the
    31  [terraform state](/docs/commands/state/index.html) command to perform
    32  basic modifications of the state using the CLI.
    33  
    34  The CLI usage and output of the state commands is structured to be
    35  friendly for Unix tools such as grep, awk, etc. Additionally, the CLI
    36  insulates users from any format changes within the state itself. The Terraform
    37  project will keep the CLI working while the state format underneath it may
    38  shift.
    39  
    40  Finally, the CLI manages backups for you automatically. If you make a mistake
    41  modifying your state, the state CLI will always have a backup available for
    42  you that you can restore.
    43  
    44  ## Format
    45  
    46  The state is in JSON format and Terraform will promise backwards compatibility
    47  with the state file. The JSON format makes it easy to write tools around the
    48  state if you want or to modify it by hand in the case of a Terraform bug.
    49  The "version" field on the state contents allows us to transparently move
    50  the format forward if we make modifications.
    51