github.com/bengesoff/terraform@v0.3.1-0.20141018223233-b25a53629922/website/source/docs/commands/plan.html.markdown (about) 1 --- 2 layout: "docs" 3 page_title: "Command: plan" 4 sidebar_current: "docs-commands-plan" 5 --- 6 7 # Command: plan 8 9 The `terraform plan` command is used to create an execution plan. Terraform 10 performs a refresh, unless explicitly disabled, and then determines what 11 actions are necessary to achieve the desired state specified in the 12 configuration files. The plan can be saved using `-out`, and then provided 13 to `terraform apply` to ensure only the pre-planned actions are executed. 14 15 ## Usage 16 17 Usage: `terraform plan [options] [dir]` 18 19 By default, `plan` requires no flags and looks in the current directory 20 for the configuration and state file to refresh. 21 22 The command-line flags are all optional. The list of available flags are: 23 24 * `-backup=path` - Path to the backup file. Defaults to `-state-out` with 25 the ".backup" extension. Disabled by setting to "-". 26 27 * `-destroy` - If set, generates a plan to destroy all the known resources. 28 29 * `-no-color` - Disables output with coloring. 30 31 * `-out=path` - The path to save the generated execution plan. This plan 32 can then be used with `terraform apply` to be certain that only the 33 changes shown in this plan are applied. Read the warning on saved 34 plans below. 35 36 * `-refresh=true` - Update the state prior to checking for differences. 37 38 * `-state=path` - Path to the state file. Defaults to "terraform.tfstate". 39 40 * `-var 'foo=bar'` - Set a variable in the Terraform configuration. This 41 flag can be set multiple times. 42 43 * `-var-file=foo` - Set variables in the Terraform configuration from 44 a file. If "terraform.tfvars" is present, it will be automatically 45 loaded if this flag is not specified. 46 47 ## Security Warning 48 49 Saved plan files (with the `-out` flag) encode the configuration, 50 state, diff, and _variables_. Variables are often used to store secrets. 51 Therefore, the plan file can potentially store secrets. 52 53 Terraform itself does not encrypt the plan file. It is highly 54 recommended to encrypt the plan file if you intend to transfer it 55 or keep it at rest for an extended period of time. 56 57 Future versions of Terraform will make plan files more 58 secure.