Where does the Terraform local backend store its state?

The correct answer is C. In the terraform,tfstate file. Terraform's local backend stores state in a file named terraform.tfstate in the current working directory where Terraform commands are run. This is the default behavior when no backend is explicitly configured. The state file is a JSON document that tracks the mapping between you

Submitted by skyler.x· Apr 18, 2026Manage Terraform State

Question

Where does the Terraform local backend store its state?

Options

AIn the terraform file
BIn the /tmp directory
CIn the terraform,tfstate file
DIn the user's terraform,state file

How the community answered

(26 responses)

B
4% (1)
C
92% (24)
D
4% (1)

Explanation

Terraform's local backend stores state in a file named terraform.tfstate in the current working directory where Terraform commands are run. This is the default behavior when no backend is explicitly configured. The state file is a JSON document that tracks the mapping between your configuration and the real-world infrastructure. For team environments, a remote backend (e.g., Terraform Cloud, S3) is recommended to enable state locking and sharing.

Topics

#Terraform state#Local backend#State file location#terraform.tfstate

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