Local-exec provisioner in Terraform - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the purpose of the local-exec provisioner in Terraform?

The local-exec provisioner runs a command on the machine where Terraform is executed, allowing you to perform local actions during resource creation or destruction.

beginner

How does local-exec differ from remote-exec provisioner?

local-exec runs commands on the local machine where Terraform runs, while remote-exec runs commands on the remote resource (like a VM) after it is created.

beginner

Which argument is required inside a local-exec provisioner block to specify the command to run?

The command argument specifies the shell command or script to execute locally.

intermediate

Can local-exec provisioner access Terraform resource attributes?

Yes, you can use Terraform interpolation syntax to pass resource attributes as part of the command string to local-exec.

beginner

What is a common use case for local-exec provisioner?

A common use case is to run local scripts for configuration, notify external systems, or trigger local automation after resource creation.

Where does the local-exec provisioner run its commands?

A On the remote resource created

B On the machine running Terraform

C On the Terraform cloud server

D On a separate management server

The local-exec provisioner runs commands on the local machine where Terraform is executed.

Which argument must you include in a local-exec provisioner block?

A inline

B script_path

C command

D remote_command

The command argument specifies the command to run locally.

Can local-exec provisioner run after a resource is destroyed?

A No, it only runs on creation

B Only on resource update

C Only if manually triggered

D Yes, using the <code>when = destroy</code> setting

You can configure local-exec to run during resource destruction by setting when = destroy.

Which of these is NOT a recommended use of local-exec?

A Running commands on the remote VM

B Triggering local notifications

C Running local scripts after resource creation

D Calling local automation tools

Running commands on the remote VM should use remote-exec, not local-exec.

How can you pass resource data to a local-exec command?

A Using Terraform interpolation syntax inside the command string

B Using environment variables only

C You cannot pass resource data

D By writing to a remote file first

Terraform interpolation allows embedding resource attributes directly in the command string.

Explain what the local-exec provisioner does in Terraform and give an example of when you might use it.

Think about actions you want to perform on your own computer after creating cloud resources.

Describe how you would configure a local-exec provisioner to run a shell command that uses an attribute from a created resource.

Remember Terraform lets you insert resource data inside strings with ${}.