Terraform state pull and push - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - Terraform state pull and push

Start

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Run 'terraform state pull'

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Download current state file

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Modify state file locally (optional)

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Run 'terraform state push'

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Upload updated state file

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End

This flow shows how Terraform downloads the current state, optionally modifies it locally, then uploads the updated state back.

Execution Sample

Terraform

terraform state pull > terraform.tfstate
# (edit state file locally)
terraform state push terraform.tfstate

Pulls the current Terraform state, allows local changes, then pushes the updated state back.

Process Table

Step	Command	Action	Result
1	terraform state pull > terraform.tfstate	Download state file from backend	State file saved locally
2	Local edit (optional)	Modify state file content	State file updated locally
3	terraform state push terraform.tfstate	Upload local state file to backend	Backend state updated
4	-	Verify state consistency	State matches local file

💡 State push completes, backend state matches local state file

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Pull	After Local Edit	After Push
state_file	empty	downloaded content	modified content	uploaded content

Key Moments - 2 Insights

Why do we need to pull the state before pushing?

Pulling ensures you have the latest state file locally to avoid overwriting changes. See execution_table step 1 and 3.

What happens if the local state file is corrupted before pushing?

Pushing a corrupted state can break your Terraform setup. Always verify local edits before push (execution_table step 2).

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution table, what is the result of 'terraform state pull' at step 1?

A State file saved locally

B State file uploaded to backend

C State file deleted

D No change

💡 Hint

Check the 'Result' column in execution_table row 1

At which step does the backend state get updated?

A Step 1

B Step 2

C Step 3

D Step 4

💡 Hint

Look at the 'Action' and 'Result' columns in execution_table row 3

If you skip the pull and push a local state, what risk increases?

A No risk, it's safe

B Overwriting newer backend state

C Deleting local files

D Terraform version mismatch

💡 Hint

Refer to key_moments about why pulling first is important

Concept Snapshot

terraform state pull: downloads current state file from backend
terraform state push: uploads local state file to backend
Always pull before push to avoid overwriting changes
Local edits to state file should be done carefully
Push updates backend state to match local file

Full Transcript

Terraform state pull downloads the current state file from the backend to your local machine. You can optionally edit this state file locally to fix or adjust resources. After editing, terraform state push uploads the updated state file back to the backend, replacing the previous state. This process ensures your local and backend states stay synchronized. Always pull before pushing to avoid overwriting newer changes in the backend. Be careful when editing the state file locally to prevent corruption.