---
layout: "language"
page_title: "Backend Type: http"
sidebar_current: "docs-backends-types-standard-http"
description: |-
  Terraform can store state remotely at any valid HTTP endpoint.
---

# http

Stores the state using a simple [REST](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representational_state_transfer) client.

State will be fetched via GET, updated via POST, and purged with DELETE. The method used for updating is configurable.

This backend optionally supports [state locking](/docs/language/state/locking.html). When locking
support is enabled it will use LOCK and UNLOCK requests providing the lock info in the body. The
endpoint should return a 423: Locked or 409: Conflict with the holding lock info when it's already
taken, 200: OK for success. Any other status will be considered an error. The ID of the holding lock
info will be added as a query parameter to state updates requests.

## Example Usage

```hcl
terraform {
  backend "http" {
    address = "http://myrest.api.com/foo"
    lock_address = "http://myrest.api.com/foo"
    unlock_address = "http://myrest.api.com/foo"
  }
}
```

## Data Source Configuration

```hcl
data "terraform_remote_state" "foo" {
  backend = "http"
  config = {
    address = "http://my.rest.api.com"
  }
}
```

## Configuration variables

The following configuration options / environment variables are supported:

 * `address` / `TF_HTTP_ADDRESS` - (Required) The address of the REST endpoint
 * `update_method` / `TF_HTTP_UPDATE_METHOD` - (Optional) HTTP method to use
   when updating state. Defaults to `POST`.
 * `lock_address` / `TF_HTTP_LOCK_ADDRESS` - (Optional) The address of the lock
   REST endpoint. Defaults to disabled.
 * `lock_method` / `TF_HTTP_LOCK_METHOD` - (Optional) The HTTP method to use
   when locking. Defaults to `LOCK`.
 * `unlock_address` / `TF_HTTP_UNLOCK_ADDRESS` - (Optional) The address of the
   unlock REST endpoint. Defaults to disabled.
 * `unlock_method` / `TF_HTTP_UNLOCK_METHOD` - (Optional) The HTTP method to use
   when unlocking. Defaults to `UNLOCK`.
 * `username` / `TF_HTTP_USERNAME` - (Optional) The username for HTTP basic
   authentication
 * `password` / `TF_HTTP_PASSWORD` - (Optional) The password for HTTP basic
   authentication
 * `skip_cert_verification` - (Optional) Whether to skip TLS verification.
   Defaults to `false`.
 * `retry_max` / `TF_HTTP_RETRY_MAX` – (Optional) The number of HTTP request
   retries. Defaults to `2`.
 * `retry_wait_min` / `TF_HTTP_RETRY_WAIT_MIN` – (Optional) The minimum time in
   seconds to wait between HTTP request attempts. Defaults to `1`.
 * `retry_wait_max` / `TF_HTTP_RETRY_WAIT_MAX` – (Optional) The maximum time in
   seconds to wait between HTTP request attempts. Defaults to `30`.