terraform/website/source/docs/commands/plan.html.markdown

layout	page_title	sidebar_current	description
docs	Command: plan	docs-commands-plan	The `terraform plan` command is used to create an execution plan. Terraform performs a refresh, unless explicitly disabled, and then determines what actions are necessary to achieve the desired state specified in the configuration files. The plan can be saved using `-out`, and then provided to `terraform apply` to ensure only the pre-planned actions are executed.

Command: plan

The terraform plan command is used to create an execution plan. Terraform performs a refresh, unless explicitly disabled, and then determines what actions are necessary to achieve the desired state specified in the configuration files. The plan can be saved using -out, and then provided to terraform apply to ensure only the pre-planned actions are executed.

Usage

Usage: terraform plan [options] [dir]

By default, plan requires no flags and looks in the current directory for the configuration and state file to refresh.

The command-line flags are all optional. The list of available flags are:

• -backup=path - Path to the backup file. Defaults to -state-out with the ".backup" extension. Disabled by setting to "-".

• -destroy - If set, generates a plan to destroy all the known resources.

• -no-color - Disables output with coloring.

• -out=path - The path to save the generated execution plan. This plan can then be used with terraform apply to be certain that only the changes shown in this plan are applied. Read the warning on saved plans below.

• -refresh=true - Update the state prior to checking for differences.

• -state=path - Path to the state file. Defaults to "terraform.tfstate".

• -var 'foo=bar' - Set a variable in the Terraform configuration. This flag can be set multiple times.

• -var-file=foo - Set variables in the Terraform configuration from a file. If "terraform.tfvars" is present, it will be automatically loaded if this flag is not specified.

Security Warning

Saved plan files (with the -out flag) encode the configuration, state, diff, and variables. Variables are often used to store secrets. Therefore, the plan file can potentially store secrets.

Terraform itself does not encrypt the plan file. It is highly recommended to encrypt the plan file if you intend to transfer it or keep it at rest for an extended period of time.

Future versions of Terraform will make plan files more secure.