Are Terraform variable names stored in the Terraform state file?

Are Terraform variable names stored in the Terraform state file?

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Sometimes
• D. Only when using local state

Answer: (B)

The state file records what Terraform has created and the current attributes of those resources, plus any outputs and dependency metadata. It does not store the variable definitions or the actual values you provide for those variables. Variable values are inputs to the plan and apply, supplied via defaults, tfvars files, environment variables, or command-line flags, but they aren’t persisted in the state itself. The attributes in state may reflect values derived from those inputs, but the inputs’ names and values aren’t stored there. So the statement is false; using local or remote state doesn’t change that.

The state file records what Terraform has created and the current attributes of those resources, plus any outputs and dependency metadata. It does not store the variable definitions or the actual values you provide for those variables. Variable values are inputs to the plan and apply, supplied via defaults, tfvars files, environment variables, or command-line flags, but they aren’t persisted in the state itself. The attributes in state may reflect values derived from those inputs, but the inputs’ names and values aren’t stored there. So the statement is false; using local or remote state doesn’t change that.