diff --git a/builtin/bins/provider-localfile/main.go b/builtin/bins/provider-localfile/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4a98ecfdd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builtin/bins/provider-localfile/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/builtin/providers/localfile"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/plugin"
+)
+
+func main() {
+	plugin.Serve(&plugin.ServeOpts{
+		ProviderFunc: localfile.Provider,
+	})
+}
diff --git a/builtin/providers/local/provider.go b/builtin/providers/local/provider.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ee048c689
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builtin/providers/local/provider.go
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+package local
+
+import (
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/schema"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
+)
+
+func Provider() terraform.ResourceProvider {
+	return &schema.Provider{
+		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{},
+		ResourcesMap: map[string]*schema.Resource{
+			"local_file": resourceLocalFile(),
+		},
+	}
+}
diff --git a/builtin/providers/local/provider_test.go b/builtin/providers/local/provider_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7385ffe3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builtin/providers/local/provider_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package local
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/schema"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
+)
+
+var testProviders = map[string]terraform.ResourceProvider{
+	"local": Provider(),
+}
+
+func TestProvider(t *testing.T) {
+	if err := Provider().(*schema.Provider).InternalValidate(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/builtin/providers/local/resource_local_file.go b/builtin/providers/local/resource_local_file.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6f6da1b94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builtin/providers/local/resource_local_file.go
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+package local
+
+import (
+	"crypto/sha1"
+	"encoding/hex"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"path"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/schema"
+)
+
+func resourceLocalFile() *schema.Resource {
+	return &schema.Resource{
+		Create: resourceLocalFileCreate,
+		Read:   resourceLocalFileRead,
+		Delete: resourceLocalFileDelete,
+
+		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
+			"content": {
+				Type:     schema.TypeString,
+				Required: true,
+				ForceNew: true,
+			},
+			"filename": {
+				Type:        schema.TypeString,
+				Description: "Path to the output file",
+				Required:    true,
+				ForceNew:    true,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+func resourceLocalFileRead(d *schema.ResourceData, _ interface{}) error {
+	// If the output file doesn't exist, mark the resource for creation.
+	outputPath := d.Get("filename").(string)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(outputPath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		d.SetId("")
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Verify that the content of the destination file matches the content we
+	// expect. Otherwise, the file might have been modified externally and we
+	// must reconcile.
+	outputContent, err := ioutil.ReadFile(outputPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	outputChecksum := sha1.Sum([]byte(outputContent))
+	if hex.EncodeToString(outputChecksum[:]) != d.Id() {
+		d.SetId("")
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func resourceLocalFileCreate(d *schema.ResourceData, _ interface{}) error {
+	content := d.Get("content").(string)
+	destination := d.Get("filename").(string)
+
+	destinationDir := path.Dir(destination)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(destinationDir); err != nil {
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(destinationDir, 0777); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(destination, []byte(content), 0777); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	checksum := sha1.Sum([]byte(content))
+	d.SetId(hex.EncodeToString(checksum[:]))
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func resourceLocalFileDelete(d *schema.ResourceData, _ interface{}) error {
+	os.Remove(d.Get("filename").(string))
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/builtin/providers/local/resource_local_file_test.go b/builtin/providers/local/resource_local_file_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..33a44f0bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builtin/providers/local/resource_local_file_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+package local
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+
+	r "github.com/hashicorp/terraform/helper/resource"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/terraform"
+)
+
+func TestLocalFile_Basic(t *testing.T) {
+	var cases = []struct {
+		path    string
+		content string
+		config  string
+	}{
+		{
+			"local_file",
+			"This is some content",
+			`resource "local_file" "file" {
+         content     = "This is some content"
+         filename    = "local_file"
+      }`,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range cases {
+		r.UnitTest(t, r.TestCase{
+			Providers: testProviders,
+			Steps: []r.TestStep{
+				{
+					Config: tt.config,
+					Check: func(s *terraform.State) error {
+						content, err := ioutil.ReadFile(tt.path)
+						if err != nil {
+							return fmt.Errorf("config:\n%s\n,got: %s\n", tt.config, err)
+						}
+						if string(content) != tt.content {
+							return fmt.Errorf("config:\n%s\ngot:\n%s\nwant:\n%s\n", tt.config, content, tt.content)
+						}
+						return nil
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			CheckDestroy: func(*terraform.State) error {
+				if _, err := os.Stat(tt.path); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+					return nil
+				}
+				return errors.New("local_file did not get destroyed")
+			},
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/command/internal_plugin_list.go b/command/internal_plugin_list.go
index 2f48908c7..83d4a4a30 100644
--- a/command/internal_plugin_list.go
+++ b/command/internal_plugin_list.go
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import (
 	influxdbprovider "github.com/hashicorp/terraform/builtin/providers/influxdb"
 	kubernetesprovider "github.com/hashicorp/terraform/builtin/providers/kubernetes"
 	libratoprovider "github.com/hashicorp/terraform/builtin/providers/librato"
+	localprovider "github.com/hashicorp/terraform/builtin/providers/local"
 	logentriesprovider "github.com/hashicorp/terraform/builtin/providers/logentries"
 	mailgunprovider "github.com/hashicorp/terraform/builtin/providers/mailgun"
 	mysqlprovider "github.com/hashicorp/terraform/builtin/providers/mysql"
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@ var InternalProviders = map[string]plugin.ProviderFunc{
 	"influxdb":     influxdbprovider.Provider,
 	"kubernetes":   kubernetesprovider.Provider,
 	"librato":      libratoprovider.Provider,
+	"local":        localprovider.Provider,
 	"logentries":   logentriesprovider.Provider,
 	"mailgun":      mailgunprovider.Provider,
 	"mysql":        mysqlprovider.Provider,
diff --git a/website/source/docs/providers/local/index.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/providers/local/index.html.markdown
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cc83fd241
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website/source/docs/providers/local/index.html.markdown
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+---
+layout: "local"
+page_title: "Provider: Local"
+sidebar_current: "docs-local-index"
+description: |-
+  The Local provider is used to manage local resources (i.e. files).
+---
+
+# Local Provider
+
+The Local provider is used to manage local resources (i.e. files).
+
+Use the navigation to the left to read about the available resources.
+
+## Example Usage
+
+```
+provider "local" {}
+```
diff --git a/website/source/docs/providers/local/r/file.html.md b/website/source/docs/providers/local/r/file.html.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f0e3c8628
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website/source/docs/providers/local/r/file.html.md
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+---
+layout: "local"
+page_title: "Local: local_file"
+sidebar_current: "docs-local-resource-file"
+description: |-
+  Generates a local file from content.
+---
+
+# local\_file
+
+Generates a local file from a given content.
+
+## Example Usage
+
+```
+data "local_file" "foo" {
+    content     = "foo!"
+    filename = "${path.module}/foo.bar"
+}
+```
+
+## Argument Reference
+
+The following arguments are supported:
+
+* `content` - (required) The content of file to create.
+
+* `filename` - (required) The path of the file to create.
+
+NOTE: Any required parent folders are created automatically. Additionally, any existing file will get overwritten.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/website/source/layouts/docs.erb b/website/source/layouts/docs.erb
index 347eefbe4..868ce88e1 100644
--- a/website/source/layouts/docs.erb
+++ b/website/source/layouts/docs.erb
@@ -304,6 +304,10 @@
             <a href="/docs/providers/librato/index.html">Librato</a>
           </li>
 
+          <li<%= sidebar_current("docs-providers-local") %>>
+            <a href="/docs/providers/local/index.html">Local</a>
+          </li>
+
           <li<%= sidebar_current("docs-providers-logentries") %>>
             <a href="/docs/providers/logentries/index.html">Logentries</a>
           </li>
diff --git a/website/source/layouts/local.erb b/website/source/layouts/local.erb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bf4f56acc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website/source/layouts/local.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+<% wrap_layout :inner do %>
+  <% content_for :sidebar do %>
+    <ul class="nav docs-sidenav">
+      <li<%= sidebar_current("docs-home") %>>
+        <a href="/docs/providers/index.html">All Providers</a>
+      </li>
+
+      <li<%= sidebar_current("docs-local-index") %>>
+        <a href="/docs/providers/local/index.html">Local Provider</a>
+      </li>
+
+      <li<%= sidebar_current("docs-local-resource") %>>
+        <a href="#">Resources</a>
+        <ul class="nav nav-visible">
+          <li<%= sidebar_current("docs-local-resource-file") %>>
+            <a href="/docs/providers/local/r/file.html">file</a>
+          </li>
+        </ul>
+      </li>
+    </ul>
+  <% end %>
+
+  <%= yield %>
+  <% end %>
\ No newline at end of file