---
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 with the given content.

~> **Note** When working with local files, Terraform will detect the resource
as having been deleted each time a configuration is applied on a new machine
where the file is not present and will generate a diff to re-create it. This
may cause "noise" in diffs in environments where configurations are routinely
applied by many different users or within automation systems.

## Example Usage

```hcl
resource "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.

Any required parent directories will be created automatically, and any existing
file with the given name will be overwritten.