Should I commit .tfstate files to Git?

Terraform state files (.tfstate) are critical for managing your infrastructure, but committing them to Git is generally not recommended. Here's why and how to handle state files securely.

Why You Shouldn't Commit .tfstate Files

1. Sensitive Data: State files often contain sensitive information, such as access keys, secrets, and resource configurations.
2. State Conflicts: Multiple team members working on the same state file can cause conflicts, leading to potential infrastructure issues.
3. File Size: State files can grow large over time, making your Git repository bloated.

Best Practices for Managing .tfstate Files

Use Remote State Backends

Store your state files in a remote backend to avoid local conflicts and improve security. Popular backends include:

• AWS S3: Use an S3 bucket with versioning and encryption enabled.
• Terraform Cloud: A managed service for storing state files.
• Azure Blob Storage: For teams using Azure.

Example: Configuring an S3 Backend

terraform {
  backend "s3" {
    bucket         = "my-terraform-state"
    key            = "state/terraform.tfstate"
    region         = "us-east-1"
    encrypt        = true
    dynamodb_table = "terraform-lock"
  }
}

Add .tfstate to .gitignore

Ensure .tfstate files are ignored by Git to prevent accidental commits. Add the following lines to your .gitignore file:

*.tfstate
*.tfstate.backup

Use State Locking

Enable state locking to prevent multiple users from modifying the state file simultaneously. Most remote backends, like S3 with DynamoDB, support state locking.

Encrypt State Files

Always encrypt your state files, whether stored locally or remotely, to protect sensitive data.

Conclusion

By following these best practices, you can securely manage your Terraform state files and avoid the pitfalls of committing them to Git.