Below is a comparison of terraform refresh and terraform import, presented in both bullet-point and tabular form.
- Purpose: Updates the Terraform state file with the current state of existing resources in the configured providers.
- Usage: Typically used to ensure that your local state file accurately reflects what’s actually deployed.
- No New Resource: Does not import new resources that are missing from the state; it only refreshes existing entries in the state.
- Impact on Configuration: Does not change or generate configuration; it merely refreshes the state.
- Common Use Cases:
- After manual changes were made to cloud infrastructure
- To verify that the Terraform state is still in sync with the real-world environment
- Purpose: Brings an existing resource under Terraform’s management by adding it to the state file.
- Usage: Requires specifying the resource name and identifier (ID) to import into Terraform.
- State Update: Creates a new entry in the Terraform state for that resource.
- Impact on Configuration: Terraform does not generate configuration files for the resource automatically—you must still write or adapt the resource definition in code.
- Common Use Cases:
- Migrating resources created outside of Terraform into Terraform management
- Aligning already-deployed infrastructure with newly written Terraform configurations
| Aspect | terraform refresh |
terraform import |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Objective | Update the existing Terraform state from actual resource states | Bring an existing (outside Terraform) resource into Terraform’s state |
| Effect on State | Refreshes the state of already-known resources | Creates or adds new entries for previously untracked resources |
| Effect on Configuration | No direct effect on resource blocks in .tf files |
No automatic code generation; you must still have or create the relevant .tf definitions |
| Command Arguments | Generally runs without arguments (just terraform refresh) |
Requires resource addresses and IDs, e.g. terraform import aws_instance.my_ec2 i-12345678 |
| Usage Frequency | Often used during normal workflow to keep state in sync | Used when adopting existing resources into Terraform |
| Dependencies | Requires existing resources in the state to refresh | Requires correct resource identifier and a matching resource block in .tf (or to be created) |
| Typical Outcome | Updated state file to match real infrastructure | Resource state file entry created for a previously unmanaged resource |
- Use
terraform refreshto keep your known resources’ state accurate. - Use
terraform importto start managing existing resources that Terraform doesn’t currently track in its state. - Neither command automatically generates or updates your Terraform configuration (.tf files) beyond state changes.