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Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools like Terraform are essential for managing cloud resources efficiently. A critical challenge in team environments is preventing concurrent modifications to the same resources. Terraform traditionally used DynamoDB for state locking, but Terraform 1.x introduces native S3 state locking, eliminating the need for an additional DynamoDB table.
Raunak Balchandani explains this new approach in detail:
Terraform 1.x: Native S3 State Locking — Say Goodbye to DynamoDB
You Should Know:
1. Configuring S3 Backend with State Locking
To enable S3-based state locking, update your Terraform backend configuration:
terraform {
backend "s3" {
bucket = "your-terraform-state-bucket"
key = "terraform.tfstate"
region = "us-east-1"
encrypt = true
dynamodb_table = "" No longer needed!
}
}
2. Applying Terraform with S3 Locking
When running terraform apply, Terraform now automatically uses S3 for locking:
terraform init terraform plan terraform apply Locks state in S3 to prevent conflicts
3. Force-Unlocking a Stale Lock (If Needed)
If a lock is stuck due to a failed operation:
terraform force-unlock LOCK_ID
4. Verifying Lock Status
Check the S3 bucket for lock files:
aws s3 ls s3://your-terraform-state-bucket --recursive | grep .tflock
5. Migrating from DynamoDB to S3 Locking
If you previously used DynamoDB, remove the `dynamodb_table` parameter and ensure proper S3 permissions:
{
"Version": "2012-10-17",
"Statement": [
{
"Effect": "Allow",
"Action": [
"s3:GetObject",
"s3:PutObject",
"s3:DeleteObject",
"s3:ListBucket"
],
"Resource": [
"arn:aws:s3:::your-terraform-state-bucket",
"arn:aws:s3:::your-terraform-state-bucket/"
]
}
]
}
What Undercode Say
Terraform’s native S3 locking simplifies state management by removing DynamoDB dependency. Key takeaways:
– No extra costs for DynamoDB tables.
– Simplified permissions—only S3 access is needed.
– Atomic operations ensure safe concurrent usage.
For DevOps teams, this is a major efficiency boost. Always enforce least-privilege IAM policies and automate state backups.
Expected Output:
A streamlined Terraform workflow with secure, built-in S3 state locking—no more DynamoDB overhead.
Relevant Commands Recap:
terraform init -reconfigure Refresh backend config terraform state list Verify state contents aws s3 cp s3://your-bucket/terraform.tfstate . Manual backup
For more details, refer to the official Terraform docs.
References:
Reported By: Darryl Ruggles – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
