Terraform Locals Block Generator

Locals are one of the most under-used features in Terraform, yet they are the cleanest way to name a repeated or derived expression so it can be referenced by a friendly identifier throughout a configuration. The Terraform Locals Block Generator turns a simple form into a single valid locals { } block, so you do not have to remember HCL quoting rules or brace placement when you only want to factor out a value.

For every local you supply a name and a typed expression: a string, number, bool, raw HCL expression, or a list or map built from simple entries. The generator validates each name against Terraform identifier rules, emits correctly quoted HCL, and keeps values in the type you chose. Because everything runs locally in your browser, nothing is uploaded and no cloud account is required. It is a fast way to draft the locals portion of a module, to standardise a set of commonly reused values, or to teach the locals syntax without a terminal.

Used well, locals also improve readability during review, because a reviewer sees intent (a name like private_subnet_ids) rather than an inline expression repeated in five places. The generator encourages that habit by making it trivial to extract a value once and reuse it, and by surfacing the local count so you can tell at a glance how much reuse a module has adopted.

Because the tool emits standard HCL, the result drops straight into an existing module: paste the generated block above your resources, run terraform validate, and the locals are immediately available to every later expression. There is no lock-in and no custom syntax to learn, which is exactly what makes locals a safe default for sharing values across a configuration.

• Multiple locals - add as many named values as your module needs.
• Typed expressions - string, number, bool, raw, list and map are all supported.
• List and map builder - paste comma or key=value entries and get proper HCL collections.
• Identifier validation - names are checked against Terraform identifier rules before emission.
• Live count - a stat shows how many local values are currently in the block.
• Copy / Download / Print - export main.tf wherever you need it.
• Copy as Markdown - grab a fenced block ready for a pull request or doc.
• Word-wrap toggle - keep long raw expressions readable in the preview.
• Example presets - load realistic samples with one click.
• Reuse friendly - extract a value once and reference it everywhere for cleaner reviews.
• Deterministic output - the same inputs always produce the same formatted HCL.
• Private - assembled entirely in your browser, nothing leaves the page.

1. Click + Add local to create a row for each value you need.
2. Enter a name that follows Terraform identifier rules (letters, digits, underscores, dashes).
3. Pick a type from the dropdown and type the value or entries.
4. Add more rows for lists and maps as needed.
5. Click Generate HCL to build the locals block.
6. Review the output and the local count stat on the right.
7. Fix any validation message - if a name is rejected, correct it and regenerate.
8. Compare presets - switch the example dropdown to see how list, map and raw locals differ.
9. Export by copying the HCL, copying Markdown, downloading main.tf, or printing.
10. Load a sample or clear to start over with fresh input.

Example. Add three locals: common_name as the string my-app, subnet_ids as the list a,b,c, and tags as the map env=dev,team=infra. The generator emits a single locals { } block where common_name is quoted, subnet_ids becomes a list literal, and tags becomes a map literal. The live count reads three, and copying the Markdown variant drops a ready-to-paste fenced block into your changelog.

You can also express a raw expression such as aws_vpc.main.id for a local named vpc_id; the generator passes raw values through verbatim so references are not wrongly quoted. That matters when a local should hold a resource attribute rather than a literal string, and it is the difference between a working reference and a confusing string.

• Correct schema - a valid locals block every time.
• Flexible - strings, numbers, bools, raw, lists and maps.
• Validated - identifier names are checked before output.
• Fast - draft locals without opening a terminal.
• Reusable - extracted values keep modules DRY and reviews focused.
• Standard - output is plain HCL that validates with terraform validate.
• Portable - copy, download or print the result.
• Private - everything runs in the browser.