terraform reference_error ai_generated true

Error: Reference to undeclared output value or output not found in module

ID: terraform/tf-output-reference-error

Also available as: JSON · Markdown
92%Fix Rate
93%Confidence
60Evidence
2023-01-01First Seen

Version Compatibility

VersionStatusIntroducedDeprecatedNotes
1 active — — —

Root Cause

Configuration references an output that does not exist in the module or root configuration.

generic

Workarounds

  1. 92% success Add the missing output block to the module 
    Add output "name" { value = resource.type.name.attribute } to the module's outputs.tf

    Sources: https://developer.hashicorp.com/terraform/language/values/outputs

  2. 88% success Check for typos in the output name reference 
    Compare module.NAME.OUTPUT_NAME with the actual output names defined in the module source

    Sources: https://developer.hashicorp.com/terraform/language/modules/syntax

Dead Ends

Common approaches that don't work:

  1. Access module internals directly instead of using outputs 95% fail

    Terraform modules are encapsulated; you cannot reference internal resources without explicit outputs

  2. Use terraform console to force-read the value 85% fail

    terraform console has the same access restrictions as plan/apply; undefined outputs remain undefined

Error Chain

Leads to:
Preceded by: