---
name: bootstrap
path: backend/bootstrap
category: backend
sidebar:
  order: 300
description: Bootstrap OpenTofu/Terraform backend infrastructure.
usage: |
  Bootstrap OpenTofu/Terraform backend infrastructure.
examples:
  - description: |
      Provision backend resources defined in remote_state.
    code: |
      terragrunt backend bootstrap
flags:
  - backend-bootstrap-all
  - backend-bootstrap-config
  - backend-bootstrap-download-dir
---

import { Aside } from '@astrojs/starlight/components';

## Provision remote_state

Using this command bootstraps the resources described in your [`remote_state` block](/reference/hcl/blocks/#remote_state).

If any of the resources described in the `remote_state` block need provisioning, `bootstrap` will provision them. If they are present, but configured in a way that differs from `remote_state` configuration, Terragrunt will attempt to update them when it is safe to do so.

For example, if you have the following `remote_state` block:

```hcl
# terragrunt.hcl

remote_state {
  backend = "s3"
  config = {
    bucket  = "mybucket"
    key     = "path/to/my/key"
    region  = "us-east-1"
    encrypt = true

    dynamodb_table = "tf-lock"

    accesslogging_bucket_name = "mybucket-logs"
  }
}
```

Then run the following:

```bash
terragrunt backend bootstrap
```

You'll ensure the availability of:

- An S3 bucket named `mybucket` in the `us-east-1` region with the following enabled:
  - Server Side Encryption (SSE)
  - Versioning
  - TLS Enforcement
- A DynamoDB table named `tf-lock` in the `us-east-1` region with SSE.
- An S3 bucket named `mybucket-logs` configured as the access log destination for the `mybucket` bucket.

The `bootstrap` command is idempotent. If the resources already exist, `bootstrap` will not provision them again.

<Aside type="tip" title="--backend-bootstrap">

The flag `--backend-bootstrap` is equivalent to explicitly running the `bootstrap` command.

Using it in conjunction with any `run` command will result in any required bootstrapping to be performed prior to initiating the run.

</Aside>
