| --- |
| page_title: element - Functions - Configuration Language |
| description: The element function retrieves a single element from a list. |
| --- |
| |
| # `element` Function |
| |
| `element` retrieves a single element from a list. |
| |
| ```hcl |
| element(list, index) |
| ``` |
| |
| The index is zero-based. This function produces an error if used with an |
| empty list. The index must be a non-negative integer. |
| |
| Use the built-in index syntax `list[index]` in most cases. Use this function |
| only for the special additional "wrap-around" behavior described below. |
| |
| ## Examples |
| |
| ``` |
| > element(["a", "b", "c"], 1) |
| b |
| ``` |
| |
| If the given index is greater than the length of the list then the index is |
| "wrapped around" by taking the index modulo the length of the list: |
| |
| ``` |
| > element(["a", "b", "c"], 3) |
| a |
| ``` |
| |
| To get the last element from the list use [`length`](/language/functions/length) to find |
| the size of the list (minus 1 as the list is zero-based) and then pick the |
| last element: |
| |
| ``` |
| > element(["a", "b", "c"], length(["a", "b", "c"])-1) |
| c |
| ``` |
| |
| ## Related Functions |
| |
| * [`index`](/language/functions/index_function) finds the index for a particular element value. |
| * [`lookup`](/language/functions/lookup) retrieves a value from a _map_ given its _key_. |
