v1.12.2/website/docs/language/functions/terraform-applying.mdx

---
page_title: terraform.applying reference - Functions - Configuration Language
description: |-
  The terraform.applying symbol enables you to determine if Terraform is currently running an apply operation.
---

# The `terraform.applying` symbol

-> **Note**: The `terraform.applying` symbol is available in Terraform v1.10 and later.

You can use the `terraform.applying` symbol in your configuration to determine if Terraform is currently running an apply operation.

Terraform automatically sets `terraform.applying` to `true` when you run an [apply](/terraform/cli/commands/apply) operation, and `false` during any other operation. The [planning mode](/terraform/cli/commands/plan#planning-modes) you run `terraform apply` in does not affect `terraform.applying`, meaning that even in destroy mode, `terraform.applying` is still `true`.

You can use `terraform.applying` to change Terraform behavior during apply operations. In the following example, Terraform uses your read-only credentials when running a plan operation but uses your write credentials when you run an apply operation:

```hcl
locals {
  aws_read_role_arn  = "arn:aws:iam::XXXXX:role/terraform-read"
  aws_write_role_arn = "arn:aws:iam::XXXXX:role/terraform-full"

  role_arn = terraform.applying ? local.aws_write_role_arn : local.aws_read_role_arn
}

provider "aws" {
  region = "us-west-2"

  assume_role {
    role_arn     = local.role_arn
  }
}

```

The `terraform.applying` symbol is an ephemeral value and is only available during Terraform operations. Terraform does not write ephemeral values to plan or state files. Additionally, you can only reference `terraform.applying` in the following ephemeral contexts:

- In a [write-only argument](/terraform/language/resources/ephemeral/write-only)
- In [ephemeral variables](/terraform/language/values/variables#exclude-values-from-state)
- In [local values](/terraform/language/values/locals#ephemeral-values)
- In [ephemeral resources](/terraform/language/resources/ephemeral)
- In [ephemeral outputs](/terraform/language/values/outputs#ephemeral-avoid-storing-values-in-state-or-plan-files)
- Configuring providers in the `provider` block
- In [provisioner](/terraform/language/resources/provisioners/syntax) and [connection](/terraform/language/resources/provisioners/connection) blocks