What is the scope of local values defined in child modules in Terraform?

In Terraform, local values are designed to hold intermediate values that can be reused within a module. When a local value is defined in a child module, its scope is limited specifically to that module. This means that the local value is not accessible outside of the module in which it is defined, thereby ensuring modular encapsulation.

By keeping local values confined to the module where they are created, Terraform promotes best practices in module design, such as reducing dependencies and improving the readability of the code. This encapsulation allows each module to function independently without interference from or reliance on the parent module or other child modules. As a result, any local values declared within a child module cannot be referenced in a parent module or any sibling child modules.

This characteristic of local values fosters a clean and organized approach to structuring infrastructure code, making it easier to maintain and understand.