website/content/docs/datasources/index.mdx

---
description: |
  Data sources allow data to be fetched for use in Packer configuration. Use of data sources
  allows a build to use information defined outside of Packer.
page_title: Data Sources
---

# Data Sources

Data sources let Packer fetch data to use in a template, including information defined outside of Packer.

Refer to the [`data`](/packer/docs/templates/hcl_templates/datasources) block documentation to learn more about working with data sources. The documentation also contains details about each type of data source.

-> **Note:** Data sources is a feature exclusively available to HCL2 templates included in Packer `v1.7.0` (and newer).
(3) Add amazon-ami data source (#10467 ) 2021-01-20 11:05:03 +01:00			`---`
			`description: \|`
			`Data sources allow data to be fetched for use in Packer configuration. Use of data sources`
			`allows a build to use information defined outside of Packer.`
			`page_title: Data Sources`
			`---`

			`# Data Sources`

Content munge devportal (#11982 ) 2022-09-14 16:16:39 -04:00			`Data sources let Packer fetch data to use in a template, including information defined outside of Packer.`
(3) Add amazon-ami data source (#10467 ) 2021-01-20 11:05:03 +01:00
docs: Migrate link formats (#12192 ) 2023-01-27 11:47:08 -06:00			Refer to the [`data`](/packer/docs/templates/hcl_templates/datasources) block documentation to learn more about working with data sources. The documentation also contains details about each type of data source.
Make template documentation visible from components docs (#10611 ) 2021-02-11 14:21:06 +01:00
adds missing word (#10836 ) 2021-03-29 11:01:03 +02:00			-> Note: Data sources is a feature exclusively available to HCL2 templates included in Packer `v1.7.0` (and newer).
Document known limitation of locals being used within a data source (#11864 ) 2022-07-07 12:48:23 -04:00