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---
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description: |
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This section describes the configuration language used to create Packer
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templates.
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page_title: Templates
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---
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# Packer Templates
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Packer's behavior is determined by the Packer template, which consists of a
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series of declarations and commands for Packer to follow. This template tells
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Packer what plugins (builders, provisioners, post-processors) to use, how to
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configure each of those plugins, and what order to run them in.
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The template contains flexible variable injection tools, as well as built-in
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functions to help you customize your builds.
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Historically, Packer has used a JSON template for its configuration, but Packer
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is transitioning to a new template configuration format that uses HCL2 -- the
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same configuration language used by Terraform and HashiCorp's other products.
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This format is more flexible, more modular, and more concise than the original
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JSON template format. While the JSON format is still supported, certain
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new features in the Packer core will only be implemented for the newer HCL
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format. Please use the side bar to find documentation for the different
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template formats.
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From version **1.7.0**, HCL2 becomes officially the preferred way to write Packer
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configuration(s).
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If you need help upgrading a JSON template to an HCL template, check
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our upgrade guide [here](/guides/hcl/from-json-v1).
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