> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://notes.kodekloud.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# find in parent folders

> This article explains how to use Terragrunt’s `find_in_parent_folders` function for recursive file searches in project directories.

Terragrunt’s built-in function `find_in_parent_folders` enables recursive searches up your directory tree to locate a specific file or folder. This approach is invaluable when you need to reference shared configurations or modules in a multi-layered project, removing the brittleness of hardcoded relative paths.

<Frame>
  ![The image shows a hierarchical arrangement of folder icons with the label "find\_in\_parent\_folders" at the top and "Functionality" at the bottom. It appears to represent a file system structure or search functionality within parent folders.](https://kodekloud.com/kk-media/image/upload/v1752884349/notes-assets/images/Terragrunt-for-Beginners-find-in-parent-folders/find-in-parent-folders-hierarchy.jpg)
</Frame>

## Why Use `find_in_parent_folders`?

By leveraging this function, you can:

* Dynamically adapt configuration based on files located higher in the hierarchy
* Inherit and override settings across environments without manual path tweaks
* Maintain cleaner, DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) configurations

<Frame>
  ![The image is a presentation slide titled "find\_in\_parent\_folders," highlighting two benefits: adapting based on configurations from parent folders and flexible configuration inheritance.](https://kodekloud.com/kk-media/image/upload/v1752884350/notes-assets/images/Terragrunt-for-Beginners-find-in-parent-folders/find-in-parent-folders-benefits-slide.jpg)
</Frame>

## Best Practices

* Organize projects into clear, modular, hierarchical folders
* Use `find_in_parent_folders` inside `include` blocks to locate root-level `terragrunt.hcl`
* Avoid embedding static paths; let Terragrunt resolve them dynamically

<Frame>
  ![The image is a diagram titled "find\_in\_parent\_folders" with icons and text explaining its use in modular environments and include blocks, along with a "Best Practices" button.](https://kodekloud.com/kk-media/image/upload/v1752884351/notes-assets/images/Terragrunt-for-Beginners-find-in-parent-folders/find-in-parent-folders-diagram-best-practices.jpg)
</Frame>

<Callout icon="lightbulb" color="#1CB2FE">
  `find_in_parent_folders` stops when it hits the filesystem root or finds the target file. If the file isn’t present, Terragrunt throws an error.
</Callout>

## Real-World Example

Imagine a VPC module that relies on common variables from `common.hcl`.

Before (hardcoded path):

```hcl theme={null}
terraform {
  source = "tfr://terraform-aws-modules/vpc/aws//?version=5.8.1"
}

locals {
  common_vars = read_terragrunt_config("../common.hcl")
}

inputs = {
  name = "${local.common_vars.inputs.project}-${local.common_vars.inputs.environment}-VPC"
}
```

After (dynamic lookup):

```hcl theme={null}
terraform {
  source = "tfr://terraform-aws-modules/vpc/aws//?version=5.8.1"
}

locals {
  common_vars = read_terragrunt_config(find_in_parent_folders("common.hcl"))
}

inputs = {
  name = "${local.common_vars.inputs.project}-${local.common_vars.inputs.environment}-VPC"
}
```

Now, no matter how deep your `vpc/` folder is nested, Terragrunt will climb up until it finds `common.hcl`.

### Verify with Terragrunt

Run:

```bash theme={null}
~/workspace/vpc
> terragrunt plan
```

You should see the VPC name generated using values from `common.hcl`, for example:

```text theme={null}
KodeKloudDevVPC
```

### common.hcl

```hcl theme={null}
inputs = {
  project     = "KodeKloud"
  environment = "dev"
}
```

## References

* [Terragrunt Documentation: find\_in\_parent\_folders](https://terragrunt.gruntwork.io/docs/reference/functions/#find_in_parent_folders)
* [Terragrunt Official Site](https://terragrunt.gruntwork.io/)

<CardGroup>
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