You write a new Terraform configuration and immediately run terraform apply in the CLI using the local backend. Why will the apply fail?

The chosen answer suggests that the apply fails because the Terraform CLI needs you to log into Terraform Cloud first. However, when using the local backend, the requirement to log into Terraform Cloud is not applicable. The local backend enables you to manage your configuration and state files on your local machine without external dependencies.

The apply operation is most likely to fail because of reasons related to the configuration itself. It's important to ensure that the configuration is valid—both structurally and in terms of syntax. If there are issues in these areas, the apply will not execute successfully.

Thus, the reason for failure is more aligned with the configuration being invalid or having syntax errors, rather than the need for authentication to a remote service like Terraform Cloud.