How to Use Pre-release Versions of OpenTofu

While we regularly release new versions of OpenTofu, you may sometimes want to test or use pre-release versions before they're officially available. This article explains how to access and use these pre-release versions.

Accessing Pre-release Versions

OpenTofu pre-release versions are published as Docker images on the GitHub registry. To use a pre-release version, you have two options:

1. Set your runner image directly to the pre-release version

2. Use the pre-release version as a base image for your custom runner

Option 1: Setting the Runner Image

To use a pre-release version directly, set your runner image to the appropriate GitHub Container Registry (ghcr.io) URL. For example, to use OpenTofu version 1.9.0-rc2, you would use:

ghcr.io/opentofu/opentofu:1.9.0-rc2

Option 2: Using a Custom Runner Image

If you're already using a custom runner image, you can set the pre-release version as your base image. This allows you to maintain your customizations while testing the new OpenTofu version.

Staying Informed

Keep in mind that pre-release versions may not be as stable as official releases. We recommend following the OpenTofu project's official channels for announcements about new releases and release candidates.