packer/website/content/docs/templates/hcl_templates/functions/collection/element.mdx

---
page_title: element function reference
description: The `element` function retrieves a single element from a list. Learn how to use the `element` function in Packer templates.
---

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> [!IMPORTANT]  
> **Documentation Update:** Product documentation previously located in `/website` has moved to the [`hashicorp/web-unified-docs`](https://github.com/hashicorp/web-unified-docs) repository, where all product documentation is now centralized. Please make contributions directly to `web-unified-docs`, since changes to `/website` in this repository will not appear on developer.hashicorp.com.
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# `element` Function

`element` retrieves a single element from a list.

```hcl
element(list, index)
```

The index is zero-based. This function produces an error if used with an
empty list.

Use the built-in index syntax `list[index]` in most cases. Use this function
only for the special additional "wrap-around" behavior described below.

## Examples

```shell-session
> element(["a", "b", "c"], 1)
b
```

If the given index is greater than the length of the list then the index is
"wrapped around" by taking the index modulo the length of the list:

```shell-session
> element(["a", "b", "c"], 3)
a
```

## Related Functions

- [`index`](/packer/docs/templates/hcl_templates/functions/collection/index-fn) finds the index for a particular element value.
- [`lookup`](/packer/docs/templates/hcl_templates/functions/collection/lookup) retrieves a value from a _map_ given its _key_.