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Instead of `.apply` there, do
```pulumi.interpolate`…````

it wont let me do pulumi.interpolate in the middle of the userData string

Not in the middle of it, you do it around it.

it works! thank you :slightly_smiling_face:

i dont understand why this doesn't work as written, seems much more intuitive that way

the error message isn't exactly clear either

The thing is the value. `.apply` will return an `Output`, but then the whole value of `userData` is not a `Output&lt;&gt;` type.  By interpolating the entire thing, you tell Pulumi to parse the entire value, then return it as an `Output`

I do agree the error message could be a lot better. I’ve struggled with this myself a lot.

yes, outputs/strings is the biggest area of issue I have even after &gt; 12 months of using pulumi! i feel like each situation is a bit different

Yep, always the most difficult part for me too.