diff --git a/commands.go b/commands.go
index 2641673b2bb4..aadfc51b3114 100644
--- a/commands.go
+++ b/commands.go
@@ -209,6 +209,18 @@ func initCommands(
 			}, nil
 		},
 
+		"metadata": func() (cli.Command, error) {
+			return &command.MetadataCommand{
+				Meta: meta,
+			}, nil
+		},
+
+		"metadata functions": func() (cli.Command, error) {
+			return &command.MetadataFunctionsCommand{
+				Meta: meta,
+			}, nil
+		},
+
 		"output": func() (cli.Command, error) {
 			return &command.OutputCommand{
 				Meta: meta,
diff --git a/internal/command/jsonfunction/function.go b/internal/command/jsonfunction/function.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..99a78c92cf14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/command/jsonfunction/function.go
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+package jsonfunction
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/internal/tfdiags"
+	"github.com/zclconf/go-cty/cty"
+	"github.com/zclconf/go-cty/cty/function"
+)
+
+// FormatVersion represents the version of the json format and will be
+// incremented for any change to this format that requires changes to a
+// consuming parser.
+const FormatVersion = "1.0"
+
+// functions is the top-level object returned when exporting function signatures
+type functions struct {
+	FormatVersion string                        `json:"format_version"`
+	Signatures    map[string]*FunctionSignature `json:"function_signatures,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// FunctionSignature represents a function signature.
+type FunctionSignature struct {
+	// Description is an optional human-readable description
+	// of the function
+	Description string `json:"description,omitempty"`
+
+	// ReturnTypes is the ctyjson representation of the function's
+	// return types based on supplying all parameters using
+	// dynamic types. Functions can have dynamic return types.
+	ReturnType cty.Type `json:"return_type"`
+
+	// Parameters describes the function's fixed positional parameters.
+	Parameters []*parameter `json:"parameters,omitempty"`
+
+	// VariadicParameter describes the function's variadic
+	// parameters, if any are supported.
+	VariadicParameter *parameter `json:"variadic_parameter,omitempty"`
+}
+
+func newFunctions() *functions {
+	signatures := make(map[string]*FunctionSignature)
+	return &functions{
+		FormatVersion: FormatVersion,
+		Signatures:    signatures,
+	}
+}
+
+func Marshal(f map[string]function.Function) ([]byte, tfdiags.Diagnostics) {
+	var diags tfdiags.Diagnostics
+	signatures := newFunctions()
+
+	for name, v := range f {
+		if name == "can" {
+			signatures.Signatures[name] = marshalCan(v)
+		} else if name == "try" {
+			signatures.Signatures[name] = marshalTry(v)
+		} else {
+			signature, err := marshalFunction(v)
+			if err != nil {
+				diags = diags.Append(tfdiags.Sourceless(
+					tfdiags.Error,
+					fmt.Sprintf("Failed to serialize function %q", name),
+					err.Error(),
+				))
+			}
+			signatures.Signatures[name] = signature
+		}
+	}
+
+	if diags.HasErrors() {
+		return nil, diags
+	}
+
+	ret, err := json.Marshal(signatures)
+	if err != nil {
+		diags = diags.Append(tfdiags.Sourceless(
+			tfdiags.Error,
+			"Failed to serialize functions",
+			err.Error(),
+		))
+		return nil, diags
+	}
+	return ret, nil
+}
+
+func marshalFunction(f function.Function) (*FunctionSignature, error) {
+	var err error
+	var vp *parameter
+	if f.VarParam() != nil {
+		vp = marshalParameter(f.VarParam())
+	}
+
+	var p []*parameter
+	if len(f.Params()) > 0 {
+		p = marshalParameters(f.Params())
+	}
+
+	r, err := getReturnType(f)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return &FunctionSignature{
+		Description:       f.Description(),
+		ReturnType:        r,
+		Parameters:        p,
+		VariadicParameter: vp,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+// marshalTry returns a static function signature for the try function.
+// We need this exception because the function implementation uses capsule
+// types that we can't marshal.
+func marshalTry(try function.Function) *FunctionSignature {
+	return &FunctionSignature{
+		Description: try.Description(),
+		ReturnType:  cty.DynamicPseudoType,
+		VariadicParameter: &parameter{
+			Name:        try.VarParam().Name,
+			Description: try.VarParam().Description,
+			IsNullable:  try.VarParam().AllowNull,
+			Type:        cty.DynamicPseudoType,
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+// marshalCan returns a static function signature for the can function.
+// We need this exception because the function implementation uses capsule
+// types that we can't marshal.
+func marshalCan(can function.Function) *FunctionSignature {
+	return &FunctionSignature{
+		Description: can.Description(),
+		ReturnType:  cty.Bool,
+		Parameters: []*parameter{
+			{
+				Name:        can.Params()[0].Name,
+				Description: can.Params()[0].Description,
+				IsNullable:  can.Params()[0].AllowNull,
+				Type:        cty.DynamicPseudoType,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/command/jsonfunction/function_test.go b/internal/command/jsonfunction/function_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9618876479e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/command/jsonfunction/function_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+package jsonfunction
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp"
+	"github.com/zclconf/go-cty-debug/ctydebug"
+	"github.com/zclconf/go-cty/cty"
+	"github.com/zclconf/go-cty/cty/function"
+)
+
+func TestMarshal(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		Name    string
+		Input   map[string]function.Function
+		Want    string
+		WantErr string
+	}{
+		{
+			"minimal function",
+			map[string]function.Function{
+				"fun": function.New(&function.Spec{
+					Type: function.StaticReturnType(cty.Bool),
+				}),
+			},
+			`{"format_version":"1.0","function_signatures":{"fun":{"return_type":"bool"}}}`,
+			"",
+		},
+		{
+			"function with description",
+			map[string]function.Function{
+				"fun": function.New(&function.Spec{
+					Description: "`timestamp` returns a UTC timestamp string.",
+					Type:        function.StaticReturnType(cty.String),
+				}),
+			},
+			"{\"format_version\":\"1.0\",\"function_signatures\":{\"fun\":{\"description\":\"`timestamp` returns a UTC timestamp string.\",\"return_type\":\"string\"}}}",
+			"",
+		},
+		{
+			"function with parameters",
+			map[string]function.Function{
+				"fun": function.New(&function.Spec{
+					Params: []function.Parameter{
+						{
+							Name:        "timestamp",
+							Description: "timestamp text",
+							Type:        cty.String,
+						},
+						{
+							Name:        "duration",
+							Description: "duration text",
+							Type:        cty.String,
+						},
+					},
+					Type: function.StaticReturnType(cty.String),
+				}),
+			},
+			`{"format_version":"1.0","function_signatures":{"fun":{"return_type":"string","parameters":[{"name":"timestamp","description":"timestamp text","type":"string"},{"name":"duration","description":"duration text","type":"string"}]}}}`,
+			"",
+		},
+		{
+			"function with variadic parameter",
+			map[string]function.Function{
+				"fun": function.New(&function.Spec{
+					VarParam: &function.Parameter{
+						Name:             "default",
+						Description:      "default description",
+						Type:             cty.DynamicPseudoType,
+						AllowUnknown:     true,
+						AllowDynamicType: true,
+						AllowNull:        true,
+						AllowMarked:      true,
+					},
+					Type: function.StaticReturnType(cty.DynamicPseudoType),
+				}),
+			},
+			`{"format_version":"1.0","function_signatures":{"fun":{"return_type":"dynamic","variadic_parameter":{"name":"default","description":"default description","is_nullable":true,"type":"dynamic"}}}}`,
+			"",
+		},
+		{
+			"function with list types",
+			map[string]function.Function{
+				"fun": function.New(&function.Spec{
+					Params: []function.Parameter{
+						{
+							Name: "list",
+							Type: cty.List(cty.String),
+						},
+					},
+					Type: function.StaticReturnType(cty.List(cty.String)),
+				}),
+			},
+			`{"format_version":"1.0","function_signatures":{"fun":{"return_type":["list","string"],"parameters":[{"name":"list","type":["list","string"]}]}}}`,
+			"",
+		},
+		{
+			"returns diagnostics on failure",
+			map[string]function.Function{
+				"fun": function.New(&function.Spec{
+					Params: []function.Parameter{},
+					Type: func(args []cty.Value) (ret cty.Type, err error) {
+						return cty.DynamicPseudoType, fmt.Errorf("error")
+					},
+				}),
+			},
+			"",
+			"Failed to serialize function \"fun\": error",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for i, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(fmt.Sprintf("%d-%s", i, test.Name), func(t *testing.T) {
+			got, diags := Marshal(test.Input)
+			if test.WantErr != "" {
+				if !diags.HasErrors() {
+					t.Fatal("expected error, got none")
+				}
+				if diags.Err().Error() != test.WantErr {
+					t.Fatalf("expected error %q, got %q", test.WantErr, diags.Err())
+				}
+			} else {
+				if diags.HasErrors() {
+					t.Fatal(diags)
+				}
+
+				if diff := cmp.Diff(test.Want, string(got), ctydebug.CmpOptions); diff != "" {
+					t.Fatalf("mismatch of function signature: %s", diff)
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/command/jsonfunction/parameter.go b/internal/command/jsonfunction/parameter.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d388f6d257eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/command/jsonfunction/parameter.go
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+package jsonfunction
+
+import (
+	"github.com/zclconf/go-cty/cty"
+	"github.com/zclconf/go-cty/cty/function"
+)
+
+// parameter represents a parameter to a function.
+type parameter struct {
+	// Name is an optional name for the argument.
+	Name string `json:"name,omitempty"`
+
+	// Description is an optional human-readable description
+	// of the argument
+	Description string `json:"description,omitempty"`
+
+	// IsNullable is true if null is acceptable value for the argument
+	IsNullable bool `json:"is_nullable,omitempty"`
+
+	// A type that any argument for this parameter must conform to.
+	Type cty.Type `json:"type"`
+}
+
+func marshalParameter(p *function.Parameter) *parameter {
+	if p == nil {
+		return &parameter{}
+	}
+
+	return &parameter{
+		Name:        p.Name,
+		Description: p.Description,
+		IsNullable:  p.AllowNull,
+		Type:        p.Type,
+	}
+}
+
+func marshalParameters(parameters []function.Parameter) []*parameter {
+	ret := make([]*parameter, len(parameters))
+	for k, p := range parameters {
+		ret[k] = marshalParameter(&p)
+	}
+	return ret
+}
diff --git a/internal/command/jsonfunction/parameter_test.go b/internal/command/jsonfunction/parameter_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..b3a70d268546
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/command/jsonfunction/parameter_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+package jsonfunction
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp"
+	"github.com/zclconf/go-cty-debug/ctydebug"
+	"github.com/zclconf/go-cty/cty"
+	"github.com/zclconf/go-cty/cty/function"
+)
+
+func TestMarshalParameter(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		Name  string
+		Input *function.Parameter
+		Want  *parameter
+	}{
+		{
+			"call with nil",
+			nil,
+			&parameter{},
+		},
+		{
+			"parameter with description",
+			&function.Parameter{
+				Name:        "timestamp",
+				Description: "`timestamp` returns a UTC timestamp string in [RFC 3339]",
+				Type:        cty.String,
+			},
+			&parameter{
+				Name:        "timestamp",
+				Description: "`timestamp` returns a UTC timestamp string in [RFC 3339]",
+				Type:        cty.String,
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			"parameter with additional properties",
+			&function.Parameter{
+				Name:             "value",
+				Type:             cty.DynamicPseudoType,
+				AllowUnknown:     true,
+				AllowNull:        true,
+				AllowMarked:      true,
+				AllowDynamicType: true,
+			},
+			&parameter{
+				Name:       "value",
+				Type:       cty.DynamicPseudoType,
+				IsNullable: true,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for i, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(fmt.Sprintf("%d-%s", i, test.Name), func(t *testing.T) {
+			got := marshalParameter(test.Input)
+
+			if diff := cmp.Diff(test.Want, got, ctydebug.CmpOptions); diff != "" {
+				t.Fatalf("mismatch of parameter signature: %s", diff)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/command/jsonfunction/return_type.go b/internal/command/jsonfunction/return_type.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9f30bad2ea2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/command/jsonfunction/return_type.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package jsonfunction
+
+import (
+	"github.com/zclconf/go-cty/cty"
+	"github.com/zclconf/go-cty/cty/function"
+)
+
+func getReturnType(f function.Function) (cty.Type, error) {
+	args := make([]cty.Type, 0)
+	for _, param := range f.Params() {
+		args = append(args, param.Type)
+	}
+	if f.VarParam() != nil {
+		args = append(args, f.VarParam().Type)
+	}
+
+	return f.ReturnType(args)
+}
diff --git a/internal/command/metadata_command.go b/internal/command/metadata_command.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..dd13b199a767
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/command/metadata_command.go
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+package command
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/mitchellh/cli"
+)
+
+// MetadataCommand is a Command implementation that just shows help for
+// the subcommands nested below it.
+type MetadataCommand struct {
+	Meta
+}
+
+func (c *MetadataCommand) Run(args []string) int {
+	return cli.RunResultHelp
+}
+
+func (c *MetadataCommand) Help() string {
+	helpText := `
+Usage: terraform [global options] metadata <subcommand> [options] [args]
+
+  This command has subcommands for metadata related purposes.
+
+`
+	return strings.TrimSpace(helpText)
+}
+
+func (c *MetadataCommand) Synopsis() string {
+	return "Metadata related commands"
+}
diff --git a/internal/command/metadata_functions.go b/internal/command/metadata_functions.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..43609cc16b18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/command/metadata_functions.go
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+package command
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/internal/command/jsonfunction"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/internal/lang"
+	"github.com/zclconf/go-cty/cty/function"
+)
+
+var (
+	ignoredFunctions = []string{"map", "list"}
+)
+
+// MetadataFunctionsCommand is a Command implementation that prints out information
+// about the available functions in Terraform.
+type MetadataFunctionsCommand struct {
+	Meta
+}
+
+func (c *MetadataFunctionsCommand) Help() string {
+	return metadataFunctionsCommandHelp
+}
+
+func (c *MetadataFunctionsCommand) Synopsis() string {
+	return "Show signatures and descriptions for the available functions"
+}
+
+func (c *MetadataFunctionsCommand) Run(args []string) int {
+	args = c.Meta.process(args)
+	cmdFlags := c.Meta.defaultFlagSet("metadata functions")
+	var jsonOutput bool
+	cmdFlags.BoolVar(&jsonOutput, "json", false, "produce JSON output")
+
+	cmdFlags.Usage = func() { c.Ui.Error(c.Help()) }
+	if err := cmdFlags.Parse(args); err != nil {
+		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error parsing command-line flags: %s\n", err.Error()))
+		return 1
+	}
+
+	if !jsonOutput {
+		c.Ui.Error(
+			"The `terraform metadata functions` command requires the `-json` flag.\n")
+		cmdFlags.Usage()
+		return 1
+	}
+
+	scope := &lang.Scope{}
+	funcs := scope.Functions()
+	filteredFuncs := make(map[string]function.Function)
+	for k, v := range funcs {
+		if isIgnoredFunction(k) {
+			continue
+		}
+		filteredFuncs[k] = v
+	}
+
+	jsonFunctions, marshalDiags := jsonfunction.Marshal(filteredFuncs)
+	if marshalDiags.HasErrors() {
+		c.showDiagnostics(marshalDiags)
+		return 1
+	}
+	c.Ui.Output(string(jsonFunctions))
+
+	return 0
+}
+
+const metadataFunctionsCommandHelp = `
+Usage: terraform [global options] metadata functions -json
+
+  Prints out a json representation of the available function signatures.
+`
+
+func isIgnoredFunction(name string) bool {
+	for _, i := range ignoredFunctions {
+		if i == name {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/internal/command/metadata_functions_test.go b/internal/command/metadata_functions_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..05d48639af31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/command/metadata_functions_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+package command
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/mitchellh/cli"
+)
+
+func TestMetadataFunctions_error(t *testing.T) {
+	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
+	c := &MetadataFunctionsCommand{
+		Meta: Meta{
+			Ui: ui,
+		},
+	}
+
+	// This test will always error because it's missing the -json flag
+	if code := c.Run(nil); code != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected error, got:\n%s", ui.OutputWriter.String())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMetadataFunctions_output(t *testing.T) {
+	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
+	m := Meta{Ui: ui}
+	c := &MetadataFunctionsCommand{Meta: m}
+
+	if code := c.Run([]string{"-json"}); code != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("wrong exit status %d; want 0\nstderr: %s", code, ui.ErrorWriter.String())
+	}
+
+	var got functions
+	gotString := ui.OutputWriter.String()
+	err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(gotString), &got)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if len(got.Signatures) < 100 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected at least 100 function signatures, got %d", len(got.Signatures))
+	}
+
+	// check if one particular stable function is correct
+	gotMax, ok := got.Signatures["max"]
+	wantMax := "{\"description\":\"`max` takes one or more numbers and returns the greatest number from the set.\",\"return_type\":\"number\",\"variadic_parameter\":{\"name\":\"numbers\",\"type\":\"number\"}}"
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal(`missing function signature for "max"`)
+	}
+	if string(gotMax) != wantMax {
+		t.Fatalf("wrong function signature for \"max\":\ngot: %q\nwant: %q", gotMax, wantMax)
+	}
+
+	stderr := ui.ErrorWriter.String()
+	if stderr != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected empty stderr, got:\n%s", stderr)
+	}
+
+	// test that ignored functions are not part of the json
+	for _, v := range ignoredFunctions {
+		_, ok := got.Signatures[v]
+		if ok {
+			t.Fatalf("found ignored function %q inside output", v)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+type functions struct {
+	FormatVersion string                     `json:"format_version"`
+	Signatures    map[string]json.RawMessage `json:"function_signatures,omitempty"`
+}
diff --git a/website/docs/cli/commands/index.mdx b/website/docs/cli/commands/index.mdx
index 45d8637d2f15..88675220cc09 100644
--- a/website/docs/cli/commands/index.mdx
+++ b/website/docs/cli/commands/index.mdx
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ All other commands:
   import        Associate existing infrastructure with a Terraform resource
   login         Obtain and save credentials for a remote host
   logout        Remove locally-stored credentials for a remote host
+  metadata      Metadata related commands
   output        Show output values from your root module
   providers     Show the providers required for this configuration
   refresh       Update the state to match remote systems