Terraform Overview
Terraform is an infrastructure as code (IaC) tool that enables you to safely and predictably create, change, and improve infrastructure. It codifies APIs into declarative configuration files that can be shared amongst team members, treated as code, edited, reviewed, and versioned.
Key Features
- Infrastructure as Code: Define infrastructure using declarative configuration files
- Execution Plans: Preview changes before applying
- Resource Graph: Build and optimize resource dependencies
- Change Automation: Apply complex changes with minimal human interaction
- Multi-Cloud: Support for AWS, Azure, GCP, and more
- State Management: Track resource state and metadata
- Provider Ecosystem: Hundreds of providers for different services
Installation & Setup
Installation Steps:
- Download Terraform from official website
- Unzip the package (Terraform runs as a single binary)
- Move the binary to a directory included in your system's PATH
- Verify installation:
terraform --version - Configure authentication for your cloud provider
- Create your first Terraform configuration file
Core Commands:
terraform init
Initialize a working directory
terraform plan
Generate an execution plan
terraform apply
Build or change infrastructure
terraform destroy
Destroy Terraform-managed infrastructure
Productivity Tips
Remote State
Store state files remotely (S3, GCS, etc.) for team collaboration.
Workspaces
Use workspaces to manage multiple environments with the same configuration.
Modules
Create reusable modules for common infrastructure patterns.
Backend Configuration
Configure backends to properly manage state files.