Essential Terraform Commands with Simple Explanations

 Terraform is a popular Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) tool that allows you to define, provision, and manage infrastructure efficiently. If you’re new to Terraform or want a quick reference for its core commands, this guide simplifies them for you.

1. terraform version

Command:

terraform version

Displays the current version of Terraform installed. It’s useful for verifying compatibility with your configurations or modules.

2. terraform init

Command:

terraform init

Initializes a Terraform configuration directory. This command downloads provider plugins, sets up the backend for storing state files, and prepares the environment.

3. terraform validate

Command:

terraform validate

Checks the syntax and validity of your Terraform configuration files. Use this to catch syntax errors before applying changes.

4. terraform plan

Command:

terraform plan

Generates and shows an execution plan, detailing what actions Terraform will take to create, update, or destroy resources. This is a dry run that doesn’t make changes to the infrastructure.

5. terraform apply

Command:

terraform apply

Executes the changes specified in the execution plan. This command creates, updates, or destroys resources to match your configuration files. Use terraform apply -auto-approve to skip confirmation prompts.

6. terraform destroy

Command:

terraform destroy

Removes all resources defined in the configuration files. It’s used when tearing down infrastructure.

7. terraform output

Command:

terraform output

Displays the values of output variables defined in your configuration. Use this to view essential data like server IPs or IDs after resources are created.

8. terraform refresh

Command:

terraform refresh

Updates the Terraform state file with the current real-world state of the infrastructure. This ensures the state file is in sync with the actual resources.

9. terraform state list

Command:

terraform state list

Lists all resources tracked in the state file. Use this to verify the resources Terraform is managing.

10. terraform state show

Command:

terraform state show <resource-name>

Displays detailed information about a specific resource from the state file. Replace <resource-name> with the name of the resource.

11. terraform fmt

Command:

terraform fmt

Formats Terraform configuration files to follow standard conventions, improving readability and consistency.

12. terraform taint

Command:

terraform taint <resource-name>

Marks a resource for recreation during the next terraform apply. This is helpful for forcing updates to a specific resource.

13. terraform untaint

Command:

terraform untaint <resource-name>

Removes the taint from a resource, preventing it from being recreated during the next terraform apply.

14. terraform graph

Command:

terraform graph

Generates a visual representation of the resource dependencies in your configuration. The output can be converted into diagrams using graph visualization tools.

15. terraform import

Command:

terraform import <resource-name> <resource-id>

Imports an existing resource into Terraform’s state file, enabling Terraform to manage it. Replace <resource-name> with the resource type and <resource-id> with the ID of the resource.

16. terraform workspace

Commands:

terraform workspace list
terraform workspace new <workspace-name>
terraform workspace select <workspace-name>

• terraform workspace list: Lists all available workspaces.
• terraform workspace new: Creates a new workspace.
• terraform workspace select: Switches to a specific workspace.

Workspaces allow you to manage multiple environments (e.g., dev, staging, production) within the same configuration.

17. terraform show

Command:

terraform show

Displays the current state or a saved execution plan. Use this to understand the existing resources and configurations.

18. terraform apply -target

Command:

terraform apply -target=<resource-name>

Applies changes to a specific resource or module only, instead of the entire infrastructure. This is useful for testing or debugging.

19. terraform providers

Command:

terraform providers

Lists all providers used in the current configuration and their dependencies. This helps ensure you have the necessary plugins installed.

20. terraform lock

Commands:

terraform providers lock
terraform providers lock -platform=<platform>

Generates a dependency lock file for your providers. This ensures consistent provider versions across environments.

Terraform’s commands are designed to simplify infrastructure management while offering flexibility and precision. From initializing configurations to destroying infrastructure, these commands provide a solid foundation for mastering Terraform workflows.