Q: What is Terraform?
A: Terraform is an open-source infrastructure-as-code (IAC) tool developed by HashiCorp. It allows users to define and provision infrastructure resources using declarative configuration files, which can be version-controlled and shared among teams. Terraform supports multiple cloud platforms and services, as well as on-premise infrastructure.
Q: What is the difference between Terraform and other infrastructure-as-code tools?
A: Terraform is different from other infrastructure-as-code tools in several ways. First, it uses a declarative syntax, which means that users specify what resources they want to create, rather than how to create them. Second, it supports a wide range of cloud providers and services, as well as on-premise infrastructure, making it a more flexible tool. Finally, Terraform uses a state file to track the status of infrastructure resources, which allows it to manage updates and changes more efficiently.
Q: What is a Terraform module?
A: A Terraform module is a self-contained unit of Terraform configuration that can be used to create multiple resources. Modules can be written in any Terraform-supported language (such as HCL or JSON) and can include variables, outputs, and provider configurations. Modules can be shared and reused across different projects and teams, which makes it easier to maintain and scale infrastructure deployments.
Q: How does Terraform manage infrastructure resources?
A: Terraform manages infrastructure resources by using a state file, which is a JSON file that tracks the status of each resource. When a user makes a change to the Terraform configuration file, Terraform compares the desired state (as defined in the configuration file) with the current state (as defined in the state file) and makes any necessary changes to bring the infrastructure resources into compliance with the desired state.
Q: What is the difference between Terraform apply and Terraform plan?
A: Terraform plan is a command that shows users what changes Terraform will make to infrastructure resources when they run Terraform apply. It provides a preview of the changes, including which resources will be created, updated, or deleted. Terraform apply, on the other hand, is the command that actually makes the changes to the infrastructure resources.
Q: How does Terraform handle dependencies between resources?
A: Terraform handles dependencies between resources by creating a dependency graph based on the resource definitions in the configuration file. When Terraform creates resources, it creates them in the order specified by the dependency graph to ensure that all dependencies are met. If a resource fails to create, Terraform will roll back any changes that have been made up to that point.
Q: What is a Terraform provider?
A: A Terraform provider is a plugin that allows Terraform to interact with a specific cloud platform or service. Providers are responsible for creating, updating, and deleting resources on the target platform or service. Terraform comes with many built-in providers, but users can also write their own custom providers if they need to interact with a platform or service that is not supported by default.
Q: What is a Terraform workspace?
A: A Terraform workspace is a feature that allows users to manage multiple environments (such as development, staging, and production) using a single configuration file. Each workspace has its own separate state file, which means that users can deploy changes to one environment without affecting others. Workspaces can be created, switched, and deleted using the Terraform workspace command.
Q: How does Terraform handle secrets and sensitive information?
A: Terraform does not have built-in support for managing secrets or sensitive information, but it provides several mechanisms for users to keep this information secure. One option is to use environment variables to pass secrets to Terraform, which can then be accessed using
