Learn TERRAFORM with Real Code Examples

Terraform uses HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) to define infrastructure declaratively.

Supports multiple providers: AWS, Azure, GCP, Kubernetes, VMware, and more.

Enables versioning, reproducibility, and automation of infrastructure deployments.

Facilitates both cloud and hybrid environments management consistently.

Can be integrated with CI/CD pipelines for automated provisioning.

Resource definitions (compute, network, storage, etc.)

Variables and outputs for modularity

Terraform state file management

Provisioners for bootstrapping resources

Modules for reusable infrastructure components

Resources: fundamental units of infrastructure

Providers: interface to cloud services

Modules: reusable configuration blocks

Variables and outputs

State files for tracking applied changes

Main configuration `.tf` files

Variables definition (`variables.tf`)

Outputs (`outputs.tf`)

Module directories

Terraform state files (`terraform.tfstate`)

Write `.tf` configuration files

Initialize workspace using `terraform init`

Validate configuration syntax with `terraform validate`

Generate execution plan with `terraform plan`

Apply changes using `terraform apply`

Beginner: Deploy a single VM

Intermediate: Provision multi-resource network

Advanced: Modular multi-environment deployment

Expert: Multi-cloud hybrid infrastructure

Architect: Enterprise IaC with governance and CI/CD integration

Terraform vs CloudFormation -> Multi-cloud vs AWS-only

Terraform vs Pulumi -> Declarative HCL vs imperative languages

Terraform vs Ansible -> Infrastructure provisioning vs configuration management

Terraform vs ARM Templates -> HashiCorp multi-cloud flexibility

Terraform vs CDK -> HCL declarative vs code-driven IaC

2014 - Terraform initial release

2016 - Provider ecosystem expands

2018 - Terraform 0.12: improved HCL and expressions

2020 - Terraform 0.13–0.14: modules & provider enhancements

2023 - Terraform 1.x stable multi-cloud enhancements

Resource - fundamental infrastructure element

Provider - interface to cloud or service API

Module - reusable set of Terraform configuration

State - tracks current infrastructure

Backend - storage for Terraform state (local or remote)