TF-004 Use the core Terraform workflow Practice Question

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

• ✗

  Create infrastructure manually via cloud console

  Why it's wrong here

  Creating infrastructure directly through a cloud provider's console or API is fundamentally antithetical to the Infrastructure as Code (IaC) principles that Terraform embodies. The core Terraform workflow is designed to define, provision, and manage infrastructure declaratively using configuration files, ensuring repeatability and version control. Manual creation bypasses this entire automated process, making it an external and non-integrated action.

• ✓

  Write Terraform configuration files

  Why this is correct

  Writing Terraform configuration files, typically in HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL), is the initial and foundational step in the core workflow. These files declaratively define the desired state of infrastructure resources, specifying providers, resources, data sources, variables, and outputs. This configuration serves as the single source of truth for Terraform to understand what infrastructure to manage.

• ✓

  Review the execution plan

  Why this is correct

  Reviewing the execution plan, generated by the `terraform plan` command, is a critical safety and validation step within the core workflow. This plan details exactly what actions Terraform proposes to take—creating, updating, or destroying resources—to achieve the desired state defined in the configuration files. It allows operators to inspect potential changes, identify unintended consequences, and ensure alignment with expectations before any infrastructure modifications are applied.

• ✗

  Commit changes to version control

  Why it's wrong here

  While committing changes to version control systems like Git is an essential best practice for managing Terraform configurations, it is not an intrinsic part of the core Terraform workflow itself. The workflow specifically encompasses the commands and processes Terraform uses to interact with infrastructure, such as `init`, `plan`, and `apply`. Version control is an external system used to manage the source code that feeds into this workflow, ensuring collaboration and history tracking.

• ✗

  Run unit tests on the configuration

  Why it's wrong here

  Running unit tests or other forms of automated testing on Terraform configurations, while highly recommended for ensuring code quality and correctness, is not considered a part of the core Terraform workflow. The workflow primarily focuses on the lifecycle of infrastructure provisioning and management through `init`, `plan`, and `apply` operations. Testing frameworks, like Terratest or `terraform test`, are external tools or features that complement the workflow by validating configurations before deployment.

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