Questions and Answers of Terraform IaC asked in Interviews

Rajeev Reddy Nareddula 12/05/2023

What is Terraform?

Answer: Terraform is an open-source infrastructure as code (IaC) tool created by HashiCorp. It allows you to define your infrastructure using a declarative configuration language called HCL (HashiCorp Configuration Language) and automate the provisioning and management of that infrastructure across multiple cloud platforms, including AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and IBM Cloud.

What are the benefits of using Terraform for infrastructure management?

Answer: There are several benefits of using Terraform for infrastructure management:

a) Infrastructure as Code: Terraform allows you to define your infrastructure as code, which makes it easier to manage, version control, and automate your infrastructure.

b) Multi-Cloud Support: Terraform supports multiple cloud platforms, which allows you to easily migrate workloads between clouds or use multiple clouds for redundancy or cost savings.

c) Resource Provisioning: Terraform automates the provisioning of resources, which reduces manual intervention and errors.

d) Resource Management: Terraform allows you to manage resources throughout their lifecycle, including creation, modification, and deletion.

e) Collaboration: Terraform supports collaboration through version control systems like Git, which allows multiple developers to work on the same infrastructure definition simultaneously.

How does Terraform handle resource dependencies?

Answer: Terraform uses a concept called resource dependencies to handle dependencies between resources. Resource dependencies are specified in the configuration file using the `depends_on` attribute, which specifies that a resource should be created after another resource has been created or updated. This ensures that resources are created in the correct order and avoids race conditions or dependency issues.

What are some best practices for using Terraform?

Answer: Here are some best practices for using Terraform:

a) Use version control: Use version control to manage your configuration files and track changes over time. This allows you to easily roll back changes if necessary and collaborate with other developers.

b) Use modules: Use modules to organize your configuration files into reusable components that can be easily shared and reused across different environments or projects. This reduces duplication of effort and improves maintainability.

c) Use environment variables: Use environment variables to store sensitive information like passwords or API keys outside of your configuration files. This allows you to easily manage and rotate these values without having to modify your configuration files.

d) Use output variables: Use output variables to expose information about your infrastructure that can be used by other resources or applications. This reduces duplication of effort and improves consistency across your infrastructure.

e) Use provider plugins: Use provider plugins to add support for new cloud platforms or services without having to modify your configuration files. This allows you to easily adapt your infrastructure definitions to new environments or services without having to rewrite your code.

How does Terraform differ from other IaC tools like Ansible or Chef?

A: While Ansible and Chef are configuration management tools, Terraform focuses on infrastructure provisioning. Terraform can create, manage, and destroy infrastructure resources, while Ansible and Chef focus on configuring and managing software on existing infrastructure.