Terraform is an open-source infrastructure as code (IaC) tool that allows you to use declarative commands to write code. Just describe what you want Terraform to do, and it’ll create and execute a plan to reach that goal. Part of learning how to use Terraform is simply playing around with it and discovering what it can do, but a bit of learning can also help. Here’s how you can use Terraform in conjunction with providers.
1. Decide Which Providers You Want to Use
Terraform has partnered with over 500 different companies that it can utilize when writing and executing code. Your first step will be to look through all the Terraform provider options and see what providers you might be interested in using. It could be that you’re already using some of these providers and you want Terraform to help you use them more effectively, or it could be that you want to implement certain providers as part of your company’s infrastructure.
2. Learn How You Can Use the Providers’ Services Outside of Terraform
It’s important that you look into the different ways you can use Terraform providers’ services outside of Terraform as well. Though you can use Terraform in a variety of ways to maximize your usage of these providers, you can also use them on their own, which can make your investment pay off much more thoroughly. After all, while Terraform is open-source and doesn’t require a paid subscription, most Terraform providers do require some kind of subscription.
3. Craft Commands Through Terraform’s Declarative Code
Next, it’s time to learn how to craft commands using Terraform’s unique method of declarative code. With imperative code, which is how people typically write code, you have to write the code step-by-step. However, Terraform allows you to use declarative code, which just allows you to describe your desired end state and have the program create that end state. Declarative code is a simpler method of writing code, giving you more time to focus on other elements of your code-writing process.
4. Scale When You Need It
One of the benefits of Terraform is that it can scale with your company. You can use it to create code for anything from extremely small organizations to gigantic Fortune 500 companies and everything in between. Scaling your company’s operations is simple with Terraform, and it’s even simpler when you use Terraform partners that are built for those types of scaling. Once you need bigger options, you can scale your Terraform code-writing.
Conclusion
Terraform is a great tool for a variety of software development needs. Essentially, it helps you automate the things that you can automate, giving you the space you need to turn your human brain toward the parts of the code that you can most effectively work on. Working with Terraform providers means that you can do even more with the open-source program. Choose the right providers with Terraform to get the most out of your declarative code-writing. Choose the right providers with Terraform to get the most out of your declarative code-writing.
