Introduction to Terraform & it's basics

Concepts: Providers, Resources, Variables, Outputs

Learning Outcome

Imagine you are ordering furniture for a new office

Imagine you are ordering furniture for a new office

The store you buy furniture from is like the Provider

The items you purchase (tables, chairs, cabinets) are the Resources

Imagine you are ordering furniture for a new office

The custom options like color or size are like Variables

The final receipt showing what you purchased is similar to Outputs

Transition from Analogy to Technical Concept

In Terraform, infrastructure is created using similar building blocks

These building blocks are Providers, Resources, Variables and Outputs

Providers

Providers

Providers

Providers

What is a Provider ?

A Provider is a plugin that allows Terraform to interact with a specific platform or service.

It acts as a bridge between Terraform and external services

Examples of services Terraform can connect to:

• Amazon Web Services

• Microsoft Azure

• Google Cloud Platform

• Kubernetes

• GitHub

Why Providers are Needed

Terraform itself cannot directly communicate with cloud platforms

Providers help Terraform:

• Create resources

• Update resources

• Delete resources

• Manage infrastructure services

Example Provider Configuration

provider "aws" {

 region = "us-east-1"

}

This configuration tells Terraform:

Use the AWS provider and deploy resources in the us-east-1 region

What is a Resource ?

A Resource represents an infrastructure component that Terraform manages.

Resources can include:

• Virtual machines

• Networks

• Databases

• Storage buckets

• Load balancers

Each resource block defines what infrastructure should be created

What is a Resource ?

Example Resource

resource "aws_instance" "web_server" {

 ami           = "ami-123456"

 instance_type = "t2.micro"

}

Explanation:

• aws_instance → Type of resource

• web_server → Resource name

• Configuration inside the block defines how the resource should be created

This example creates an EC2 instance in AWS.

What are Variables ?

Variables allow you to parameterize Terraform configurations

Instead of hardcoding values, you can use variables so that the same configuration can be reused

Why Variables are Important

Variables help in:

• Making code reusable

• Improving flexibility

• Supporting multiple environments

What are Variables ?

Example:Different instance types for:

• Development

• Testing

• Production

Example Variable

variable "instance_type" {

 default = "t2.micro"

}

Using the variable in a resource:

instance_type = var.instance_type

This means Terraform will use the value stored in the variable

What are Outputs ?

Outputs allow Terraform to display useful information after infrastructure is created

They are commonly used to show:

• Public IP addresses

• DNS names

• Resource IDs

• Connection details

Example Output

output "instance_ip" {

 value = aws_instance.web_server.public_ip

}

After Terraform finishes execution, it will display the public IP of the created server

How These Components Work Together

Terraform infrastructure typically works like this:

1. Provider
   Connects Terraform to a cloud platform.

2. Variables
   Define configurable values.

3. Resources
   Define what infrastructure should be created.

Outputs
Display useful information after deployment.

How These Components Work Together

Example Terraform Configuration

provider "aws" {

 region = "us-east-1"

}

variable "instance_type" {

 default = "t2.micro"

}

resource "aws_instance" "web_server" {

 ami           = "ami-123456"

 instance_type = var.instance_type

}

output "instance_ip" {

 value = aws_instance.web_server.public_ip

}

This configuration:

• Connects to AWS

• Uses a variable for instance type

• Creates an EC2 instance

• Displays the instance public IP

Core Concepts (.....Slide N-3)

Key Points

Important Terraform Files

Common Terraform file extensions:

• .tf → Terraform configuration files

• .tfvars → Variable values

• .tfstate → Terraform state file

Summary

Which Terraform component acts as a bridge between Terraform and a cloud platform ?

Which Terraform component acts as a bridge between Terraform and a cloud platform ?

Which platform is mainly used for professional networking and B2B marketing ?