Terraform Scenario Based Interview Questions and Answers | DevOps Interview

Summary

This video script offers an in-depth exploration of common Terraform interview questions, providing detailed answers and learning resources. It covers Terraform's basics, state file management, multi-cloud strategies, CI/CD integration, and secret handling. The script also delves into advanced topics like module usage, count feature advantages, and automated testing. Viewers are encouraged to request the document for a comprehensive guide and to suggest future topics like Docker or Kubernetes.

Takeaways

• 📝 Terraform is an Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tool that allows you to script infrastructure in the cloud using configuration files (TF files).
• 🔍 The state file in Terraform is crucial as it stores the current state of the managed infrastructure and is used to compare with the desired state to make updates.
• 🛠 To manage infrastructure created manually, you can use Terraform by first writing the configuration and then using the `terraform import` command to import existing resources into Terraform management.
• 🔄 Terraform supports multi-environment setups using either modules or workspaces, allowing the same code to be used with different configurations for various environments.
• 🗂️ The Terraform state file is a JSON or binary file that is vital for Terraform operations, and best practices include using remote storage, state locking, access control, automated backups, and environment separation.
• 💡 In case of accidental deletion of a state file, recovery from backups is the first step; if not available, manual recreation using `terraform import` is necessary.
• 🌐 When adopting a multicloud strategy, Terraform's cloud-agnostic nature allows managing resources across different cloud providers like AWS and Azure by defining respective providers.
• 🔧 Provisioners in Terraform can execute scripts post-resource creation, with options for local and remote execution depending on the requirement.
• 🚦 Blue-green deployments can be facilitated by Terraform by defining two sets of infrastructure resources and switching traffic between them using load balancers or DNS.
• 🔄 Integration of Terraform with CI/CD pipelines involves committing Terraform code to a repository, setting up pipelines for validation, planning, applying, and optionally, testing and deployment stages.
• 🔒 Managing secrets in Terraform is crucial, and best practices include avoiding hardcoding secrets in the code, using secret management tools, and passing sensitive data through input variables or environment variables.

Q & A

What is Terraform and how does it work?

Terraform is an Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tool that allows you to define your infrastructure using code. You write code for the infrastructure you want to create, then run Terraform commands to have it created in the cloud. Terraform uses a state file to store data on all the infrastructure it manages, comparing this with the actual cloud infrastructure to determine what needs to be created or deleted according to your configuration.

How can you import existing infrastructure into Terraform management?

To import existing infrastructure into Terraform, you first write the Terraform configuration for the resources. Then, you run the 'terraform import' command for each resource, specifying the resource type and its unique identifier. This adds the infrastructure to the Terraform state file, allowing it to be managed by Terraform.

How can you use the same Terraform code for multiple environments?

You can use the same Terraform code for multiple environments by using Terraform modules, which are reusable code templates, or Terraform workspaces, which allow for separate state files for different environments using the same codebase. Modules enable the use of different configurations through parameters or variables, while workspaces maintain separate state files for each environment.

What is the importance of the Terraform state file?

The Terraform state file is crucial as it stores the current state of the managed infrastructure. It acts as a blueprint, helping Terraform understand what's already set up and what changes need to be made by comparing the desired state with the current one in the state file, allowing for accurate updates to the infrastructure.

What steps should be taken if a Terraform state file is accidentally deleted?

If a Terraform state file is accidentally deleted, the first step is to recover from a backup if available. If no backup exists, you need to manually recreate the state file using the 'terraform import' command for each resource on the cloud, which can be time-consuming. It's essential to review and monitor the recreated state to ensure everything is working correctly.

What are some best practices for managing a Terraform state file?

Best practices for managing a Terraform state file include using remote storage like S3 or Azure Blob Storage, enabling state locking to prevent conflicts in concurrent operations, ensuring access control to limit access to authorized personnel, setting up automated backups to prevent data loss, and maintaining separate state files for different environments or using Terraform workspaces.

How can you structure your Terraform code to handle a multicloud strategy?

For a multicloud strategy, you define the providers for each cloud you intend to use, such as AWS and Azure. Then, you write the code for the resources you want to create in each cloud. Terraform being cloud-agnostic allows you to manage resources across different cloud providers simultaneously.

How can you run scripts after creating resources with Terraform?

You can run scripts after creating resources with Terraform using provisioners. Local and remote exec provisioners can be used to run commands or scripts locally or on remote machines, respectively. You define the provisioner in your Terraform configuration and specify the connection details if running remotely.

Can you perform blue-green deployments using Terraform and how?

Yes, Terraform can be used to set up blue-green deployments by defining two sets of infrastructure resources with slight variations. You create a new environment alongside the existing one and test it. If everything works as expected, you switch traffic using load balancers or DNS records to direct traffic to the new environment.

How can you integrate Terraform with CI/CD pipelines?

Terraform can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines by committing the Terraform code to a version control system and setting up a pipeline that executes Terraform commands such as 'init', 'validate', and 'plan'. The pipeline can be configured with stages for applying approved changes and optionally include testing and verification tools for syntax correctness.

How can you use Terraform with configuration management tools like Ansible or Chef?

Terraform can be used in conjunction with configuration management tools like Ansible or Chef. Terraform focuses on infrastructure provisioning, while tools like Ansible or Chef handle configuration tasks such as software installation, server configuration, and service management. This combination provides a comprehensive solution for infrastructure automation.

How can you manage secrets and sensitive data in Terraform?

To manage secrets in Terraform, you should never hardcode sensitive information in your Terraform code or push it to version control systems. Instead, use tools like HashiCorp Vault or cloud-specific secret management services like AWS Secrets Manager. Alternatively, you can use Terraform input variables or environment variables to pass sensitive information at runtime.

How can you specify dependencies between resources in Terraform?

In Terraform, you can specify dependencies between resources using the 'depends_on' attribute within the resource block. This allows you to define that one resource should be created before another, ensuring the correct order of operations.

Is it possible to destroy a single resource out of multiple resources using Terraform?

Yes, it is possible to destroy a single resource out of multiple resources using Terraform. You can use the 'terraform destroy' command with a '-target' attribute followed by the resource type and name to destroy a specific resource without affecting others.

What are the advantages of using Terraform's 'count' feature over resource duplication?

Using Terraform's 'count' feature over resource duplication allows you to dynamically create multiple instances of a resource based on a given condition or variable. It reduces code duplication, enables more efficient resource management, and promotes scalability.

What is Terraform's module registry and how can it be leveraged?

Terraform's module registry is a central repository for sharing and discovering Terraform modules. It allows users to publish and reuse modules, which are reusable and sharable components of Terraform configurations. By leveraging the module registry, you can easily discover existing modules that address your infrastructure needs, reducing the need for duplication of work.

How can you implement automated testing for Terraform code?

Automated testing for Terraform code can be implemented using tools like Terratest, TFLint, Kitchen-Terraform, and others. These tools help validate syntax, detect issues early, ensure the desired state matches the actual state, and involve creating test fixtures, defining test scenarios, and executing Terraform operations.

What considerations should be taken when migrating from one Terraform version to another?

When migrating Terraform versions, review the upgrade guide to understand changes, deprecations, and new features. Update configuration files accordingly, ensure thorough testing, monitor changes in non-prod environments before moving to production, document any changes, and provide training to team members.

Outlines

00:00

📘 Terraform Interview Questions Overview

This paragraph introduces the video's focus on the most frequently asked Terraform interview questions along with their answers and learning resources. The speaker presents a collection of real-time scenario-based and advanced Terraform questions, such as those related to CI/CD integration, automated testing, and version upgrades. Viewers are encouraged to watch the video in its entirety and request a PDF document containing the questions and answers for further study.

05:00

🛠 Terraform Basics and Importing AWS Resources

The speaker explains the fundamentals of Terraform as an Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tool, detailing its workflow from writing code to applying changes on cloud infrastructure using state files. A scenario-based question is addressed, illustrating how to import manually created AWS resources into Terraform's management through the configuration and execution of the 'terraform import' command.

10:02

🌐 Managing Multiple Environments with Terraform

This section discusses strategies for using the same Terraform code across multiple environments, such as development and production stages. Two approaches are highlighted: Terraform modules, which allow for code reuse with different configurations, and Terraform workspaces, which enable separate state files for each environment using the same code base. The importance of understanding these methods for efficient infrastructure management is emphasized.

15:03

🗂 Understanding the Importance of Terraform State Files

The role of the Terraform state file is explored, describing it as a critical component that stores information about managed infrastructure. The paragraph covers the consequences of a junior DevOps engineer accidentally deleting a state file and the steps to recover or recreate it using backups or the 'terraform import' command. Best practices for managing state files, including remote storage, state locking, and automated backups, are also presented.

20:04

🔌 Terraform in a Multicloud Strategy

The paragraph delves into structuring Terraform code to manage resources across multiple cloud providers, such as AWS and Azure, in the context of a multicloud strategy. It explains how to define providers and write code for resources on different clouds, emphasizing Terraform's cloud-agnostic nature and its ability to manage infrastructure across various platforms.

25:04

🔧 Running Bash Scripts Post-Terraform Provisioning

This section describes how to execute bash scripts after resource creation with Terraform using provisioners. It differentiates between local and remote exec provisioners and provides an example of using a remote exec provisioner to run commands on a remote machine via SSH. The importance of defining connection details for remote execution is also highlighted.

🚀 Blue-Green Deployments with Terraform

The concept of blue-green deployments is introduced as a strategy for high availability, where two identical environments are maintained. The paragraph explains how Terraform can be used to define and manage infrastructure for both environments, allowing for traffic switching between them using load balancers or DNS records to ensure minimal downtime during updates.

🔄 Integrating Terraform with CI/CD Pipelines

The importance of automating Terraform through CI/CD pipelines is discussed, with a focus on best practices for integrating Terraform with GitLab CI/CD. The process involves committing Terraform code to a remote repository, setting up a CI/CD pipeline with stages for planning, applying, and destroying infrastructure, and ensuring thorough testing and monitoring at each stage.

🤝 Combining Terraform with Configuration Management Tools

This paragraph explores the synergy between Terraform and configuration management tools like Ansible or Chef. It explains how Terraform can be used for infrastructure provisioning while Ansible and Chef handle configuration management tasks. The benefits of using these tools in conjunction for a comprehensive automation solution are emphasized.

🔒 Managing Secrets and Sensitive Data in Terraform

The paragraph addresses the critical issue of managing secrets and sensitive data within Terraform, outlining best practices to protect this information. It advises against hardcoding secrets in Terraform code and suggests using external tools like HashiCorp Vault or cloud-specific secret management services, as well as input variables or environment variables for secure handling of sensitive information.

➡️ Specifying Dependencies Between Terraform Resources

The concept of specifying dependencies between Terraform resources is explained, using the example of creating an EC2 instance before an RDS database. The 'depends_on' meta-argument is introduced as a method to define the order of resource creation, ensuring that dependent resources are managed correctly.

🗑️ Destroying Individual Resources in Terraform

This section discusses the possibility of selectively destroying individual resources within a Terraform configuration, rather than deleting all resources. It explains how to use the 'terraform destroy' command with a target attribute to specify the exact resource to be destroyed, avoiding the deletion of multiple resources unintentionally.

🔢 Advantages of Terraform's 'count' Feature

The benefits of using Terraform's 'count' feature over resource duplication are highlighted. The 'count' meta-argument allows for the dynamic creation of multiple instances of a resource based on conditions or variables, reducing code duplication and enabling more efficient resource management. The advantages of this approach are compared to manually rewriting code blocks multiple times.

📚 Terraform Module Registry

The Terraform Module Registry is introduced as a central repository for discovering and sharing reusable Terraform modules. The paragraph explains how leveraging the module registry can reduce the need for writing custom code by allowing users to reference and incorporate existing modules into their Terraform configurations, streamlining the infrastructure setup process.

🧪 Implementing Automated Testing for Terraform Code

The importance of automated testing in Terraform code is emphasized, with a discussion on the available tools and methods for implementing testing practices. The paragraph covers the use of Terraform's built-in commands like 'terraform validate' and 'terraform format', as well as third-party tools for linting, unit testing, integration testing, and static analysis to ensure code quality and infrastructure accuracy.

🔄 Migrating Terraform Infrastructure Across Versions

This paragraph addresses the process of migrating Terraform infrastructure from one version to another, specifically from version 1.7 to 1.8. It outlines the steps for a successful migration, including reviewing the upgrade guide, updating configuration files, conducting thorough testing, monitoring changes, and providing training to team members to ensure a smooth transition.

🗣️ Closing Remarks and Future Content Suggestions

The video concludes with an invitation for viewers to share their thoughts, ask questions, or request the document containing the interview questions and answers. The speaker also seeks feedback on what topics to cover in future videos, such as Docker or Kubernetes interview questions, demonstrating a commitment to providing valuable and relevant content.

Keywords

💡Terraform

Terraform is an Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tool that enables the creation and management of infrastructure through code. It is central to the video's theme, as it discusses various Terraform interview questions and answers. The script mentions Terraform's ability to define infrastructure in configuration files and interact with cloud providers to bring that infrastructure to life.

💡State File

A state file in Terraform is a crucial component that stores the current state of the managed infrastructure. It is used by Terraform to understand what changes need to be made to the infrastructure based on the desired state defined in the configuration files. The script emphasizes its importance and discusses how to handle scenarios where the state file is deleted or needs to be recreated.

💡Terraform Import

The Terraform import command is used to bring existing infrastructure under Terraform management. The script explains how to use this command to manage infrastructure that was previously created manually, by writing the necessary Terraform configuration and then using the import command with the resource type and unique ID.

💡Terraform Modules

Terraform modules are reusable code templates for infrastructure components. They allow for the creation of a single module that can be used with different configurations for various environments. The script discusses using modules as a way to use the same code for multiple environments by passing different parameters or variables.

💡Terraform Workspaces

Terraform workspaces provide a way to manage separate states for the same set of configuration files. Each workspace maintains its own state file, allowing for concurrent work on different environments without interference. The script mentions workspaces as an alternative approach to using modules for managing multiple environments.

💡CI/CD

CI/CD, or Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment, is a practice of automating the software development process. The script discusses integrating Terraform with CI/CD pipelines to automate infrastructure provisioning. It provides an example of using GitLab CI/CD to automate Terraform's resource creation and deletion.

💡Provisioners

In Terraform, provisioners are used to run scripts or commands on a machine after resource creation. The script explains how to use local and remote exec provisioners to run bash scripts after creating resources with Terraform, highlighting the difference between running commands locally or on remote machines.

💡Blue-Green Deployment

Blue-green deployment is a strategy that involves maintaining two identical environments, one active (blue) and one idle (green). The script discusses using Terraform to set up such an environment, allowing for zero-downtime deployments by switching traffic between the two environments using load balancers or DNS records.

💡Count Meta Argument

The count meta argument in Terraform is used to specify the number of instances of a resource to create. The script explains the advantages of using the count feature over resource duplication, such as reducing code duplication and enabling more efficient resource management by dynamically creating multiple instances based on a variable or condition.

💡Terraform Registry

The Terraform Registry is a central repository for sharing and discovering Terraform modules. The script describes it as a place to find pre-built modules for various infrastructure components, which can be used instead of writing custom code, thus reducing development time and effort.

💡Automated Testing

Automated testing in Terraform involves using tools to validate the syntax and desired state of the infrastructure. The script mentions tools like Terratest, TFLint, and Kitchen-Terraform for implementing automated testing to ensure that the Terraform code is correct and that infrastructure changes are properly validated.

💡Terraform Version Migration

The process of migrating from one Terraform version to another is discussed in the script. It involves reviewing the upgrade guide, updating configuration files, ensuring thorough testing, monitoring changes, and providing training to team members. The script uses the migration from version 1.7 to 1.8 as an example to illustrate the steps involved in version migration.

Highlights

Introduction to Terraform interview questions and answers, along with learning resources.

Explanation of Terraform as an Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tool and its basic workflow.

How to import existing infrastructure into Terraform for management.

Using Terraform modules and workspaces for managing multiple environments with the same code.

The importance and function of the Terraform state file in managing infrastructure.

Steps to resolve the accidental deletion of a Terraform state file.

Best practices for managing the Terraform state file, including remote storage and state locking.

Structuring Terraform code for multicloud strategies involving AWS and Azure.

Executing bash scripts post-resource creation using Terraform provisioners.

Implementing blue-green deployments for high availability with Terraform.

Integrating Terraform with CI/CD pipelines for automated infrastructure provisioning.

Combining Terraform with configuration management tools like Ansible or Chef.

Managing secrets and sensitive data in Terraform without hardcoding.

Specifying dependencies between resources in Terraform to control creation order.

Destroying a single resource out of multiple using Terraform's target attribute.

Advantages of using Terraform's count feature over resource duplication.

Introduction to Terraform's module registry for discovering and reusing modules.

Implementing automated testing for Terraform code using various tools.

Considerations for migrating from one Terraform version to another, such as from 1.7 to 1.8.

Transcripts

in this video we look at most asked

terraform interview questions along with

answers and also learning resources to

help you out all right so I'm here on my

computer screen and I have all this

different terraform interview questions

along with answers and also learning

materials to help you understand each

topic properly now in this document I

have mostly realtime scenario based

terraform interview questions but I've

also included some Advanced terraform

interview questions like cicd with

terraform automated testing in terraform

upgrading terraform version and lot more

so make sure you watch this video till

the end and if you want me to share this

document with you comment down terrafirm

interview questions and answers and I

will share this document as a PDF on

LinkedIn and also share the link of this

document in the video description now

with that being said let's get started

with this terraform interview questions

and answers video let's go so whenever

you sit for a terraform interview the

first typical question that you will get

is going to be what is terraform and how

it works so we all know terraform is an

infrastructure ased code tool that lets

you write the code for the

infrastructure that you want to create

in the cloud when you write the code you

then run the terraform commands and

terraform will create this

infrastructure in the cloud terraform

does this using the state file so a

state file in terraform is a file that

will store the data of all the

infrastructure managed through terraform

and terraform uses the state file to

compare with the actual infrastructure

on the cloud to tell us what is going to

be created or deleted according to the

configuration you have in these files so

this is how terraform works and if you

look at the answer here terraform is an

IC tool that lets you write code to

Define and manage your infrastructure

you describe your desired infrastructure

in the configuration files which are

these files here the TF

files and then terraform figures out

what needs to be done to achieve the

state and then make it happen by

interacting with Cloud providers or

other infrastructure platform here is

the workflow you you first write the

code you then plan to check what is

going to be created or deleted and then

you apply to have that infrastructure on

the cloud so this is how terraform Works

moving on the next question is a

scenario based question where it says a

devops engineer manually created

infrastructure on AWS and now there is a

requirement to use terraform to manage

it how would you import this resources

in the terraform code okay so according

to this question engineer has created

some infrastructure on AWS manually and

now they want this infrastructure to be

managed through terraform so how can you

do that so let's consider either this is

an infrastructure or an ec2 instance

created manually through AWS console and

now you want this to be managed through

terraform so for an infrastructure to be

managed through terraform it has to be

present inside the state file which is

this state file here so we will start

with creating the configuration first it

will create the code which is going to

be a resource block for this particular

instance specifying the instance type

specifying uh the Ami used and all the

other things once you write the code for

this to be inside the state file we will

run the terraform import command so if

you look at the answer here we we first

write the terraform configuration for

the resources that we want to be managed

through terraform once we write the code

then we run the terraform import command

and here is the command here so

terraform import with the resource type

and the unique ID so we run terraform

import command for each resource

specifying the resource type and its

unique identifier once you follow these

two steps then the infrastructure will

be managed through terraform and not

manually so we have to repeat these

steps or repeat this process for each

resource that we want to manage through

terraform now if you want to learn more

about how terraform import works here is

a great blog by terraform itself where

they will tell you how you can use

terraform uh import command to manage

infrastructure through terraform rather

than

manually moving on the next scenario

based question is you have multiple

environments Dev stage fraud for your

application and you want to use the same

code for all these environments how can

you do that

so according to the question there are

different environments for an

application and you want to use the same

terraform code for all these different

environments how can you do that to

achieve this we have actually two

different approaches the first is using

terraform modules and the second is

using terraform workspaces so what is

terraform module a terraform model is a

block of code or a code template for

infrastructure components and you define

them once and then you can use them with

different configurations for various

environments by passing in different

parameters or different variables so

this is the first approach where you can

use the same code for different

environments the second one is using

terraform workspaces using workspaces

you will have different state files for

different environments using the same

code so you terraform workspace provides

a way to manage separate states for same

set of configuration file each workspace

maintains its own safe file allowing you

to work on different environments

concurrently without interfering with

each other here is a great block that

will help you understand how you can use

the same code with with different

multiple environments using uh the

terraform module approach and also using

the terraform workspace approach I

recommend you checking this out if you

want to learn more about how you can use

the same code with different

environments moving on the next question

is what is terraform State file and why

it is important so we already know State

file is something that is going to have

information about the resources managed

through terraform and this is usually a

Json file so if you look here terraform

State file is a Json or a binary file

that stores the current state of the

managed infrastructure State file is

like a blueprint that stores information

about the infrastructure you manage and

it is crucial because it helps teram

understand what's already set up what

changes need to be made by comparing the

desired state with the current one in

the state file terraform can make

accurate updates to your infrastructure

so this means terraform State file is

very important for terraform to work

because using State file terraform

actually compares the configuration with

what you have on the cloud and then it

will actually create to delete stuff so

terraform State file is a Json file

which is very important for terraform to

work so next question is a scenario

based question a junior devops engineer

accidentally deleted a state file what

step should we take to resolve this so

we already know State file is very very

important and in this question a junior

devops engineer has accidentally deleted

a state file what step should we take to

recreate it or resolve this so as we

know state is import State file is

important it is always recommended to

take backups so the first step is going

to recover backup if there is a backup

available try to restore the state file

from the backup if there is no backup

then you need to manually create State

file which is very timec consuming and

you can do this by using terraform

import command so you will check what

resources are there on the cloud and

using terraform import command you will

import every single resource and put

them into the state file to recreate the

state file here is another great blog

where the author accidentally deleted

the state file and then using terao

import command they recreated the state

file so here is the terraform import

command on how they use terraform import

to recreate State file so make sure you

always take backups if there are no

backups you will have to recreate it

manually using terraform import command

checking each resource on the cloud once

you do that make make sure to review and

monitor if everything is working fine if

you get this question in the interview

the followup question would be what are

some best practices to manage terraform

State file so as we know terraform State

file is important and I've been

continuously saying this here are some

best practices to make make sure that

you properly manage your state file the

first best practice is to use remote

storage so rather than storing your

state file locally in your local machine

like this you can store your state file

on remote backends like S3 Azure blob

storage console and lot more so you

should always store the state file

remotely for safety collaboration and

Version Control second is State locking

when you store your state files on

remote backends you will obviously have

collaboration which means multiple

people will constantly update the state

file by running different terraform

commands so you need to enable State

locking to make sure there are no

conflicts whenever multiple people are

changing the state file uh so State

locking will prevent conflicts in

concurrent operations next is to access

control make sure only authorized people

or Services have access to the state

file to avoid deletion or Corruption of

the state file next is automated backups

make sure to set up automated backups to

prevent data loss for the state file and

lastly

environment separation maintain separate

State files for each environments or

utilize terraform workspace to manage

multiple State file so here are some

different best practices to manage

terraform State five let let's move on

the next question is your team is

adopting a multicloud strategy and you

need to manage resources on both AWS and

Azure using terraform so how do you

structure your terraform code to handle

this so according to the question your

team is adopting multicloud strategy

where you want to create code on AWS as

well as on azure so how can you do that

so we already know terraform is a cloud

agnostic which means terraform can work

on different clouds at once so you can

also create resources on AWS also on

Azure also on

gcp so you will do that by first

defining the providers if you want to

create resources in AWS you will have to

Define AWS as a provider in this case we

are creating resources in AWS and Azure

so we will Define provider for AWS and

Azure as well once you define the

provider you will then start with

writing the code for the resources you

want to create in AWS and Azure so here

are two steps first you define the

provider then you write the code for

different resources you want to

create moving on the next scenario based

question is there are some bash scripts

that you want to run after creating your

resources with terraform how how would

you achieve this so you have some bat

scripts that you want to run after the

resources are created you can do this

using provisioners in terraform so there

are three different types of

provisioners in terraform there is file

provisioner local ex provisional and

remote exact provisional for us to run

bash scripts we can use local exact

provisional and remote exec provisional

the difference between these two are

local exec provisioners are used to run

commands in your local machine remote

exec provisioners are used to run

commands or run scripts inside your

remote machines so here is a simple

example we are using a provisioner which

is a remote exec provisioner and we

using we are running some commands here

the first command is to give permissions

for the script that you want to run and

the second command is to actually run

the script when you use remote or file

provisional you also need to define the

connection block which is how you will

connect to the remote machine where you

want to run your scripts so you can see

the explanation here in this

configuration we using a remote exit

provisioner which executes A bash

command on a remote machine via

SSH you need to provide the necessary

connection details such as SSH user

private key and the host so this is how

you can run bash scripts uh using remote

exact provisioner if you want to run it

on remote machine if you want to run it

toally you can use local exact provision

as

well moving on the next question is your

company is looking ways to enable High

availability how can you perform blue

green deployments using terraform this

is a very nice question and I have got

this question a lot of times when

sitting for interviews so what is Blu

green deployment a Blu green deployment

is a strategy where you have two

identical environments a blue one and a

green one like this according to the

question the question is asking how can

you use terraform to set up a blue green

environment so you can use terraform you

can actually you can obviously use

terraform to do this so terraform

facilitates this by defining two sets of

infrastructure Resources with slight

variation so maybe you can have two

different Autos scaling groups or two

different Azure virtual machine scale

sets what you can do is you can create a

new environment alongside with the

existing one which is going to be the

green one and you will test if

everything is working in the new

environment if everything works properly

you can then switch the traffic either

using uh load balances or using DNS

records so you can see you first create

the new environment alongside with the

existing one you validate if everything

is working fine in the green environment

and if it is working fine you can then

use application Road balancer or DNS

records to switch traffic between these

two again to understand this more

clearly I also have another uh blog or

documentation

by by terraform itself and they have

defined how you can use terraform for

bluprint deployment or for Canary and

rolling deployment as well so go through

this to understand more on how you can

use terraform to set this up moving on

the next question is your company wants

to automate terraform through cicd

pipelines how can you integrate

terraform with cicd pipelines this is

again very very important because every

company is using cicd pipelines to

automate the terraform infrastructure

provisioning so make sure you go through

this answer very properly I have also

explained this very thoroughly in this

particular video where we have used

gitlab cicd to automate terraform

resource creation and deletion so inside

this video we have created a cicd

pipeline using gitlab in this cicd

pipeline we have different stages for in

it for a plan apply and Destroy so

similarly for you to set up or automate

your terraform through cicd pipeline you

need to First push the terraform code

this code onto uh remote repository like

GitHub or gitlab wherever you want to

set up your cicd pipeline once you have

your code there you can then start with

writing the cicd script uh which will

have different stages for in it for

validate for plan for apply for apply

you can either do it manually where you

will create uh where you will create

merge request every time there's a

change in the terraform code and once it

is approved only then resource should be

created also you can set up approval for

deletion as well so here are the

different steps you first commit the

code to Version Control System set up a

cicd pipeline that will check every time

you make a change inside your terraform

code and you push it to this repository

terraform the CD pipeline will run

in the pipeline you can execute

terraform commands such as init validate

and plan to ensure the configurations

are valid and generate an execution plan

you can do this by defining different

stages in the

pipeline use Terra forly command to

create or modify infrastructure based on

approved changes so whenever whenever

you make a change you can then create a

merge request when this merge request is

accepted only then the apply stage

should be done optionally you can also

use testing and verification tool to

validate and deploy infrastructure so

you can include different uh different

Frameworks or different tools to include

testing or to make sure your your

terraform syntax is correct finally

trigger additional pipeline stages for

application deployment and testing and

release optionally you can also have

other cicd pipelines where you can use

you can also add other cicd pipelines

for application deployment testing and

release so this is how you can integrate

cicd pipelines with terraform I highly

recommend you checking out this video

where I've explained step by step on how

you can use cicd with terraform to

automate deployment on the

cloud moving on the next question is

describe how you can use terraform with

infrastructure deployment tools like

anible or Chef so in this question it is

asking how you can use terraform with

configuration management tools like

Terra like anible or Chef so we all know

terraform is an infrastructure

provisioning tool which is used to

create infrastructure whereas anible or

Chef are configuration management tools

which are used to configure stuff so

using terraform you can create E2

instances but using anible you can

install something on it so terraform can

be used in conjunction with

infrastructure deployment tools like

anible or Chef to manage infrastructure

provisioning and configuration anible

and Chef can handle tasks such as

installing a software configuring

servers managing Services while

terraform focuses on infrastructure

provisioning and orchestration so it is

a very good practice to use these two

tools together to create or achieve a

comprehensive infrastructure automation

solution now if you have confusion

between what what is terraform and what

is anible and how they are different you

can check out this video where I've

explained how terraform and anible are

different from each other and what is

what do they actually

do so you can use terraform with anible

and that we have answered here moving on

the next question is your infrastructure

contains database passwords and other

sensitive information how can you manage

secrets and sensitive data in terraform

this is a very very important question

compan companies are very concerned

about how you manage Secrets when

working with terraform so you need to

know how to manage Secrets like database

passwords credentials when working with

terraform here are some best practices

that you can follow to manage Secrets

when working in terraform the first best

practice is never hard Cod secrets in

your terraform code never put your uh

database passwords never put your

credentials inside terraform code

because anyone will be able to see it

even if you push it on uh repositories

everyone will be able to see it so never

hardcoded in your code you can store

Secrets outside Version Control files

never push them on GitHub as well and

you can rather than rather than storing

it inside the code you can use tools

like hashiko Vault or also Cloud

specific secret Management Services like

Secrets manager in AWS also opt you can

also use terraform input variables or

environment variables where you can pass

this information while you run the

commands rather than storing them in the

code so here are few uh different best

practices that you can use to make sure

that you can protect sensitive

information and minimize the risk of

exposing Secrets

intentionally or unintentionally so

moving on the next question is you have

RDS database and ec2 instance created

using terraform ec2 instance should be

created before RDS how can you specify

dependencies between two resources so

you have RDS database and you also have

ec2 instances you want this ec2 instance

to be created before the RDS is created

so to do that you can use a meta

argument which is a depends on meta

arguments using this depends on met

argument you can Define that the ec2

should be created first and then the Rd

should be created so in terraform you

can specify dependencies between

resources using dependon attribute

within the resource block and I've

explained this again in this video where

I've shown how you can use dependon

argument to create resources first so

make sure to watch this video if you

want to learn how you can use dependon

meta argument to create resources before

any other

resource moving on the next question is

you have 20 servers you have 20 servers

created through terraform but you want

to delete one of them is it possible to

destroy a single resource out of

multiple resources using terraform so

this is again a very tricky question

whenever you want to delete stuff

through terraform you will run the

terraform destroy command but when you

run terraform destroy command everything

that is defined inside your

configuration will be deleted so let's

say you have 20 servers how can you

delete one of them so if you want to

delete just one of the resources defined

among the 20 resources in the terraform

you can use terraform destroy command

with a Target attribute here so it is

possible we can use terraform destroy

Target command followed by the resource

type and the name to destroy a specific

resource so you can use Target with the

instance that you want to create that

you want to delete and it will only

delete the particular instance rather

than deleting all the 20

servers and again there's a

documentation by ashiko which will tell

you how you can use terraform destroy

with a Target attribute here so make

sure you go through this if you want to

understand more on how you can destroy a

particular resource rather than

destroying

everything now moving on the next

question is what are advantages of using

terraforms count feature over resource

duplication so in this question they're

asking you what is the advantage of

using count instead of resource

duplication so a count feature or count

meta argument is used to define how many

resources you want to create for example

you can check here here is the code to

create AWS instance in this block of

code we are defining count as four which

means it will create four instances of

these configuration other way to do this

is to rewrite the code four time with

this I'm not writing this code four

times so this is the benefit using count

you are you can create as many resources

as you want without actually writing the

code so using using terraforms count

feature provides advantage over resource

duplication by allowing you to

dynamically create multiple instances of

a resource based on given condition or a

variable with count you can define a

resource block with the count value that

evaluates an expression such as variable

or conditional statement this reduces

code duplication and enable more

efficient resource management and

scalability so it is always always

advised to use count rather than

defining your code blocks multiple times

you can also add some Advanced

Expressions to enhance your terraform

code here is the official documentation

by terraform on count met argument I

also have a short video on how you can

use count and count. index so if you

want you can check it

out moving on the next question is what

is terraforms module registry and how

can you leverage it this is again

something that you need to know if you

are working on terraform module registry

is a place where you can find different

modules that you can use rather than

writing the code yourself so here is the

module registry where are different

where you have different modules there

is a module for IM IM there is a module

for VPC for S3 bucket for eks everything

so let's say you want to create eks

cluster rather than writing the code

yourself you can just go ahead and use

this module if you want to check the

code for the module you can also check

the code here this module is created by

Anton uh and then the code is present

here on the GitHub so module registry is

like a place where you can find all the

different modules that you can reuse

rather than writing the code yourself so

terraforms module registry is a central

repository for sharing and discovering

terraform modules the module registry

allow users to publish their modules

which are reusable and sharable

components of terraform configuration by

leveraging the module register you can

easily discover existing modules that

address your your infrastructure need

reducing the duplication of f word and

you can reference modules in your

terraform code using their registry URL

andion for you to use any particular

module you can see a block here inside

the module block you can define a source

as the module that you want to

use now moving on the next question is

how can you implement automated testing

for terraform code this is again very

important security is something that you

need to put everywhere even in your

terraform code so how can you implement

automated testing by default terraform

provides you with terraform validate and

terraform format command which will

check the syntax and also format the

code according to terraform best

practice but along with this you can

also use other code other tools like

terat test uh TF lint there's also

kitchen terraform and a lot more I have

defined all the tools here so for you to

a for you to enable or Implement

automated testing uh you can use all

these different tools

so why do we use automated testing we

use automated t tting to validate if the

syntax is correct or if there are any

infrastructure changes to validate if

the syntax is correct to detect issues

earlier and also to ensure the desired

State matches the actual State uh this

involves creating text fixtures test

fixtures defining test scenarios

executing terraform operations and all

this so different tools that are used

for unit testing you can use terraform

Terra compliance or Terra test for

integration testing you can use Terra

Test Kitchen terraform for linting you

can use TF lint or check off and then

other tools as well for static analysis

for mocking for everything else here is

another great block on medium uh for

testing on terraform so you can go and

check it out if you want to know how to

enable automated

testing moving on the last question we

have is you are tasked with migrating

your existing infrastructure from

terraform version 1.7 to version 1.8

which is the latest version as of now so

what kind of considerations would you

take so whenever you are tasked with

migration how would you do the migration

from a particular version to another

version so whenever upgrading a

terraform version from a particular

version to another version always the

first step is to always review the

upgrade guide whenever terraform

releases a new version there is always

going to be a documentation similar to

this so you can see you can find how you

can upgrade a terraform to a particular

version which is version 1.8 the latest

one as of now so first step is to review

upgrade guide to understand what changes

are there what what has been deprecated

and then new features once you do that

you will then update your configuration

files according to the changes of the

new syntax and to handle deprecated

features as well ensure thorough testing

monitor after you make the change

monitor if everything is working fine

always check on the nonpr environments

before you shift to the prod environment

obviously and then document any changes

and also provide training to your Terra

to your team members this this is how

you should be upgrading a terraform

version from one version to another so

now in this video we have now covered a

very important terraform interview

questions I hope this video was

informative if you have any questions

any doubt do let me know in the comment

section also comment down if you want me

to share this document with you and also

comment down what should we cover next

should we

cover Docker interview questions or

kubernetes interview question let me

know in the com let me know in the

comment section thank you and have a

good day