Terraform CLI overview - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ service_behavior

intermediate

Terraform CLI: Understanding terraform init

What is the primary effect of running terraform init in a new Terraform project directory?

A It initializes the backend, downloads provider plugins, and prepares the working directory.

B It applies the planned infrastructure changes to the cloud provider.

C It generates a plan showing what changes Terraform will make.

D It destroys all existing infrastructure managed by Terraform.

💡 Hint

Think about what setup steps Terraform needs before managing infrastructure.

terraform init sets up the working directory by initializing the backend and downloading required provider plugins. It does not apply or plan changes.

❓ service_behavior

intermediate

Terraform CLI: terraform plan output

After running terraform plan, what does the output primarily show?

A The list of all Terraform commands available.

B The current state of all resources in the cloud provider.

C A summary of the infrastructure changes Terraform will make if applied.

D The detailed logs of the last apply operation.

💡 Hint

Consider what you want to see before making changes.

terraform plan shows a preview of changes Terraform will perform, helping users review before applying.

❓ Configuration

advanced

Terraform CLI: Correct command to apply changes

Which Terraform CLI command applies the planned infrastructure changes to the cloud provider?

A terraform apply

B terraform init

C terraform plan

D terraform validate

💡 Hint

Think about which command actually makes changes.

terraform apply executes the changes to create, update, or delete resources as planned.

❓ security

advanced

Terraform CLI: Handling sensitive data

Which Terraform CLI command helps check if your configuration files are syntactically valid and can catch errors before applying?

A terraform destroy

B terraform plan

C terraform apply

D terraform validate

💡 Hint

Think about a command that checks correctness without making changes.

terraform validate checks the syntax and internal consistency of configuration files without contacting providers or making changes.

❓ Architecture

expert

Terraform CLI: Understanding terraform destroy behavior

What is the result of running terraform destroy in a Terraform-managed infrastructure?

A It only deletes resources that were manually created outside Terraform.

B It deletes all resources managed by Terraform in the current state.

C It creates a backup of the current infrastructure state without deleting resources.

D It updates the infrastructure to match the latest configuration without deleting anything.

💡 Hint

Consider what 'destroy' means in Terraform context.

terraform destroy removes all resources tracked in the current Terraform state, effectively deleting the infrastructure.