Terraform CLI overview - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - Terraform CLI overview

Start: User writes Terraform config

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Run 'terraform init'

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Terraform downloads providers

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Run 'terraform plan'

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Terraform shows planned changes

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Run 'terraform apply'

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Terraform creates/updates infrastructure

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Run 'terraform destroy'

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Terraform deletes infrastructure

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End

This flow shows how a user writes config, initializes Terraform, plans changes, applies them, and optionally destroys infrastructure.

Execution Sample

Terraform

terraform init
terraform plan
terraform apply
terraform destroy

These commands initialize Terraform, show planned changes, apply them, and destroy resources.

Process Table

Step	Command	Action	Result
1	terraform init	Initialize working directory and download providers	Providers downloaded, backend configured
2	terraform plan	Create execution plan	Shows what will be created/changed/destroyed
3	terraform apply	Apply changes to infrastructure	Resources created/updated as planned
4	terraform destroy	Destroy all managed infrastructure	Resources deleted
5	-	End of workflow	No further actions

💡 Workflow ends after destroy or when no further changes are needed

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After init	After plan	After apply	After destroy
Working Directory	Empty	Initialized with .terraform folder	Plan generated	Infrastructure state updated	Infrastructure state cleared
Providers	Not downloaded	Downloaded	Used for plan	Used for apply	Used for destroy
State File	None	None	None	Created/Updated	Cleared

Key Moments - 3 Insights

Why do we run 'terraform init' before other commands?

'terraform init' sets up the working directory and downloads necessary providers. Without it, 'plan' or 'apply' will fail. See execution_table step 1.

What does 'terraform plan' do if no changes are detected?

'terraform plan' will show that no changes are needed and no resources will be created or modified. This is shown in execution_table step 2.

Does 'terraform apply' always create new resources?

'terraform apply' only creates or updates resources if the plan shows changes. Otherwise, it does nothing. See execution_table step 3.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table, what is the result of running 'terraform init'?

A Resources created

B Execution plan created

C Providers downloaded, backend configured

D Resources destroyed

💡 Hint

Check execution_table row 1 under Result column

At which step does Terraform show what changes it will make?

A terraform plan

B terraform init

C terraform apply

D terraform destroy

💡 Hint

See execution_table step 2 Action and Result

If you want to remove all infrastructure, which command do you run?

A terraform plan

B terraform destroy

C terraform init

D terraform apply

💡 Hint

Look at execution_table step 4 Command and Result

Concept Snapshot

Terraform CLI commands:
- terraform init: sets up directory and downloads providers
- terraform plan: shows what changes will happen
- terraform apply: makes changes to infrastructure
- terraform destroy: deletes all managed resources
Always run init first before plan or apply.

Full Transcript

Terraform CLI is a set of commands to manage infrastructure. First, you write your configuration files. Then you run 'terraform init' to prepare your working directory and download necessary providers. Next, 'terraform plan' shows you what changes Terraform will make. If you agree, 'terraform apply' makes those changes to your cloud resources. When you want to remove everything, 'terraform destroy' deletes all managed infrastructure. This workflow helps you safely create, update, and delete cloud resources using simple commands.