Core Commands

• terraform init: Initializes a working directory containing Terraform configuration files. Downloads required providers and configures the backend.

  terraform init

• terraform plan: Generates an execution plan showing proposed infrastructure changes.

  terraform plan

• terraform apply: Applies changes to reach the desired infrastructure state. Use -auto-approve to skip confirmation.

  terraform apply  # Interactive mode
  terraform apply -auto-approve  # Skip prompt

• terraform destroy: Destroys all managed infrastructure. Use with caution!

  terraform destroy  # Interactive mode
  terraform destroy -auto-approve  # Skip prompt

• terraform validate: Checks configuration files for syntax and consistency.

  terraform validate

• terraform fmt: Rewrites configuration files to a standardized format.

  terraform fmt

• terraform show: Displays the current state or a saved plan in readable format.

  terraform show

• terraform output: Prints output values from the state file.

  terraform output

• terraform refresh: Syncs the state file with real-world infrastructure (rarely used directly).

  terraform refresh

State Management Commands

• terraform state list: Lists resources tracked in the state.

  terraform state list

• terraform state show <resource>: Displays details of a specific resource. Replace <resource> with the resource address.

  terraform state show aws_instance.web

• terraform state pull: Outputs the raw state data.

  terraform state pull > state.json

• terraform state push: Overwrites remote state with a local state file (use with caution).

  terraform state push terraform.tfstate

• terraform state mv: Moves a resource within the state (useful for refactoring).

  terraform state mv aws_instance.old aws_instance.new

• terraform state rm: Removes a resource from the state (does not destroy the resource).

  terraform state rm aws_instance.web

• terraform import <resource> <id>: Imports existing infrastructure into the state.

  terraform import aws_instance.web i-1234567890abcdef0

Workspace Commands

• terraform workspace new <name>: Creates a new workspace.

  terraform workspace new dev

• terraform workspace select <name>: Switches to a workspace.

  terraform workspace select prod

• terraform workspace list: Lists all workspaces.

  terraform workspace list

• terraform workspace delete <name>: Deletes a workspace.

  terraform workspace delete staging

Utility Commands

• terraform version: Shows Terraform and provider versions.

  terraform version

• terraform get: Downloads and updates modules.

  terraform get

• terraform graph: Generates a visual dependency graph.

  terraform graph | dot -Tsvg > graph.svg

• terraform taint <resource>: Forces recreation of a resource on the next apply.

  terraform taint aws_instance.web

• terraform untaint <resource>: Removes taint from a resource.

  terraform untaint aws_instance.web

Advanced Commands

• terraform force-unlock <lock-id>: Manually releases a stuck state lock.

  terraform force-unlock 3a0d98d0-0d1a-2345-6789-abc123def456

• terraform console: Launches an interactive console for testing expressions.

  terraform console

• terraform providers: Displays provider configurations.

  terraform providers

• terraform state replace-provider: Updates the provider in the state file.

  terraform state replace-provider hashicorp/aws registry.acme.corp/acme/aws

Environment Variables

• TF_LOG: Sets logging verbosity (e.g., TRACE, DEBUG, INFO).

  export TF_LOG=DEBUG

• TF_VAR_<variable_name>: Sets a Terraform variable via the environment.

  export TF_VAR_region="us-west-2"

• TF_CLI_ARGS: Passes global CLI arguments.

  export TF_CLI_ARGS="-input=false"

• TF_IN_AUTOMATION: Suppresses prompts in CI/CD environments.

  export TF_IN_AUTOMATION=true

Note: Always review Terraform plans carefully before applying changes. Use destructive commands like destroy and state push with caution.