Terraform Interview Question & Answers
Suppose, you’re interested in DevOps engineering and are thinking about a career. Terraform is part of DevOps. So mostly asked to terraform-related questions, then you need to be prepared for some difficult Terraform interview questions. So you can understand easily.
Top Terraform Interview Questions and Answers
Here are the Top 50 Terraform Questions and Answers:
1. What precisely do you mean by AWS Terraform?
Terraform is an AWS DevOps Skill member and an advanced technology partner in the AWS Partner Network (APN). It is similar to AWS Cloud Formation in that it is a “code as infrastructure” tool for creating, modifying, and versioning your AWS infrastructure.
2. What are the primary features of Terraform?
Terraform enables you to manage your infrastructures as code and build them as required. Below are a few of its primary features:
– A platform that enables users to view functions.
– It Capability to convert HCL code to JSON format
– A configuration language with interpolation capability.
– A module count maintains track of the number of modules installed on the infrastructure.
3. Which Terraform commands are the most useful?
Some of the most useful Terraform commands:
- Terraform init – initializes the current directory.
- Terraform refresh – This command restores the state file.
- Terraform output – sees Terraform outputs.
- Terraform applies – runs Terraform code and produces items.
- Terraform destroys – destroys what Terraform has created.
- Terraform graph – generates a DOT-formatted graph.
- Terraform plan – a test to show what Terraform can achieve.
4. Should callbacks be used with Terraform on Azure?
Callbacks are standard on Azure while utilizing Azure Event Hubs. Terraform’s Azure supplier offers customers simple functionality. Microsoft Azure Cloud Shell includes a Terraform occurrence that has already been set up.
5. What identically is Terraform init?
Terraform init is a control used to create an operational index holding Terraform pattern files. This control can be used at various times. It should be the first command run after making a new Terraform design.
6. What exactly is Terraform D?
Terraform D is a plugin that is installed on a large number of operating systems and Windows. By default, Terraform identifier searches the following directories for plugins.
7. Is the past similar on the web as it is when using the TFS API to deliver resources?
Yes, the narrative is comparable to the web because UI uses API as its foundation. Everything on the UI is available via additional methods and the API.
8. What does Terraform serve in DevOps?
Terraform makes use of the HashiCorp Configuration Language, which is similar to JSON (HCL). HCL provides a single syntax that enables DevOps teams to immediately declare and verify infrastructure settings over clouds and data centres.
9. In Terraform, define a null resource.
A null resource implements the standard source library, but no further activity is done. The triggers option accepts an arbitrary list of values that will induce resource replacement when updated.
10. What is a Terraform cloud, identically?
Terraform Cloud is a platform that allows teams to collaborate on Terraform as needed or in response to different circumstances. Unlike a general-purpose continuous deployment solution, it is tightly connected with Terraform’s processes and data. It includes simple access to common state and secret data, specific policy controls for updating infrastructure and guiding Terraform content, a private registry for sharing Terraform modules, and much more.
11. Justify Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
Oracle cloud is a cloud computing service provided by Oracle Corporation that provides storage, servers, applications, services, and networks across a worldwide network of managed data centres. The firm provides these services on-demand over the Internet.
12. What exactly do you mean by terraforming the backend?
A backend may be specified for any Terraform setup, which defines two key things:
- Where activities are carried out
- Where is the state saved? (In a state file, Terraform maintains track of all the resources that are produced.)
13. What other version controls does Terraform support except GitHub?
The GitLab EE, GitLab CE, and Bucket cloud were all supported by the version controls.
14. Who are Terraform’s key challengers?
Azure Management Tools, Morpheus, CloudHealth, Turbonomic, and CloudBolt are some of the significant rivals and alternatives to Terraform.
15. What is the purpose of Terraform CLI and what are some basic CLI commands?
Terraform’s Command-Line Interface (CLI) can be used to maintain infrastructure and interact with Terraform state, configuration files, providers, and other components.
Here are a few fundamental CLI commands:
- Terraform init – Sets up your working directory for subsequent tasks.
- Terraform destroy – destroys existing structural infrastructure.
- Terraform verify – validates the configuration.
- Terraform applies – constructs or modifies the infrastructure.
- Terraform plan – displays changes required by the current configuration.
16. What are Terraform systems?
A module in Terraform is a container for many resources utilized together. The root module comprises the resources indicated in the. it is necessary for all Terraforms.
17. What exactly is a Secret Module Registry?
A Secret Module Registry is a Terraform Cloud feature that allows you to distribute Terraform modules within your business. On the registry, you may impose restrictions or “sentinel policies” that dictate how members of your organization can use the modules.
18. Is Terraform suitable for on-premise infrastructure?
Terraform may be used to build on-premises infrastructure. We can choose the best service because there are so many options. All we require is an API.
19. Do multi-provider deployments work with Terraform?
Yes, Terraform supports multi-provider installations, including on-premises deployments such as OpenStack and VMware, as well as SDN management.
Recommended Practices for VMware vSphere.
20. How is a duplicate resource error handled when using Terraform?
We can experiment with the following options:
– Remove those resources from the cloud provider’s API and reconstruct them with Terraform.
– To stop Terraform code from managing such resources, delete them.
– Perform a terraform import of the resource and delete the code that is attempting to replicate it.
21. List all version controls that Terraform supports.
The following version controls are supported:
- DevOps Services in Azure
- DevOps Server on Azure
- GitHub Server
- Cloud Bitbucket
- EE and CE for Gitlab
- Gitlab.com
- GitHub Business
- GitHub.com (OAuth) (OAuth)
- GitHub.com
22. What are some of the Terraform built-in provisioners?
Here is a list of Terraform’s built-in provisioners:
– Salt-masterless Provisioners
– Remote-exec Provisioners
– Local-exec Provisioner
– Puppet Provisioner
– Provisioner File Provisioner
– Habitat Provisioner
– Provisioner Chef
23. Which command demolishes Terraform’s controlled infrastructure?
Destruct terraform [options] [folder]
24. Describe any prominent Terraform applications.
Terraform’s uses are quite diverse because of its ability to enhance its resource manipulation capabilities. Among the unusual applications are:
– Development of software demonstrations.
– Resource schedulers.
– Deploying several clouds.
– Environments that can be discarded.
– Multi-tiered app development.
– Self-service clusters.
– The Heroku App.
25 What elements comprise Terraform architecture?
The Terraform architecture has the following characteristics:
– Expression Evaluation
– Sub-graphs
– Vertex Analysis
– State Manager
– Configuration Loader
– CLI Graph
– Walk Graph Builder (Command Line interface)
– Backend
26. Design the Resource Graph in Terraform.
A resource graph is a graphical depiction of the available resources. It enables the modification and creation of separate resources at the same time. Terraform creates a plan for the graph’s configuration to produce plans and refresh the state. It rapidly and successfully builds structure to assist us to recognise the disadvantages.
27. Might you provide us with examples of Sentinel policies that we could use?
Sentinels are an effective approach to applying a wide range of policies in Terraform. Here are a couple of such examples:
– Enforce clear resource ownership.
– Limit the cloud provider’s capabilities.
– Examine the audit trail for Terraform Cloud activities.
– Only particular resources, providers, or data sources may be prohibited.
– Make resource tagging necessary.
– If you can restrict how modules are used in the Private Module Registry.
28. What are the various Sentinel monitoring levels?
Sentinel has three degrees of enforcement: advisory, soft obligatory, and hard mandatory.
Advisory – Logged in but allowed to leave. An advisory is delivered when a user initiates a plan that violates the rules user creates a plan that violates rules, an advisory is delivered.
The rules must be applied unless an exception is specified. Administrators are the only people who can use modifications.
The policy must be implemented regardless of what happens. This policy cannot be overridden unless and until it is removed. This is Terraform’s default implementation level.
29. Terraform Stores Sensitive Data in What Directions?
To communicate with your cloud provider’s API, Terraform requires authentication. However, these credentials are frequently kept unencrypted on your desktop. Every day, GitHub is exposed to hundreds of API and cryptographic keys. As a result, never explicitly save your API keys in Terraform code. To store passwords, TLS certificates, SSH keys, and anything else that shouldn’t be saved in plain text, utilize encrypted storage.
30. What is Terragrunt and how does it work?
Terragrunt is a lightweight wrapper that includes additional capabilities for keeping configurations DRY, managing remote state, and working with many Terraform modules. It serves the following purposes:
– Managing numerous AWS accounts.
– Terraform instructions are being executed on numerous modules.
– Keeping our CLI flags flying DRY.
– We are maintaining our remote state setup DRY.
– DRY up our Terraform code.
31. What does state file locking serve?
State file locking is a Terraform technique that prevents actions on a given state file from being performed by several users simultaneously. Only the other user can access that state when one user releases the lock. This helps to prevent state file damage. This is a backend process.
32. What do you mean by “tainted resource”?
A tainted resource must be deleted and rebuilt upon the next apply command. When a resource is identified as contaminated, the state files are changed, but nothing on infrastructure changes. The terraform plan demonstrates that assistance will be destroyed and regenerated. The adjustments are implemented when the next application happens.
33. How can I restrict Terraform module versions?
Using the Terraform module registry as a source is a tried and true method of locking Terraform module version. We may utilize the version element in the Terraform configuration file’s module. Because we are using the GitHub repository as a source, we must define the versions, branch, and query string using ‘?ref’.
34. What is explicitly Terraform Core? Tell us about some of its key tasks.
Terraform Core is a program written in the Go programming language that was structurally built. The built binary provides Terraform users with an entry point. The key responsibilities are as follows:
– The infrastructure’s code functions include module and configuration files. Reading and interpolation are two related concepts.
– Communication with the Resource Graph Construction.
– Plugin through RPC Plan execution.
– Management of state resources.
35. How will Terraform plugins be upgraded?
‘terraform init’ with the ‘-upgrade’ option should be run. This command looks for releases.hashicorp.com recursively for freshly authorized provider versions authorized. It also downloads available provider versions. “.terraform/plugins/OS> ARCH>” is the directory for automatic downloads.
36. How will a high-level object from one module be made available to the other?
In resource configuration, the output variable ab is specified.
- Declare module A’s output variable.
- Make a file variable called tf for module B.
- Create an input variable within this file with the same name as the key provided in module B.
- Rep the procedure for making variables accessible to other modules.
37. What are some of the most recent Terraform Azure Provider variables?
The most recent versions include additional data resources and an Azurem batch certificate, which aids in certificate management. This resource is used in networking to control the prefix. Bugs have been fixed, and the azure app service has been improved.
38. How will you manage and control rollbacks if something goes wrong?
For the old code version to be the new and current version in my VCS, I must recommit it. This would initiate a terraform run, which would be in charge of running the old code. Because Terraform is much more declarative, I’ll make sure that all of the code reverts to the old code. If the state file becomes damaged, I would repair it to its least recent condition using Terraform Enterprise’s State Backup and recovery tool.
39. Define IAC
Infrastructure as Code (IAC) enables the use of code rather than human methods to develop, change, and maintain infrastructure. The configuration files can be altered and securely communicated inside an organization built to infrastructure requirements.
40. What exactly is Terraform init and how does it function?
Terraform init is a tool that allows you to use Terraform pattern files to create an operational index. This control can be used many times. It should be the initial command to be performed after creating a new Terraform design.
41. What exactly is Terraform D, and how does it function?
Terraform D is a Windows plugin that is compatible with nearly all in-service systems. Terraform init checks for plugins in the following directory by default.
42. What exactly is a “terraform backend”?
Any Terraform setup can have a backend, which defines two crucial things:
– Where are operations performed?
– Where has the state been saved? (Terraform keeps track of all the resources created in a state file.)
43. What exactly are Terraform modules?
A module in Terraform is a container that contains several resources that are used together. Every Terraform requires the root module, which contains the resources indicated in the. tf files.
44. What exactly is a Private Module Registry, and how does it function?
Terraform Cloud has a Private Module Registry that allows you to deploy Terraform modules within your organization. You may create rules or “sentinel policies” on the registry that regulate how members of your organization can use the modules.
45. Is Terraform capable of constructing on-premise infrastructure?
Yes, Terraform may be used to build on-premise infrastructure. We may choose from several providers to see which one best fulfils our needs. To get started, all we need is an API.
46. Can I use Terraform to install several providers?
Terraform does enable multi-provider deployments, including on-premises solutions such as OpenStack and VMware, as well as SDN management.
47. Is Terraform usable for an on-prem infrastructure?
Yes, It can be used for an on-prem infrastructure. We can decide which suits us the best and all that we need is an API.
48. What are some of the pre-installed Terraform provisioners?
Terraform’s built-in provisioners include:
– Provisioner in the absence of a salt-master
– remote Execution Provisioner
– Supplier of Puppets
– Local government provisioner
– Habitat Provider
– Provisioner of Documents
– Chef Provisioner
49. How do you uninstall Terraform-managed infrastructure?
[options] [dir] terraform demolish
50. Describe any notable Terraform applications.
Terraform’s capacity to increase its resource manipulation skills lends itself to a wide range of applications. Some of the unusual applications are as follows:
- Creation of software demos
- Resource schedulers
- Using several clouds
- Environmental advancements that can be discarded
- Multi-tiered app development
- Self-service clusters
- App Configuration on Heroku
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Conclusion
It’s essential to be well-prepared for Terraform advanced interview questions to showcase your expertise. Practicing Terraform interview questions will help you understand the format and type of questions asked. Additionally, reviewing Terraform scenario-based questions will enable you to apply your knowledge to real-world situations.
Terraform is an extensive and huge topic requiring systematic effort to learn and master. You can test your knowledge on terraform, the best way is to appear for the certification which will prepare you with some good questions and you will also earn a certification. Especially, it will be added credibility to your resume and confidence a boost.
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