Terraform Associate (004): Exam Prep + Hands-On + Tests 2026

Explore the Terraform file structure, from provider.tf and main.tf to variables.tf and output.tf, and learn how modules, .tfvars files, and environment variables shape resources.

Learn how terraform plan performs a dry run, compares current state with configuration files, and generates an execution plan that previews what will be created, changed, or destroyed.

Explore how to authenticate AWS in Terraform using hard-coded values, environment variables, and shared credentials, compare security trade-offs, and manage multi-environment access.

Understand the Terraform disperse command, an optional tool to delete all resources managed by Terraform, update the state, and reset the environment after confirmation.

Understand how the json state file tracks resources, IDs, attributes, and dependencies, updates after each apply, and securely stores the current state locally or remotely.

Learn how the variable block assigns a default value to a variable, enabling Terraform to run without input. Use a string variable like instance_type with t2 micro in AWS instance.

Discover how Terraform meta-arguments control resource behavior and dependencies, enabling you to create multiple resources with count or for each, manage lifecycle, and select providers.

Explore the Terraform count meta argument to create multiple identical resources, such as three AWS EC2 instances, with one resource block using count and count.index starting at zero.

Explore locals in Terraform to reduce repetition and improve readability. Define local name values for concise aliases and reuse them across configurations.

Discover how dynamic blocks in Terraform generate nested blocks with for loops, using maps and lists to create dynamic security group ingress and egress rules and server configurations.

Learn splat expressions in Terraform to extract attributes from multiple resources created with count or for_each, returning IDs and public IPs via legacy and explicit syntax.

Terraform refresh updates the state file to reflect the current real-time infrastructure, detects drift from manual changes, and helps plan before apply without creating or destroying resources.

Learn to configure a DynamoDB state lock for Terraform's remote state, including creating a DynamoDB table, migrating the backend, and acquiring locks during plan and apply to prevent concurrent runs.

Learn to use Terraform replace with apply to replace a resource, such as an aws_instance, by destroying and recreating it for seamless state management.

Learn how to use Terraform import to bring existing infrastructure under Terraform management, handle drift, recognize legacy resources, and recover a lost state without disrupting live environments.

Minimize Terraform provisioners, as they run scripts on created resources with limited Terraform control, and use them only for bootstrapping or final configuration via local-exec, remote-exec, or file provisioners.

Learn how to use the local-exec provisioner in Terraform to run a command locally and save a server's public IP to a file, using AWS provider, and applying Terraform.

Learn how to use the file provisioner in Terraform to copy scripts from local to a remote EC2 instance, including key pair setup, SSH access, and securing a private key.