Terrform Get

Terraform configurations often rely on modules to organize and reuse code. When using external or local modules, the terraform get command ensures they are properly downloaded and installed in your working directory. This command is essential for managing the dependencies in your Terraform projects.

Why Use terraform get?

  • Downloads external modules specified in your configuration.
  • Updates modules to the latest version (if applicable).
  • Ensures all modules are ready for Terraform operations like plan and apply.

How to Use It?

  • To download modules: Run terraform get. This retrieves all modules referenced in your configuration files.
  • To update modules to newer versions: Use the -update flag, e.g., terraform get -update.

Example: Downloading and Updating Modules

Suppose your main.tf file includes a reference to an external module:

module "network" {
  source = "terraform-aws-modules/vpc/aws"
  version = "3.14.0"

  name = "example-vpc"
  cidr = "10.0.0.0/16"
  azs  = ["us-east-1a", "us-east-1b", "us-east-1c"]
  ...
}

To download this module, run:

terraform get

If a newer version of the module becomes available and you want to update it, modify the version in the configuration and run:

terraform get -update

Use Case

Imagine you’re working on a large project with multiple modules for networking, storage, and compute resources. When a new team member clones the repository, running terraform get ensures that all modules are downloaded and ready for use, avoiding errors related to missing dependencies.

Conclusion

The terraform get command simplifies the process of managing modules in your Terraform projects. Whether you’re downloading them for the first time or keeping them up to date, this command is a vital part of your Terraform workflow.

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Glossary