Terraform
HashiCorp's infrastructure-as-code tool for provisioning cloud resources from declarative config files.
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About Terraform
Terraform lets teams describe cloud and SaaS infrastructure, from virtual machines and networks to DNS records, in declarative HCL configuration files, then preview and apply the changes with plan and apply commands. It keeps a state file recording what it created, so later runs only change what differs. Thousands of providers in the Terraform Registry cover AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes, Cloudflare, GitHub and many other services. The CLI is a free download for macOS, Windows, Linux and the BSDs, but since 2023 it has been released under HashiCorp's source-available Business Source License rather than an open-source licence, which is what led to the OpenTofu fork. HashiCorp, now part of IBM, sells HCP Terraform (formerly Terraform Cloud) for remote state, team workflows, policy checks and private registries, with a free starting tier, plus a self-managed Terraform Enterprise. It is the default choice for many platform teams and has the largest ecosystem of modules and tutorials.
Best for: Platform teams provisioning multi-cloud infrastructure who want the largest provider ecosystem.
Pros and cons
What works
- Largest ecosystem of providers and reusable modules
- Plan step shows every change before it is applied
- Runs on macOS, Windows, Linux and BSD
- Free hosted tier available in HCP Terraform
Why people leave
- Source-available BUSL licence, no longer open source
- State files need careful storage, locking and protection
- HCL is less flexible than a general-purpose language
Top Terraform alternatives
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Terraform: common questions
Is Terraform free?
Terraform has a free plan and paid plans. Free plan: HCP Terraform free tier (checked on Terraform's own site).
Is Terraform open source?
No, Terraform is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Pulumi and Ansible.
What platforms does Terraform run on?
Terraform is available for Windows, macOS, Linux and Web.
What are the best alternatives to Terraform?
The highest-ranked Terraform alternatives right now are Pulumi and Ansible. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.