# Terraform

> Terraform is an infrastructure as code tool by HashiCorp that creates and changes cloud resources from declarative configuration files.

- Source: https://www.itwonderlab.com/terraform/
- Published: 2026-08-16
- Updated: 2026-08-16
- Author: Javier Ruiz Jiménez (https://www.javierruizjimenez.com/)
- Site: IT Wonder Lab (https://www.itwonderlab.com/)

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**Terraform** describes infrastructure in HCL files and a plan/apply workflow creates, updates and destroys the real resources on AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes and many other providers. Its open source fork is [OpenTofu](https://www.itwonderlab.com/opentofu/).

### Key concepts

- **Provider**: the plugin that talks to an API. See [Terraform provider](https://www.itwonderlab.com/terraform-provider/).
- **State**: the record of the resources it manages. See [Terraform state](https://www.itwonderlab.com/terraform-state/).
- **Module**: a reusable group of resources. See [Terraform module](https://www.itwonderlab.com/terraform-module/).
- **Workspace** and **backend**: separate states and where they are stored. See [workspaces](https://www.itwonderlab.com/terraform-workspace/) and [backends](https://www.itwonderlab.com/terraform-backend/).

### Learn it

Follow the [Terraform and OpenTofu tutorials](https://www.itwonderlab.com/tutorials/terraform/) and the [best practices](https://www.itwonderlab.com/terraform-best-practices/).