👋 Hey there, I’m Dheeraj Choudhary an AI/ML educator, cloud enthusiast, and content creator on a mission to simplify tech for the world.
After years of building on YouTube and LinkedIn, I’ve finally launched TechInsight Neuron a no-fluff, insight-packed newsletter where I break down the latest in AI, Machine Learning, DevOps, and Cloud.
🎯 What to expect: actionable tutorials, tool breakdowns, industry trends, and career insights all crafted for engineers, builders, and the curious.
🧠 If you're someone who learns by doing and wants to stay ahead in the tech game you're in the right place.
🔁 The Terraform Command Lifecycle
Stage | Command | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
Init |
| Initialize backend, download providers |
Format |
| Enforce code style & structure |
Validate |
| Check syntax, config, modules |
Plan |
| Preview what Terraform will do |
Apply |
| Create or update infrastructure |
Destroy |
| Tear down tracked infrastructure |
These stages are not optional — they define safe, predictable infrastructure delivery.
🧱 Recommended Project Structure
terraform-project/
├── modules/
│ ├── network/
│ ├── compute/
├── environments/
│ ├── dev/
│ │ ├── main.tf
│ │ ├── backend.tf
│ │ ├── secrets.auto.tfvars
│ ├── prod/
│ ├── ...
├── scripts/
│ ├── test.sh
│ ├── destroy.sh✅ Separate environments
✅ Reusable modules
✅ Configured secrets and backend
✅ CI-ready folder layout
🌐 Real-World Scenario: Deploying VPC + EC2 + GCP Bucket
1. Initialize the Project
terraform initDownloads provider plugins
Configures remote state
Prepares the workspace
2. Validate and Format
terraform fmt -check
terraform validateCatch syntax or config errors
Ensure readable, clean HCL
3. Plan the Changes
terraform plan -out=tfplanShows what will be created/modified/destroyed
Store plan for audit or CI application
4. Apply with Confidence
terraform apply tfplanApplies only what was planned
Ensures no mid-deploy drift
5. Optional: Run Infra Tests
checkov -d .
terraform plan -detailed-exitcodeCatch security issues
Confirm no drift
6. Tear Down When Needed
terraform destroy✅ Cleanly decommission resources
✅ Delete backend state if environment is retired
🚫 Common Mistakes in Full Project Lifecycles
Mistake | Impact | Fix |
|---|---|---|
Skipping | Untracked changes | Always review |
Sharing state across envs | Collisions and overwrite risk | Use separate backends per env |
Hardcoded secrets | Security risk | Use vars + env vars or vault |
No CI testing or formatting | Inconsistent or broken deployments | Add |
Partial destroy without plan | Dangling infra + billing waste | Use |
💡 Tip of the Day:
Infrastructure is only as reliable as your Terraform discipline. Follow the full lifecycle every time.
📚 Resources & References
1️⃣ Terraform CLI Workflow Docs
🔗 Docs
2️⃣ Module Reuse & Environment Separation
🔗 Best Practices
3️⃣ Terraform Automation Wrapper Tools
🔗 Atlantis | Terragrunt
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Conclusion
Terraform isn’t just about writing .tf files. It’s about running them intentionally.
Whether you’re deploying dev sandboxes or managing production cloud for a Fortune 500 the same lifecycle applies:
Initialize correctly
Format and validate often
Plan before apply
Apply only reviewed changes
Test what you’ve deployed
Tear down safely and clearly
This isn’t just DevOps it’s Terraform done right.
And with this final blog, your foundation is built.
