Introduction to Infrastructure as Code with Terraform on AWS

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) allows engineers to define and manage cloud resources through configuration files rather than manual console operations. This approach brings the same version control, peer review, and repeatability that software development teams rely on to infrastructure management. Terraform, developed by HashiCorp, is one of the most widely adopted IaC tools. It uses a declarative model where you describe the desired end state of your infrastructure, and Terraform determines the steps needed to reach that state. Its provider-based architecture supports AWS, Azure, GCP, and hundreds of other platforms through a single consistent workflow.

In this lab, you will write your first Terraform configuration in HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) to define a DynamoDB table on AWS and deploy it using Terraform's core workflow — init, plan, and apply.

Objectives

Upon completing this beginner level lab, you will be able to:

• Write a Terraform configuration file in HCL to define an AWS resource
• Initialize a Terraform project and download provider plugins using terraform init
• Preview infrastructure changes using terraform plan and deploy them using terraform apply
• Inspect the Terraform state file to understand how Terraform tracks managed resources

Who is this lab for?

This lab is designed for:

• Cloud beginners who want their first hands-on experience with Infrastructure as Code
• Aspiring DevOps engineers looking to learn Terraform fundamentals for AWS
• Terraform Associate candidates preparing for the certification exam