Getting Started
Variables Overview
Terraform variables (.tfvars files) are key-value pairs that customize infrastructure deployments.
variable "region" {
description = "AWS deployment region"
type = string
default = "us-east-1"
}
Define variable schemas in variables.tf followed by values in terraform.tfvars
Secure Practices
Prevent credential leaks by using environment variables for sensitive data.
export TF_VAR_access_key="your-access-key-here"
export TF_VAR_secret_key="your-secret-key-here"
⚠️ Never hardcode secrets in tfvars files
Key Concepts
Environment-Specific
Create dev.tfvars and prod.tfvars files for environment-specific configurations
Type Constraints
Define variable types in variables.tf to enforce validation and documentation
Input Validation
Use validation blocks in variables.tf to add custom validation rules for input values
Ready to Build?
Start your Terraform journey with our comprehensive guides and documentation on variable management.