Terraform Beginner Bootcamp 2023

See Semver Given a version number MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH, increment the:

• MAJOR version when you make incompatible API changes
• MINOR version when you add functionality in a backward compatible manner
• PATCH version when you make backward compatible bug fixes Additional labels for pre-release and build metadata are available as extensions to the MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH format.

Install Terraform CLI

Consideration wi the Terragorm CLI changes

The Terrraform CLI installation instructions have chnged due to gpg keyring changes. So We needed refer to the latest install CLI instructions via Terraform Documentation and change the scripting for install.

How to install Terraform

Refactoring into bash scripts

While fixing the Terraform CLI gpg deprecation issues, we noticed that bash scripts steps were a considerable amount of code. So we decided to create a bash script to install the Terraform CLI.Bash Script to install Terraform CLI: Terraform install script

• This will keep the Gitpod Task File, located Gitpod Task File, tidy.
• This allow us an easier to debug and execute manually Terraform CLI install.
• This will allow beter portability for other project that nee to install Terraform CLI.

Considerations for Linux Distibution

This project uses Ubuntu. Please consider checking your Linux Disto to see if changes will be needed.

How To check OS version in Linux CLI

Example of Linux OS checking:

$ cat /etc/os-release
NAME="Ubuntu"
VERSION="20.04.1 LTS (Focal Fossa)"
ID=ubuntu
ID_LIKE=debian
PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS"
VERSION_ID="20.04"
HOME_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://help.ubuntu.com/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/"
PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/privacy-policy"
VERSION_CODENAME=focal
UBUNTU_CODENAME=focal

Shebang Considerations

A Shebang tells the bash script what program that willl interpet the script. eg. #!/bin/bash

Using #!/usr/bin/env bash is recommended for:

• portability for different OS distros
• will search the user's $PATH

Shebang

Execution Considerations

When executing the bash script we can use the ./ shorthand notation to execute the bash script.

eg. ./bin/installl_terraform/cli

if we are using a script in .gipgod.yml we need to point to ascript to a program to interpret it.

eg. source ./bin install_terraform_cli

Linux Permissions Considerations

In order to make our bash scripts executable, we need to change linux permissions for the fix to be executable at the user mode.

chmod u+x ./bin/install_terraform_cli

alternatively:

chmod 744 ./bin/install_terraform_cli

Chmod

Gitpod Lifecycle (Before, Init, Command)

We need to be careful when using the Init because it will not rerun if we restart an existing workspace.

Gitpod Workspaces

Working with Env Vars

env command

We can list out all ENv VArs using the env command

We can filster spedific env vars using grep eg. env | grep AWS_

Setting and Unsetting Env Vars

In the termain we can set using export HELLO='world'

in the terminal we unset using unset HELLO

We can set an env var temporarily when just running a command

HELLO='world' ./bin/print_message

Within a bsh script we can set env without writing wxport eg.

!#/usr/bin/env bash
HELLO='world
echo $HELLO

Printing Vars

We can print an env var using echo eg. echo $Hello

Scoping of Env Vars

When you open up new bash terminals in VSCode it will not be ware of env vars that have set in another window.

Persisting Env Vars in Gitpod

We can persist env vars into gitpod by storing them in Gitpod Secrets Storages

gp env Hello='world'

All future worksapces launched will set the envvaars for all bash terminals in the open workspace

AWS CLI Installation

AWS CLI is installed for the proecct via the bash script ./bin/install_aws_cli.sh

Getting Started Install (AWS-CLI)

We can verify if AWS Creds are configured correctly by running following AWS CLI command:

sh aws sts get-caller-identity

If it's successful, it should return a json something like this:

{
    "UserId": "SomeAccountId",
    "Account": "1234567890",
    "Arn": "arn:aws:iam::1234567890:user/terraform-bootcamp"
}

We'll need to generate AWS CLI creds from IAM User to use AWS CLI.

Terraform Basics

Terraform Registry

Terraform soruces their providers and modules from the Terraform registry which located at Terraform Registry

• Providers is an interface to APIs that will allow to create resoures
• Modules are a way to make large amounts of terraform code modular, portable, and shareable.

Provider named random

Terraform Console

We can see a list of all the Terraform commands by simply typing terraform

Terraform Init

At the start of a new terraform project we will run terraform init to download the binaries for the terraform providers we will use in the project.

Terrafomr Plan

This will geerate out a changeset, about the state of our infrastructiure and what will bechanged.

We can ouput this changeset ie. "plan" to be passed to an apply, but often you can just ignore outputting.

Terraform Apply

1 terraform apply

This will run a plan and pass the changeset to be execute by terraform. Apply should prompt yes or no.

If we want to automaticall approve an apply we can provide the auto approe flag eg. terrafrom apply --auto-approve

Terraform Destroy

terraform destroy

This will destroy, or erase resources.

Terraform Lock Files

.terraform.lock.hcl contans the locked versioning for the providers or modules that should be used with theis project.

The Terrafor Lock File should be commited to your VCS, eg. Github

Terraform State Files

.terraform.tfstate contain finformations aout the current state of your infrastructure.

This file shuld not be commited to your VCS.

This file cN CONTAIN SENSENTIVE DATA.

If you lose this file, you lose knowning the state of your infrastructure.

.terraform.tfstate.backup is the previous state file state.

Terraform Directory

.terraform directoury contains binaries of terraform providers.

Issues with Terraform Cloud LOgin and Gitpod Workspace

When attempting to run terraform login it will laund bash a wisiwig view to generate a token. However it doesn not work expected in Gipod VCode in the browser.

The workaround is to manually generate a token in Terraform Cloud

https://app.terraform.io/app/settings/tokens?source=terraform-login

Then create the file manually here:

touch  /home/gitpod/.terraform.d/credentials.tfrc.json # will create the file
open /home/gitpod/.terraform.d/credentials.tfrc.json # will allow you to edit the file

Provide the following code (replace your token in the file):

{
	"credentials": { 
		"app.terraform.io": {
			"token": "<Your-cloud-token-here>"
		}
	}
}

We have automated this workaround with the flllowing bash script bin/load_terraform_cloud.sh