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Terraform

Terraform Archive Provider: Multiple source_file Options?

By Jan on 01/07/2025

Learn if Terraform's archive provider supports defining multiple source files for enhanced infrastructure management flexibility.

Terraform Archive Provider: Multiple source_file Options?

Table of Contents

Introduction

In Terraform, the archive_file resource provides a way to combine multiple files into a single zip archive. This is accomplished by defining multiple source blocks within the archive_file resource, with each block representing a file to be included in the archive.

Step-by-Step Guide

The archive_file resource in Terraform allows you to package multiple files into a zip archive. You achieve this by defining multiple source blocks within the archive_file resource.

Here's a basic example:

resource "archive_file" "example" {
  type        = "zip"
  output_path = "example.zip"
  source {
    content  = "example content 1"
    filename = "example1.txt"
  }
  source {
    content  = "example content 2"
    filename = "example2.txt"
  }
}

In this example, two files (example1.txt and example2.txt) are added to the example.zip archive. Each source block represents a single file to be included, specifying its content and filename within the archive.

Code Example

This Terraform code defines a resource that creates a zip archive named "example.zip". The archive contains two files: "example1.txt" with the content "example content 1" and "example2.txt" with the content "example content 2".

resource "archive_file" "example" {
  type        = "zip"
  output_path = "example.zip"

  source {
    content  = "example content 1"
    filename = "example1.txt"
  }

  source {
    content  = "example content 2"
    filename = "example2.txt"
  }
}

This code defines a resource of type archive_file named "example". It specifies the archive type as "zip" and sets the output path to "example.zip".

Within the resource, there are two source blocks. Each block represents a file to be included in the archive:

  • First source block:

    • content = "example content 1": Sets the content of the file.
    • filename = "example1.txt": Sets the filename within the archive to "example1.txt".

  • Second source block:

    • content = "example content 2": Sets the content of the file.
    • filename = "example2.txt": Sets the filename within the archive to "example2.txt".

When Terraform runs, it will create a zip archive named "example.zip" containing two text files: "example1.txt" and "example2.txt" with their respective content.

Additional Notes

  • Purpose of archive_file: The primary use case of the archive_file resource is to bundle files needed for deployments. This is particularly useful for packaging applications, scripts, or configuration files that need to be deployed together.

  • Flexibility of content: The content attribute within a source block can accept various forms of input:

    • Direct string: As shown in the example, you can directly provide the file content as a string.
    • File interpolation: You can use Terraform's file interpolation syntax (e.g., ${file("path/to/file.txt")}) to read content from existing files.
    • Template rendering: For dynamic content generation, you can employ Terraform's templatefile function or even external template engines.

  • Alternative to content: Instead of using the content attribute, you can use the source_file attribute within a source block to directly reference a file from your local filesystem. This is beneficial when dealing with larger or pre-existing files.

  • Common Use Cases:

    • Lambda Function Deployment: Packaging Lambda function code and dependencies into a zip archive for deployment to AWS Lambda.
    • Application Deployment Packages: Creating deployment artifacts for applications that need to be deployed to servers or containers.
    • Configuration Bundles: Combining configuration files into a single archive for easier distribution and management.

  • Security Considerations: Be mindful of sensitive information when directly embedding content using the content attribute. Consider using environment variables or secure storage mechanisms for sensitive data.

  • Limitations: The archive_file resource is primarily designed for creating archives. It doesn't provide mechanisms for extracting or manipulating existing archives.

Summary

This table summarizes the archive_file resource in Terraform, specifically focusing on creating zip archives:

Feature Description Example
Purpose Packages multiple files into a single zip archive.
Resource Type archive_file resource "archive_file" "example" {...}
Archive Type "zip" type = "zip"
Output File Defines the name of the generated zip file. output_path = "example.zip"
Adding Files Uses multiple source blocks within the resource.
Source Block Represents a single file to be included in the archive. source { ... }
File Content "content" attribute defines the file's content. content = "example content 1"
File Name "filename" attribute defines the file's name within the archive. filename = "example1.txt"

Conclusion

The archive_file resource in Terraform is a valuable tool for packaging files, especially for deployments. By defining multiple source blocks, you can combine files with content defined directly or from existing sources. This makes it easy to bundle applications, scripts, and configurations. Remember to handle sensitive information appropriately and be aware of the resource's limitations.

References

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