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Terraform

Use Pre-installed Terraform Plugins: Skip terraform init

By Filip on 11/12/2024

Learn how to leverage pre-installed Terraform plugins and streamline your infrastructure provisioning workflow by skipping the `terraform init` plugin download step.

Use Pre-installed Terraform Plugins: Skip terraform init

Table of Contents

Introduction

Terraform provides flexibility in managing provider plugins. While plugins are typically downloaded during the terraform init phase, you can leverage pre-installed plugins for scenarios requiring specific plugin versions or environments with restricted internet access. This article outlines the steps to utilize pre-installed Terraform plugins.

Step-by-Step Guide

Terraform typically downloads provider plugins during terraform init. However, you can use pre-installed plugins:

  1. Install the plugin: Download the correct plugin for your OS/architecture from the provider's releases page.
  2. Place the plugin: Put it in a specific directory:
    • Terraform 0.13+: Use terraform plugins install <plugin_name> to install in the default plugin directory.
    • Older versions: Place it in a subdirectory matching your OS and architecture under a directory specified by the TF_PLUGIN_CACHE_DIR environment variable. For example, for Linux on x86_64: 
      export TF_PLUGIN_CACHE_DIR="$HOME/.terraform.d/plugin-cache"
mkdir -p "$TF_PLUGIN_CACHE_DIR/linux_amd64"
mv <plugin_file> "$TF_PLUGIN_CACHE_DIR/linux_amd64"
  3. Run terraform init: Terraform will now find and use the pre-installed plugin.

Note: When using -plugin-dir with terraform init, ensure the directory structure within it matches the standard plugin layout (OS/architecture subdirectories).

This approach is useful in environments with limited internet access or when you need specific plugin versions.

Code Example

This is an example of how to use a pre-installed AWS provider plugin with Terraform. First, download the correct plugin for your OS and architecture from the AWS provider releases page. Then, install the plugin by unzipping it and moving it to the correct directory. For Terraform 0.13+, use the terraform plugins install command. For older versions, unzip the plugin into the $HOME/.terraform.d/plugin-cache directory. Next, create a Terraform configuration file that specifies the AWS provider and version. Finally, initialize Terraform using the terraform init command. Terraform will now use the pre-installed AWS provider plugin. Remember to replace example values with your desired ones and adjust the instructions for other providers.

This example demonstrates using a pre-installed AWS provider plugin with Terraform.

1. Download the plugin:

2. Install the plugin:

For Terraform 0.13+:

unzip terraform-provider-aws_v4.20.0_linux_amd64.zip -d terraform-provider-aws_v4.20.0
terraform plugins install terraform-provider-aws_v4.20.0

For older Terraform versions:

export TF_PLUGIN_CACHE_DIR="$HOME/.terraform.d/plugin-cache"
mkdir -p "$TF_PLUGIN_CACHE_DIR/linux_amd64"
unzip terraform-provider-aws_v4.20.0_linux_amd64.zip -d "$TF_PLUGIN_CACHE_DIR/linux_amd64"

3. Create a Terraform configuration:

Create a file named main.tf with the following content:

terraform {
  required_providers {
    aws = {
      source  = "hashicorp/aws"
      version = "4.20.0" # Match the downloaded plugin version
    }
  }
}

# Example resource using the AWS provider
resource "aws_instance" "example" {
  ami           = "ami-0c55b159c9e670260" # Replace with your desired AMI
  instance_type = "t2.micro"
}

4. Initialize Terraform:

terraform init

Terraform will now use the pre-installed AWS provider plugin.

Note:

  • Replace the example values (plugin version, AMI ID) with your desired ones.
  • This example assumes you have unzipped the downloaded plugin file.
  • For other providers, adjust the download URL, file names, and directory structure accordingly.

Additional Notes

  • Security: Downloading plugins directly requires careful attention to source authenticity. Verify checksums or use signed releases to mitigate risks associated with compromised or malicious plugins.
  • Version Management: When using pre-installed plugins, ensure compatibility between the plugin version and your Terraform version. Refer to the provider's documentation for compatibility information.
  • Plugin Caching: Terraform caches downloaded plugins. When a pre-installed plugin is used, Terraform will still attempt to download its checksum to verify the plugin's integrity. This behavior can be controlled with the -plugin-cache-dir flag for terraform init.
  • Automation: For CI/CD pipelines or automated environments, incorporate downloading and placing plugins into your workflow. This ensures consistent and reproducible builds.
  • Alternative to TF_PLUGIN_CACHE_DIR: While the article mentions TF_PLUGIN_CACHE_DIR for older Terraform versions, you can actually use the -plugin-dir flag with terraform init for any Terraform version to specify a custom directory for plugins. This provides a consistent approach across versions.
  • Community Providers: For providers not on the official registry, you'll need to install them manually. Be sure to follow the provider's specific instructions.
  • Troubleshooting: If Terraform fails to recognize a pre-installed plugin, double-check the directory structure, plugin version, and compatibility with your Terraform version.

By understanding these nuances, you can effectively leverage pre-installed plugins in Terraform, enhancing control and flexibility in diverse deployment scenarios.

Summary

This document outlines how to use pre-installed Terraform provider plugins instead of downloading them during terraform init.

Step Description Terraform Version
1. Install the plugin Download the appropriate plugin from the provider's releases page. All
2. Place the plugin Terraform 0.13+: Use terraform plugins install <plugin_name> for automatic installation. 0.13+
Older versions: Place the plugin in a subdirectory (matching your OS and architecture) within the directory specified by the TF_PLUGIN_CACHE_DIR environment variable. Pre-0.13
3. Run terraform init Terraform will automatically detect and use the pre-installed plugin. All

Key Points:

  • -plugin-dir: When using this flag with terraform init, ensure the directory structure follows the standard plugin layout (OS/architecture subdirectories).
  • Benefits: Useful for environments with limited internet access or when specific plugin versions are required.

Conclusion

In conclusion, pre-installing Terraform plugins offers a valuable approach for managing infrastructure in environments with internet limitations or when specific plugin versions are essential. By understanding the steps involved in downloading, installing, and referencing these plugins, users can leverage Terraform's flexibility to streamline their workflow and ensure consistent deployments. Remember to prioritize security by verifying plugin sources and maintain compatibility between plugin and Terraform versions. As your automation needs grow, incorporating pre-installed plugins into CI/CD pipelines can further enhance efficiency and reproducibility. By mastering this technique, you gain greater control over your infrastructure provisioning process, enabling smoother and more reliable deployments.

References

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