TF-Associate-004 - Core Terraform workflow - Section 3a

Describe the Terraform workflow.

The core loop is write, plan, apply: author configuration, preview the changes Terraform proposes, then apply them. Candidates should place init, validate, fmt and destroy correctly around that loop and know which step actually changes infrastructure.

write plan applycore workflow orderingwhich step changes infrastructure

Practice question for this objective

Free sampleCore Terraform workfloweasy

Which sequence describes the core Terraform workflow that a practitioner follows when managing infrastructure with configuration files?

  • AWrite, then plan, then apply the configuration Correct
  • BPlan, then write, then apply the resulting configuration
  • CApply, then plan, then write the configuration afterwards
  • DWrite, then apply, then plan the configuration afterwards
The core Terraform workflow proceeds in the order write, plan, then apply. Terraform's core workflow starts by authoring configuration, then generating a plan that previews the changes, and finally applying that plan so the intended changes are made only after review.

Why A is correct: The core loop is write the configuration, review a plan of the proposed changes, then apply those changes, which matches Terraform's documented workflow.

Why B is wrong: This is tempting because planning does happen before apply, but you cannot generate a plan before any configuration has been written, so write must come first.

Why C is wrong: This reverses the workflow entirely; applying before writing or planning has nothing to act on and is not how the core loop is ordered.

Why D is wrong: This is tempting because write is correctly first, but planning is meant to preview changes before apply commits them, not after.

See more TF-Associate-004 practice questions, answers explained.

More in this domain

Back to all Core Terraform workflow objectives, or the TF-Associate-004 cert hub.

Examworthy is not affiliated with or endorsed by HashiCorp. Original, blueprint-aligned practice material only.