Terraform Explained: How Infrastructure as Code Works from Init to Destroy

Terraform is an open-source infrastructure as code tool that allows teams to define, provision, and manage cloud or on-premises resources using configuration files instead of manual setup. These configuration files can be stored in version control systems like Git, enabling teams to track, review, and roll back infrastructure changes much like application code. A key component called the state file (terraform.tfstate) records all resources Terraform has created, preventing duplicate provisioning and enabling accurate updates. The core workflow involves four commands — fmt, validate, init, and plan — followed by terraform apply to create resources, and terraform destroy to tear them down. Remote state storage options such as AWS S3 or Google Cloud Storage allow entire teams to collaborate safely on shared infrastructure.