Download and Install Terraform - Windows, Linux and MacOS

A vital part of efficiently handling and provisioning cloud resources is infrastructure as code, or IaC. HashiCorp's open-source Terraform tool has become a top option for infrastructure-as-a-service (IaC) due to its ease of use, adaptability, and wide range of support for cloud providers and services. Terraform is crucial for learning, regardless of your experience level with cloud automation as a DevOps engineer. In this comprehensive tutorial, We will walk you through the installation of Terraform on Linux and Windows computers.

By the moment you finish this lesson, your Terraform installation will be fully operational and ready to improve your infrastructure provisioning processes in various situations. Now let us begin and see how Terraform may help you simplify your infrastructure management duties.

Terraform

Terraform is a tool or software program that helps to work with different cloud platforms at a time. Each cloud platform has its own set of rules, syntax, and commands to work with, Terraform makes it easy for us to work with all such clouds at the same time. Terraform uses different plugins for different cloud platforms. So if you use Terraform you do not need to learn the different syntax, commands, or rules required by the platforms. Terraform will automatically connect to platforms without you being worried.

Prerequisites for Installing Terraform

For Windows

• Internet Access: Ensure your Windows machine can access the internet.
• Administrative Privileges: You'll need admin rights to install software and modify system settings.
• Familiarity with Command Prompt: Knowing how to use Command Prompt or PowerShell will be handy.

For Linux

• Internet Access: Make sure your Linux machine can connect to the internet.
• Package Manager: Linux distributions like Ubuntu and CentOS come with package managers like apt or yum. Ensure your system has one installed.
• Basic Command Line Knowledge: Understanding basic commands in the terminal will be helpful.

For MacOS

• MacOS Version: Terraform works on macOS, so ensure your system is running a supported version (e.g., Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, or newer).
• Command-Line Tools: You’ll need the macOS Command-Line Tools installed. If you haven’t set them up yet, you can install them with this command:

  xcode-select --install 

• Homebrew (Optional): While you don’t need Homebrew to install Terraform, it can make managing tools easier. If you’d like to use Homebrew, install it by running:

  /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)" 

• Curl and Unzip: Terraform requires curl for downloading and unzip for extracting the files. These are usually included with macOS, but you can confirm they’re installed with:

  curl --version 
  unzip --version 

  • If either is missing, you can install them via Homebrew:

    brew install curl unzip 

• Administrator Access: You’ll need sudo privileges to create directories and move files to system-level locations, like /opt.

Install Terraform on Windows

The professional instructions for installing Terraform on a Windows computer are below:

Step 1: Download Terraform

Visit terraform.io/downloads.html, HashiCorp's official website, to download Terraform for Windows. Download the Terraform executable file (terraform.exe) and pick the Windows version which is appropriate for you.

Step 2: Place Terraform Executable

After download the Terraform executable (terraform.exe), open the saved directory. On your machine with Windows, move the terraform.exe file to the desired location. A frequently utilized folder path is "C:\Program Files\terraform."

Step 3: Add Terraform to the System Path

One must add the directory containing the terraform.exe file to the system's PATH environment variable if you want to execute Terraform from any directory in PowerShell or the command prompt (cmd).

• To get to the Start menu, click on it and select "System".
• Choose "Advanced system alternatives" from the left sidebar in the System panel.
• Click "The environment Variables..." in the System Properties window.
• Select the "Path" variable under "System variables" and click "Edit..."
• Click "New" in the Edit Environment Variable window, then input the directory path (for example, "C:\Program Files\terraform") containing the terraform.exe file.
• To save and shut all open windows with the changes, click "OK".

Step 4: Verify Terraform Installation

Run the following command in a new PowerShell window or Command Prompt window to verify that Terraform has been installed correctly:

terraform --version

Install Terraform on Linux

These are the thorough, expertly written directions for running Terraform on a Linux machine:

Step 1: Download the Terraform Zip file

The Terraform binary zip file can be obtained using wget by using this command to go to the official HashiCorp releases website. Adapt the URL's version number to your favorite level of customization.

 sudo wget https://releases.hashicorp.com/terraform/1.14.3/terraform_1.14.3_linux_amd64.zip

Step 2: Unzip the Downloaded file and Add it to the Path

With the assistance of this command, you may extract the downloaded Terraform binary zip file and preserve the executable in the /usr/local/bin/ directory. Change the file name's version number accordingly.

sudo unzip terraform_1.14.3_linux_amd64.zip -d /usr/local/bin/

If wget or unzip have not been set up and those instructions fail to execute, you can install them with the package manager.

• For yum package manager.

yum install wget unzip

• For apt package manager

sudo apt install wget unzip

Through doing this, you can make sure your system have the tools required for downloading and extracting files installed.

Step 4: Verify Terraform Installation

When the installation procedure has concluded, you may use this command to make sure Terraform is installed correctly. The installed version of Terraform on the computer ought to be displayed.

terraform --version

Install Terraform on Ubuntu

Terraform can be set up on various operating systems, like Windows, macOS, and different Linux distributions. Choosing Ubuntu to install Terraform is not a basic requirement, However, it has certain key features which differentiate it from other Linux distributions. The benefits of Ubuntu are illustrated below:

• Package Management: Ubuntu uses the Debian package management system, which simplifies the installation process and makes it easier to install, update, and manage software packages with the use of the APT (Advanced Package Tool) package manager. This simplifies the technique of installing dependencies and managing software installations.
• Community Support: Ubuntu provides us a large network of users and developers. This means that in case if you get stuck on any problems or have questions even on installing or using Terraform in Ubuntu, you’re likely to find a lot of resources, forums, and community discussions that were already created by pro developers to assist you and troubleshoot the problem and find solutions.
• Ease of Use: Ubuntu is used for its user-friendly interface and ease of use. It is generally recommended for beginners who are new to the industry or with a Linux environment. The clear command structure and clean documentation are available for users who have different levels of experience.
• Compatibility: Many tutorials, guides, and documentation those are online are frequently written with Ubuntu because of its popularity among developers. Following these sources may be more helpful while using Ubuntu.
• Cloud Compatibility: Many cloud providers, including AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, provide reliable Ubuntu images. If you are using cloud systems, initiating with an Ubuntu-based image can offer a regular environment between your local development and the cloud.

For a more detailed guide on installing Terraform on Ubuntu, please refer to this link.

Installing Terraform Extension on Visual Studio Code

• Open Visual Studio Code: In your personal computer, launch Visual Studio Code.
• Open Extensions View: To open the Extensions view, click the Extensions view icon in the Sidebar or press Ctrl+Shift+X on Windows/Linux or Cmd+Shift+X on macOS.
• Search for Terraform Extension: Type "Terraform" into the Extensions view search bar and press Enter. When you do this, only extensions linked to Terraform will be displayed in the list of extensions.
• Select Terraform Extension: Searching for the official HashiCorp Terraform plugins. It should have the HashiCorp logo next to it and the name "Terraform."
• Install the Extension: To install the Terraform extension, click the "Install" button next to it.
• Reload Visual Studio Code: You may be asked to reload the window in Visual Studio Code after installation in order to enable the extension. You may either close and reopen Visual Studio Code or click the "Reload" choice.
• Verify Installation: You may verify that the Terraform extension is installed by looking at the list of installed extensions in the Extensions opening after refreshing Visual Studio Code.
• Configure Settings (Optional): By choosing File > Preferences > Settings or by clicking the gear icon next to the extension in the Extensions opening, you can modify the Terraform extension's settings.

Install Terraform on MacOS

Installing Terraform on macOS is a simple process if you follow these clear steps. Here's how you can do it manually by downloading and configuring the Terraform binary.

Step 1: Create a Directory for Terraform

First, set up a folder to store the Terraform executable. Run this command in your terminal:

sudo mkdir -p /opt/terraform 

Step 2: Navigate to the Directory

Move into the folder you just created to keep all installation steps organized:

cd /opt/terraform 

Step 3: Copy the Terraform Download Link

Go to the official Terraform Downloads page. Locate the macOS version of Terraform, then copy the link for the zip file.

Step 4: Download the Terraform Zip File

Now, use the link you copied to download the Terraform binary directly into the directory:

sudo curl -O <paste_download_link_here> 

Step 5: Extract the Terraform Files

Once the zip file has downloaded, unzip its contents into the current directory:

sudo unzip <file_name>.zip 

This will extract the Terraform binary into /opt/terraform.

Step 6: Update your PATH Environment Variable

To run Terraform from any location in the terminal, you need to add its directory to your system's PATH. Open your .bash_profile for editing:

sudo vi ~/.bash_profile 

In the editor, add the following lines to the file:

PATH="/opt/terraform:${PATH}" 
export PATH 

Step 7: Apply the PATH Changes

After updating the .bash_profile, make the changes take effect by running:

source ~/.bash_profile 

Step 8: Verify the Installation

Check that Terraform is installed correctly by running:

terraform --version 

This command should display the installed version of Terraform.