Automating Cloud Infrastructure with Terraform CI/CD -2025

Infrastructure as code (IaC) is the practice of software development that treats infrastructure as code. This means the infrastructure is written in code, just like the application’s code. This allows for the automated process of the infrastructure’s deployment and configuration, which saves time and increases reliability.

Terraform is an open-source infrastructure-as-code tool for deploying infrastructure across several cloud platforms, including Azure. Azure Pipelines is a continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) platform that automatizes Terraform configuration installation.

What is CI/CD?

Continuous integration (CI) refers to regularly merging changes to code into a shared repository, where automated builds and tests are conducted to identify integration problems in the early stages of the development process. Continuous delivery (CD) extends the CI process by automatically delivering code modifications to production-like environments for further testing and confirmation.

Understanding CI/CD Pipelines

Pipelines for CI/CD help make an easy process for getting infrastructure and code updates more efficient and speedier:

• Continuous integration (CI): It involves Developers writing their code frequently in one location, which is later constructed and checked.
• Continuous delivery (CD): If the tests are successful, updates can be delivered directly to where they are required to go without additional steps.

Introduction to Terraform

Terraform is an open-source Infrastructure as a Code tool created by HashiCorp. It allows users to build and deploy infrastructure resources through declaration-based configuration files, making it easier to manage large infrastructure systems. Terraform also works with various cloud solutions provider, including AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.

What Is Terraform and Its Significance In Cloud Infrastructure Automation

Terraform is an adequate Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tool that assists in automatizing the process of deploying infrastructure to various cloud providers. It lets you manage any infrastructure by hiring Terraform consulting services for multiple platforms and services within the Terraform Registry. It takes an unchangeable approach to infrastructure, making it easy to make changes or upgrades to infrastructure or services.

Terraform’s Infrastructure Management and State Tracking

Terraform develops a plan before making any changes to infrastructure and asks for your permission before implementing any modifications. It records the infrastructure in an underlying state file, ensuring it’s your infrastructure’s sole source of truth. Terraform’s declarative configuration files define the final state that you want to see for the infrastructure, easing the process of requesting upgrades and modifications.

Efficiency in Provisioning Terraform Modules as well as Resource Graphs

Terraform can efficiently provision resources in parallel by constructing a resource graph to identify dependencies among resources. Terraform allows modular configuration components in the form of modules that create flexible infrastructure collections that promote time efficiency and best practices. You can use publicly accessible modules in the Terraform Registry or create your own modules.

Collaborative Terraform Workflows using Terraform Cloud

When you commit your Terraform configuration files in a Version Control System (VCS), you can use Terraform Cloud to control Terraform workflows across teams effectively. Terraform Cloud runs Terraform in a reliable, consistent environment, providing safe access to state-of-the-art shared and private data and access controls based on the role, as well as a private registry for sharing, service providers, and others.

Benefits of Automating Cloud Infrastructure with Terraform

The automated cloud infrastructure that Terraform can provide with CI/CD has many advantages that include:

Optimizing Resource Usage

Terraform helps lower costs by precisely supplying resources and quickly removing those that are not being used.

Reducing Manual Work and Errors

• Terraform’s Infrastructure as Code (IaC) workflow can make it easier to avoid manual tasks and mistakes:
• Define and manage infrastructure using code: Developers and operations team members can design and control infrastructure using code instead of manually configuring resources.
• Implementing a consistent workflow: Terraform lets you implement an identical workflow throughout the life of your infrastructure.
• Running Terraform within CI/CD: Automatization eliminates the need to grant people privileged access.

Version Control

IaC interprets infrastructure definitions as code, which allows them to be version-controlled as software.

Facilitating Cross-Functional Collaboration

Terraform is compatible with the DevOps model, which increases productivity and visibility.

Lessening Development Costs

A CI/CD pipeline could drastically reduce software development costs through automation.

Advantages of Automating Cloud Infrastructure with Terraform CI/CD

While implementing cloud infrastructure automation using Terraform CI/CD can bring significant benefits. Still, it also has some disadvantages: complicated state management, the possibility of drift if manual modifications happen, steep learning curve because of the unique language (HCL), the potential for damaging changes if they are not properly managed, difficulty in managing complex dependency between resource, as well as the requirement for specialization to handle Terraform settings and state file.

In addition, integrating Terraform alongside other tools within the CI/CD pipeline can be difficult, especially with generic CI/CD platforms that aren’t specifically designed for Terraform workflows.

Complex Dependency Management

The intricate interrelation between various parts of the infrastructure may be challenging, particularly when dealing with huge, complex deployments.

Drift Management

If changes are made manually to infrastructure that isn’t part of Terraform, the state file is incorrect, leading to “drift,” where the actual infrastructure doesn’t conform to the specifications in Terraform.

Limited Support for Certain Scenarios

While it’s powerful enough for most infrastructure deployments, Terraform may not be the best option for managing extremely dynamic or stateful applications that require greater control.

Skill Requirements

Effective management of Terraform multi-cloud deployment usually requires expertise in the infrastructure code Terraform syntax and best practices for managing the state.

Steep Learning Curve

Terraform utilizes the Terraform configuration language (HCL), which can be difficult for novice users to understand and master, particularly if they’re not familiar with the terminology.

Potential for Destructive Changes

Making incorrect configuration changes in Terraform could result in the unintended destruction of infrastructure that needs to be thoroughly examined and checked.

State File Dependency

Terraform is heavily dependent on a state file to monitor infrastructure. This file can be a single source of failure if it is corrupted or out of sync with real infrastructure, creating possible issues when deploying.

Integration Issues with Generic Tools for CI/CD

Terraform integration with CI/CD pipeline requires additional configuration or customized scripting to maximize its capabilities, particularly when managing complicated workflows.

Integrating Terraform CI/CD Workflows

Creating a CI/CD pipeline to support Terraform infrastructure requires automated provisioning, administration and continuous integration with continuous delivery methods. We’ve provided a few steps to incorporate a CI/CD pipeline into Terraform infrastructure:

Version Control for Infrastructure

Storing Terraform configurations within version control systems along with application code allows for simple monitoring of changes and collaboration between team members. If changes occur, the historical record can be reviewed and then reversed if needed, ensuring transparency and consistency across the entire infrastructure.

Automated Planning and Deployment

The integration of Terraform in CI/CD platforms simplifies the process of updating the infrastructure with code changes. Automated workflows can be initiated when a new code is released, and Terraform plans to analyze the impact of changes. After that, Terraform applies to implement those changes, which minimizes human intervention and errors.

Rollbacks and History

Terraform’s capability to manage versions of infrastructure makes it easy to return to earlier versions when needed, allowing rapid problem resolution. By keeping a log of changes, teams can look back at previous modifications, determine the reasons behind issues, and make educated decisions regarding future upgrades.

Testing and Validation

Automated testing of CI/CD pipelines confirms that Terraform configurations comply with security and compliance standards prior to deployment. By incorporating tests into each step of the pipeline, possible vulnerabilities and issues can be detected at an early stage, reducing the chance of mistakes occurring within the actual environment.

Continuous Monitoring and Feedback

Integration of monitoring tools into pipelines that use CI/CD permits continuous monitoring and feedback on the Terraform managed services. By monitoring the environment after deployment, teams can pinpoint weaknesses in performance, security issues, or compliance violations to prioritize and resolve when they return to it in future versions.

Conclusion

Implementing the Terraform workflow with CI/CD is a good idea and follows a distinctive design. The huge library of pipelines and the possibility to create and reuse templates provide a lot of flexibility. On one hand, the idea of having one pipeline for each repository could sound like a limitation and can create a slight learning curve; however, its capability to manage the state, configure the remote backend, and automate may outweigh these limitations.
Implementing CI/CD in Terraform projects that are traditionally designed for components of the application layer is challenging. AddWeb solution supports the IaC automated workflow, where it is integrated with its IaC Git repository. Infrastructure sets are managed in the same way as Stacks.