
terraform-test
Comprehensive guide for writing and running Terraform tests. Use when creating test files (.tftest.hcl), writing test scenarios with run blocks, validating infrastructure behavior with assertions, mocking providers and data sources, testing module outputs and resource configurations, or troubleshooting Terraform test syntax and execution.
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Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/hashicorp/agent-skills --skill terraform-test- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads terraform-test automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
Security audits
Independent scans of the skill's instructions and bundled files.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
Terraform Test
Terraform's built-in testing framework validates that configuration updates don't introduce breaking changes. Tests run against temporary resources, protecting existing infrastructure and state files.
Reference Files
references/MOCK_PROVIDERS.md— Mock provider syntax, common defaults, when to use mocks (Terraform 1.7.0+ only — skip if the user's version is below 1.7)references/CI_CD.md— GitHub Actions and GitLab CI pipeline examplesreferences/EXAMPLES.md— Complete example test suite (unit, integration, and mock tests for a VPC module)
Read the relevant reference file when the user asks about mocking, CI/CD integration, or wants a full example.
Core Concepts
- Test file (
.tftest.hcl/.tftest.json): Containsrunblocks that validate your configuration - Run block: A single test scenario with optional variables, providers, and assertions
- Assert block: Conditions that must be true for the test to pass
- Mock provider: Simulates provider behavior without real infrastructure (Terraform 1.7.0+)
- Test modes:
apply(default, creates real resources) orplan(validates logic only)
File Structure
my-module/
├── main.tf
├── variables.tf
├── outputs.tf
└── tests/
├── defaults_unit_test.tftest.hcl # plan mode — fast, no resources
├── validation_unit_test.tftest.hcl # plan mode
└── full_stack_integration_test.tftest.hcl # apply mode — creates real resources
Use *_unit_test.tftest.hcl for plan-mode tests and *_integration_test.tftest.hcl for apply-mode tests so they can be filtered separately in CI.
Test File Structure
# Optional: test-wide settings
test {
parallel = true # Enable parallel execution for all run blocks (default: false)
}
# Optional: file-level variables (highest precedence, override all other sources)
variables {
aws_region = "us-west-2"
instance_type = "t2.micro"
}
# Optional: provider configuration
provider "aws" {
region = var.aws_region
}
# Required: at least one run block
run "test_default_configuration" {
command = plan
assert {
condition = aws_instance.example.instance_type == "t2.micro"
error_message = "Instance type should be t2.micro by default"
}
}
Run Block
run "test_name" {
command = plan # or apply (default)
parallel = true # optional, since v1.9.0
# Override file-level variables
variables {
instance_type = "t3.large"
}
# Reference a specific module
module {
source = "./modules/vpc" # local or registry only (not git/http)
version = "5.0.0" # registry modules only
}
# Control state isolation
state_key = "shared_state" # since v1.9.0
# Plan behavior
plan_options {
mode = refresh-only # or normal (default)
refresh = true
replace = [aws_instance.example]
target = [aws_instance.example]
}
# Assertions
assert {
condition = aws_instance.example.id != ""
error_message = "Instance should have a valid ID"
}
# Expected failures (test passes if these fail)
expect_failures = [
var.instance_count
]
}
Common Test Patterns
Validate outputs
run "test_outputs" {
command = plan
assert {
condition = output.vpc_id != null
error_message = "VPC ID output must be defined"
}
assert {
condition = can(regex("^vpc-", output.vpc_id))
error_message = "VPC ID should start with 'vpc-'"
}
}
Conditional resources
run "test_nat_gateway_disabled" {
command = plan
variables {
create_nat_gateway = false
}
assert {
condition = length(aws_nat_gateway.main) == 0
error_message = "NAT gateway should not be created when disabled"
}
}
Resource counts
run "test_resource_count" {
command = plan
variables {
instance_count = 3
}
assert {
condition = length(aws_instance.workers) == 3
error_message = "Should create exactly 3 worker instances"
}
}
Tags
run "test_resource_tags" {
command = plan
variables {
common_tags = {
Environment = "production"
ManagedBy = "Terraform"
}
}
assert {
condition = aws_instance.example.tags["Environment"] == "production"
error_message = "Environment tag should be set correctly"
}
assert {
condition = aws_instance.example.tags["ManagedBy"] == "Terraform"
error_message = "ManagedBy tag should be set correctly"
}
}
Data sources
run "test_data_source_lookup" {
command = plan
assert {
condition = data.aws_ami.ubuntu.id != ""
error_message = "Should find a valid Ubuntu AMI"
}
assert {
condition = can(regex("^ami-", data.aws_ami.ubuntu.id))
error_message = "AMI ID should be in correct format"
}
}
Validation rules
run "test_invalid_environment" {
command = plan
variables {
environment = "invalid"
}
expect_failures = [
var.environment
]
}
Sequential tests with dependencies
run "setup_vpc" {
command = apply
assert {
condition = output.vpc_id != ""
error_message = "VPC should be created"
}
}
run "test_subnet_in_vpc" {
command = plan
variables {
vpc_id = run.setup_vpc.vpc_id
}
assert {
condition = aws_subnet.example.vpc_id == run.setup_vpc.vpc_id
error_message = "Subnet should be in the VPC from setup_vpc"
}
}
Plan options (refresh-only, targeted)
run "test_refresh_only" {
command = plan
plan_options {
mode = refresh-only
}
assert {
condition = aws_instance.example.tags["Environment"] == "production"
error_message = "Tags should be refreshed correctly"
}
}
run "test_specific_resource" {
command = plan
plan_options {
target = [aws_instance.example]
}
assert {
condition = aws_instance.example.instance_type == "t2.micro"
error_message = "Targeted resource should be planned"
}
}
Parallel modules
run "test_networking_module" {
command = plan
parallel = true
module {
source = "./modules/networking"
}
assert {
condition = output.vpc_id != ""
error_message = "VPC should be created"
}
}
run "test_compute_module" {
command = plan
parallel = true
module {
source = "./modules/compute"
}
assert {
condition = output.instance_id != ""
error_message = "Instance should be created"
}
}
State key sharing
run "create_foundation" {
command = apply
state_key = "foundation"
assert {
condition = aws_vpc.main.id != ""
error_message = "Foundation VPC should be created"
}
}
run "create_application" {
command = apply
state_key = "foundation"
variables {
vpc_id = run.create_foundation.vpc_id
}
assert {
condition = aws_instance.app.vpc_id == run.create_foundation.vpc_id
error_message = "Application should use foundation VPC"
}
}
Cleanup ordering (S3 objects before bucket)
run "create_bucket" {
command = apply
assert {
condition = aws_s3_bucket.example.id != ""
error_message = "Bucket should be created"
}
}
run "add_objects" {
command = apply
assert {
condition = length(aws_s3_object.files) > 0
error_message = "Objects should be added"
}
}
# Cleanup destroys in reverse: objects first, then bucket
Multiple aliased providers
provider "aws" {
alias = "primary"
region = "us-west-2"
}
provider "aws" {
alias = "secondary"
region = "us-east-1"
}
run "test_with_specific_provider" {
command = plan
providers = {
aws = provider.aws.secondary
}
assert {
condition = aws_instance.example.availability_zone == "us-east-1a"
error_message = "Instance should be in us-east-1 region"
}
}
Complex conditions
assert {
condition = alltrue([
for subnet in aws_subnet.private :
can(regex("^10\\.0\\.", subnet.cidr_block))
])
error_message = "All private subnets should use 10.0.0.0/8 CIDR range"
}
Cleanup
Resources are destroyed in reverse run block order after test completion. This matters for dependencies (e.g., S3 objects before bucket). Use terraform test -no-cleanup to skip cleanup for debugging.
Running Tests
terraform test # all tests
terraform test tests/defaults.tftest.hcl # specific file
terraform test -filter=test_vpc_configuration # by run block name
terraform test -test-directory=integration-tests # custom directory
terraform test -verbose # detailed output
terraform test -no-cleanup # skip resource cleanup
Best Practices
- Naming:
*_unit_test.tftest.hclfor plan mode,*_integration_test.tftest.hclfor apply mode - Test naming: Use descriptive run block names that explain the scenario being tested
- Default to plan: Use
command = planunless you need to test real resource behavior - Use mocks for external dependencies — faster and no credentials needed (see
references/MOCK_PROVIDERS.md) - Error messages: Make them specific enough to diagnose failures without running the test again
- Negative tests: Use
expect_failuresto verify validation rules reject bad inputs - Variable coverage: Test different variable combinations to validate all code paths — test variables have the highest precedence and override all other sources
- Module sources: Test files only support local paths and registry modules — not git or HTTP URLs
- Parallel execution: Use
parallel = truefor independent tests with different state files - Cleanup: Integration tests destroy resources in reverse run block order automatically; use
-no-cleanupfor debugging - CI/CD: Run unit tests on every PR, integration tests on merge (see
references/CI_CD.md)
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Assertion failures | Use -verbose to see actual vs expected values |
| Missing credentials | Use mock providers for unit tests |
| Unsupported module source | Convert git/HTTP sources to local modules |
| Tests interfering | Use state_key or separate modules for isolation |
| Slow tests | Use command = plan and mocks; run integration tests separately |
References
FAQ
What does the terraform-test skill do?
Comprehensive guide for writing and running Terraform tests. Use when creating test files (.tftest.hcl), writing test scenarios with run blocks, validating infrastructure behavior with assertions, mocking providers and data sources, testing module outputs and resource configurations, or troubleshooting Terraform test syntax and execution.
How do I install terraform-test?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/hashicorp/agent-skills --skill terraform-test in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/terraform-test/ (personal) or .claude/skills/terraform-test/ (project).
Which AI agents can use terraform-test?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is terraform-test safe to install?
Security partners have reviewed it: Gen Agent Trust Hub passed; Socket passed; Snyk passed; Runlayer passed; ZeroLeaks passed. As with any skill, read the SKILL.md and bundled scripts before installing.
Who maintains terraform-test?
It is published by hashicorp in hashicorp/agent-skills, and it is an official skill from the maker of the technology it covers. It has 8,830 recorded installs.
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