Skip to content

Terraform Input Variables Basics

Step-01: Introduction

  • What are Terraform Input Variables ?
  • How many ways we can define Terraform Input Variables ?
  • Learm about Input Variables - Basics

Step-02: Input Variables Basics

  • Create / Review the terraform manifests
  • c1-versions.tf
  • c2-variables.tf
  • c3-resource-group.tf
  • c4-virtual-network.tf
  • We are going to define c2-variables.tf and define the below listed variables 
    # Input Variables

# 1. Business Unit Name
variable "business_unit" {
  description = "Business Unit Name"
  type = string
  default = "hr"
}
# 2. Environment Name
variable "environment" {
  description = "Environment Name"
  type = string
  default = "dev"
}
# 3. Resource Group Name
variable "resoure_group_name" {
  description = "Resource Group Name"
  type = string
  default = "myrg"
}
# 4. Resource Group Location
variable "resoure_group_location" {
  description = "Resource Group Location"
  type = string
  default = "East US"
}
# 5. Virtual Network Name
variable "virtual_network_name" {
  description = "Virtual Network Name"
  type = string 
  default = "myvnet"
}

Step-03: Use the Variables in Resources - c3-resource-group.tf

# Resource-1: Azure Resource Group
resource "azurerm_resource_group" "myrg" {
  #name = var.resource_group_name
  name = "${var.business_unit}-${var.environment}-${var.resoure_group_name}"
  location = var.resoure_group_location
}

Step-04: Use the Variables in Resources - c4-virtual-network.tf

# Create Virtual Network
resource "azurerm_virtual_network" "myvnet" {
  name                = "${var.business_unit}-${var.environment}-${var.virtual_network_name}"
  address_space       = ["10.0.0.0/16"]
  location            = azurerm_resource_group.myrg.location
  resource_group_name = azurerm_resource_group.myrg.name
}

Step-05: Execute Terraform Commands

# Initialize Terraform
terraform init

# Validate Terraform configuration files
terraform validate

# Format Terraform configuration files
terraform fmt

# Review the terraform plan
terraform plan

# Create Resources
terraform apply

# Verify the same on Azure Management Console
1. Resource Group Name
2. Virtual Network Name

Step-06: Clean-Up

# Clean-Up
terraform destroy -auto-approve
rm -rf .terraform*
rm -rf terraform.tfstate*

References

📬 Stay Updated — Weekly Terraform tips, Kubernetes guides & cost optimization strategies.

🎉 New Course
Ultimate DevOps Real-World Project Implementation on AWS
$15.99 $84.99 81% OFF
MARCH2026
Enroll Now on Udemy →
🎉 Offer