Terraform HCP Remote and CI Cheat Sheet

terraform login

# Open a browser flow to save an API token in the CLI credentials file.

terraform logout

# Remove saved credentials for the current host.

credentials "app.terraform.io" {
  token = var.tfc_token
}

# Example `.terraformrc` / `terraform.rc` credentials block.

terraform plan -no-color

# Disable ANSI color codes for cleaner CI logs.

terraform apply -auto-approve -input=false

# Apply non-interactively in automation.

terraform init -input=false

# Avoid interactive backend/provider prompts in automation.

terraform workspace select dev || terraform workspace new dev

# Common automation pattern for ephemeral or environment-specific workspaces.

terraform {
  backend "remote" {
    organization = "acme"
    workspaces {
      prefix = "networking-"
    }
  }
}

# Map multiple CLI workspaces to remote workspaces with a shared prefix.

export TF_DATA_DIR=$PWD/.tfdata

# Isolate Terraform local data in ephemeral build environments.

export TF_CLI_CONFIG_FILE=$PWD/.terraformrc

# Use a project-specific CLI configuration in CI or containers.

terraform plan -out=tfplan && terraform show -json tfplan > tfplan.json

# Persist both binary and JSON plan outputs for later review or policy checks.

terraform fmt -check -recursive && terraform init -backend=false && terraform validate

# Common fast feedback step before plan/apply.