In recent months, interest in Terraform has soared. It works with a variety of cloud service providers, including Amazon, Azure, Oracle, and many more.
For Cloud Engineers with a focus on operations, IT, or development who are familiar with the fundamental ideas and abilities related to HashiCorp Terraform, the Terraform Associate 003 certification is available. This individual is aware of the functional distinctions between Terraform Cloud, Terraform Enterprise, and Terraform open source.
What is the difference between Hashicorp Terraform certification 002 and 003?
There is only a slight difference between the two—nothing significant.
The objectives have been reorganised and revised to more conveniently encompass current and planned Terraform product expansion in the (current 002 exam and the forthcoming 003 exam) versions.
Related Readings: Why Terraform? Not Chef, Ansible, Puppet, CloudFormation?
Which Exam Should I Take?
Up to the respective badges’ expiration dates, the Terraform Associate 002 certification will be recognised as a validator of Terraform expertise. Any Terraform Associate 002 credentials already held by a candidate are unaffected by receiving a Terraform Associate 003 certification, and they may both be held simultaneously. Nonetheless, each certification by itself may be used to verify associate-level Terraform expertise.
- If you successfully completed the Terraform Associate, defer recertifying until the release of the new version. In order to give you more time to prepare for the new test, Terraform has extended the dates on which all current badges are valid.
- You have a timetable and an option if you have never passed the Terraform Associate test.
Related Readings: HashiCorp Infrastructure Automation Certification: Terraform Associate
Exam Details
| Assessment Type | Multiple choice |
|---|---|
| Format | Online proctored |
| Duration | 1 hour |
| Price | $70.50 USD plus locally applicable taxes and fees Free retake not included |
| Language | English |
| Expiration | 2 years |
Variations in 002 and 003 Exam Content
To reflect the expansion of HashiCorp Terraform and to prepare for future expansion, Terraform has upgraded the Terraform Associate 003 test. The 002 test objectives have been rearranged and revised, which is the main focus of the modifications. Here is a list of more noteworthy changes.
| # | Objective Description | Status in Terraform Associate 003 |
|---|---|---|
| 3e | To |
Removed |
| 4 | Use Terraform outside of the core workflow | terraform taint removed, other topics reorganized |
| 6b | Initialize a Terraform working directory (terraform init) | Includes questions about terraform.lock.hcl |
| 7 | Implement and maintain state | Cloud integration authentication and cloud backends added |
| 8a | Demonstrate the use of variables and outputs | Covers sensitive variables and outputs’ relationship to exposure on the CLI |
| 8g | To |
Use cases for dynamic block is still tested in objective 8 |
| 9 | Understand Terraform Cloud capabilities | Restructured to accommodate the current and future state of Terraform Cloud |
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Updated Exam Objectives
1 |
Understand infrastructure as code (IaC) concepts |
|---|---|
| 1a | Explain what IaC is |
| 1b | Describe the advantages of IaC patterns |
2 |
Understand the purpose of Terraform (vs other IaC) |
|---|---|
| 2a | Explain multi-cloud and provider-agnostic benefits |
| 2b | Explain the benefits of state |
3 |
Understand Terraform basics |
|---|---|
| 3a | Install and version Terraform providers |
| 3b | Describe plugin-based architecture |
| 3c | Write Terraform configuration using multiple providers |
| 3d | Describe how Terraform finds and fetches providers |
4 |
Use Terraform outside of core workflow |
|---|---|
| 4a | Describe when to use terraform import to import existing infrastructure into your Terraform state |
| 4b | Use terraform state to view Terraform state |
| 4c | Describe when to enable verbose logging and what the outcome/value is |
5 |
Interact with Terraform modules |
|---|---|
| 5a | Contrast and use different module source options including the public Terraform Module Registry |
| 5b | Interact with module inputs and outputs |
| 5c | Describe variable scope within modules/child modules |
| 5d | Set module version |
6 |
Use the core Terraform workflow |
|---|---|
| 6a | Describe Terraform workflow ( Write -> Plan -> Create ) |
| 6b | Initialize a Terraform working directory (terraform init) |
| 6c | Validate a Terraform configuration (terraform validate) |
| 6d | Generate and review an execution plan for Terraform (terraform plan) |
| 6e | Execute changes to infrastructure with Terraform (terraform apply) |
| 6f | Destroy Terraform-managed infrastructure (terraform destroy) |
| 6g | Apply formatting and style adjustments to a configuration (terraform fmt) |
7 |
Implement and maintain state |
|---|---|
| 7a | Describe default local backend |
| 7b | Describe state locking |
| 7c | Handle backend and cloud integration authentication methods |
| 7d | Differentiate remote state back-end options |
| 7e | Manage resource drift and Terraform state |
| 7f | Describe backend block and cloud integration in configuration |
| 7g | Understand secret management in state files |
8 |
Read, generate, and modify the configuration |
|---|---|
| 8a | Demonstrate the use of variables and outputs |
| 8b | Describe secure secret injection best practice |
| 8c | Understand the use of collection and structural types |
| 8d | Create and differentiate resource and data configuration |
| 8e | Use resource addressing and resource parameters to connect resources |
| 8f | Use HCL and Terraform functions to write configuration |
| 8g | Describe built-in dependency management (order of execution based) |
9 |
Understand HCP Terraform capabilities |
|---|---|
| 9a | Explain how HCP Terraform helps to manage infrastructure |
| 9b | Describe how HCP Terraform enables collaboration and governance |
Activity Guides
The Terraform exam has a lot of Hands-On questions, so you need to go through the Hands-On labs. We have a list of Hands-On labs in our training, which covers the basic as well as advanced Terraform concepts.
To know more about Hands-On, please check our blogs on Terraform Activity Guides.
Here is the list of our activity guides:
- Register For a Free Azure Cloud Account
- Installing Terraform with Azure
- Create A Resource Group
- Define Input & Output Variables
- DataSources
- Dynamic Blocks
- Provisioners – local-exec, remote-exec, file
- Remote State with Azure Storage Account
- Terraform Modules
- Create & Manage Workspaces
- Terraform CLI Commands
- Create a Virtual Network & Virtual Machine
Registration
Note: The process of registration for 003 has started, so if you want to register for 003, go to the below website.
Register for the exam from the official HashiCorp website.
Download Sample Questions for Terraform Associate Certification
You can check the sample questions of the Terraform Associate Certification from here.
Conclusion
The HashiCorp Terraform Associate Certification (003) is a stepping stone for anyone looking to break into the cloud infrastructure or DevOps field. With thorough preparation, hands-on experience, and a solid understanding of Terraform, you can pass the exam and unlock exciting new career opportunities.
FAQs
What is the cost of the HashiCorp Terraform Associate Certification?
The certification exam costs around $70 to $100, depending on your region.
How long is the certification valid for?
The certification is valid for two years.
Can I retake the exam if I fail?
Yes, you can retake the exam, but you must wait a short period before reapplying.
How do I register for the HashiCorp Terraform Associate Certification?
You can register through the HashiCorp Learning Portal or a testing partner.
Is hands-on experience mandatory for passing the exam?
Yes its mandatory, hands-on experience with Terraform greatly improves your chances of passing the exam.
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