terraform:tldr:624f0

The command "terraform init" is used in Terraform, an infrastructure as code (IaC) tool, to initialize a new or existing Terraform working directory.

When you run "terraform init", it performs the following steps:

1. Downloads the necessary provider plugins and provisions them for use.
2. Sets up the backend configuration, which determines where Terraform state files are stored.
3. Fetches the remote backend, if configured, and ensures the environment is properly configured to use it.

More specifically, the "terraform init" command does the following:

1. Provider Plugin Download: If your Terraform configuration file (usually named main.tf) specifies any provider plugins, such as AWS, Azure, or GCP, Terraform will download them at this stage. These plugins enable Terraform to interact with the respective cloud providers.

2. Backend Configuration: Terraform uses a backend to store the infrastructure state, which tracks the resources created and managed by Terraform. In the "terraform init" command, you can specify the backend configuration using the "-backend-config" flag or provide a backend configuration file. This step sets up the backend, including configuring the state storage location.

3. Remote Backend Setup: If you're using a remote backend, such as Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, or HashiCorp Terraform Cloud, Terraform will set up the connection and configure access to that backend.

After you run "terraform init", the working directory is initialized and ready for use. You can proceed with running "terraform plan" to see the execution plan for creating or modifying your infrastructure, or use other Terraform commands like "terraform apply" to actually create or update resources.