🏗️ Terraform

Terraform Module Example

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# modules/eks-cluster/main.tf
module "eks" {
  source  = "terraform-aws-modules/eks/aws"
  version = "~> 19.0"

  cluster_name    = var.cluster_name
  cluster_version = var.kubernetes_version

  vpc_id     = var.vpc_id
  subnet_ids = var.private_subnet_ids

  eks_managed_node_groups = {
    general = {
      instance_types = var.node_instance_types
      min_size       = var.min_nodes
      max_size       = var.max_nodes
      desired_size   = var.desired_nodes

      labels = {
        Environment = var.environment
      }
    }
  }

  tags = var.tags
}

# outputs.tf
output "cluster_endpoint" {
  value = module.eks.cluster_endpoint
}

output "cluster_security_group_id" {
  value = module.eks.cluster_security_group_id
}

Terraform Project Structure

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infrastructure/
├── modules/
│   ├── vpc/
│   ├── eks/
│   ├── rds/
│   └── monitoring/
├── environments/
│   ├── dev/
│   │   ├── main.tf
│   │   ├── variables.tf
│   │   └── terraform.tfvars
│   ├── staging/
│   └── production/
├── .github/
│   └── workflows/
│       └── terraform.yml
└── README.md

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to hire a Terraform consultant?

Terraform consultant rates: Junior $60-90/hr, Mid-level $100-160/hr, Senior $160-250+/hr in the US. Specialists for AWS automation charge $150-350/hr for complex migrations. Freelancers on Arc.dev: $60-100+/hr. Eastern Europe/LATAM: $40-80/hr. Effective rates start at $50/hr with prepaid packages (see /pricing/) with extensive Terraform production experience across AWS and GCP.

Terraform vs CloudFormation vs Pulumi: which IaC tool should I use?

Choose Terraform for: multi-cloud (75% of enterprises), largest module ecosystem, mature state management. Choose CloudFormation for: AWS-only, native AWS integration. Choose Pulumi for: real programming languages (Python, TypeScript) instead of HCL. Terraform is the industry standard, I recommend it for most projects.

What affects Terraform consultant rates?

Key factors: certifications (HashiCorp, AWS, GCP add 10-30% premium), project complexity (multi-account governance, compliance increases rates), urgency, and cloud expertise depth. Senior architects in US charge $200-300/hr for mission-critical infrastructure. Value-based pricing is common for large transformations.

How long does it take to set up Terraform infrastructure?

Timeline: basic single-service setup 1-2 weeks, multi-environment infrastructure 4-8 weeks, enterprise multi-account governance 2-4 months. Key phases: initial setup, module development, CI/CD integration, security/compliance, documentation. I provide realistic estimates based on your cloud complexity.

What skills should I look for in a Terraform consultant?

Essential skills: Terraform modules, state management, multi-environment organization, CI/CD integration (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI). Advanced: Terraform Cloud/Enterprise, Sentinel policies, multi-cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure), security best practices. Look for production experience managing real infrastructure, not just tutorials.