Terraform
CLI Commands
Note: CDK for Terraform is currently in beta.
The CDK for Terraform CLI has the following commands:
completion
This command outputs a script that you can use to set up autocompletion for bash or zsh.
> cdktf completion
#compdef cdktf
###-begin-cdktf-completions-###
#
# yargs command completion script
#
# Installation: cdktf completion >> ~/.zshrc
# or cdktf completion >> ~/.zsh_profile on OSX.
#
_cdktf_yargs_completions()
{
local reply
local si=$IFS
IFS=$'
' reply=($(COMP_CWORD="$((CURRENT-1))" COMP_LINE="$BUFFER" COMP_POINT="$CURSOR" cdktf --get-yargs-completions "${words[@]}"))
IFS=$si
_describe 'values' reply
}
compdef _cdktf_yargs_completions cdktf
###-end-cdktf-completions-###
The output also contains the installation instructions. For example, here are the instructions for Mac OSX:
cdktf completion >> ~/.bash_profile on OSX.
# or if using zsh instead of bash
cdktf completion >> ~/.zshrc
After you configure auto completion, reload your shell by running source ~/.zshrc, source ~/.bash_profile or opening a new terminal window. You can now autocomplete cdktf commands by pressing the <TAB> key. You may need to enter a space after cdktf for autocomplete to take effect.
> cdktf <TAB>
completion -- generate completion script
convert -- Converts a single file of HCL configuration to CDK for Terraform. Takes the file to be converted on stdin.
deploy -- Deploy the given stack
destroy -- Destroy the given stack
diff -- Perform a diff (terraform plan) for the given stack
get -- Generate CDK Constructs for Terraform providers and modules.
init -- Create a new cdktf project from a template.
list -- List stacks in app.
login -- Retrieves an API token to connect to Terraform Cloud.
synth -- Synthesizes Terraform code for the given app in a directory.
watch -- [experimental] Watch for file changes and automatically trigger a deploy
convert
This command converts Terraform configuration written in HCL to the equivalent configuration in your preferred language.
->Note: The convert command is only functional for Terraform 1.0 and above. There are also known limitations.
cdktf convert [OPTIONS]
Converts a single file of HCL configuration to Terraform CDK. Takes the file to be converted on stdin.
Options:
--version Show version number [boolean]
--disable-logging Dont write log files. Supported using the env CDKTF_DISABLE_LOGGING.
[boolean] [default: true]
--disable-plugin-cache-env Dont set TF_PLUGIN_CACHE_DIR automatically. This is useful when the plugin
cache is configured differently. Supported using the env
CDKTF_DISABLE_PLUGIN_CACHE_ENV. [boolean] [default: false]
--log-level Which log level should be written. Only supported via setting the env
CDKTF_LOG_LEVEL [string]
--language [choices: "typescript", "python", "csharp", "java"] [default: "typescript"]
-h, --help Show help [boolean]
Examples
Convert a local file.
cat main.tf | cdktf convert > imported.ts`
Convert HCL in your clipboard to Python on OSX.
pbpaste | cdktf convert --language python | pbcopy
Convert HCL in your clipboard to Python on OSX.
pbpaste | cdktf convert --language python | pbcopy
deploy
This command deploys a given application.
$ cdktf deploy --help
Help Output
cdktf deploy [OPTIONS]
Deploy the given stack
Options:
--version Show version number [boolean]
--disable-logging Dont write log files. Supported using the env CDKTF_DISABLE_LOGGING. [boolean] [default: true]
--log-level Which log level should be written. Only supported via setting the env CDKTF_LOG_LEVEL [string]
--app, -a Command to use in order to execute cdktf app [required]
--output, -o Output directory [required] [default: "cdktf.out"]
--auto-approve Auto approve [boolean] [default: false]
-h, --help Show help [boolean]
Examples
Deploy an application.
$ cdktf deploy
Deploy an application with automatic approval of the diff (Terraform plan).
$ cdktf deploy --auto-approve
destroy
This command destroys a given application.
$ cdktf destroy --help
Help output:
cdktf destroy [OPTIONS]
Destroy the given stack
Options:
--version Show version number [boolean]
--disable-logging Dont write log files. Supported using the env CDKTF_DISABLE_LOGGING. [boolean] [default: true]
--log-level Which log level should be written. Only supported via setting the env CDKTF_LOG_LEVEL [string]
--app, -a Command to use in order to execute cdktf app [required]
--output, -o Output directory [required] [default: "cdktf.out"]
--auto-approve Auto approve [boolean] [default: false]
-h, --help Show help [boolean]
Examples
Destroy an application.
$ cdktf destroy
Destroy an application with automatic approval of the diff (Terraform plan).
$ cdktf destroy --auto-approve
diff
This command generates a diff for a given application by running Terraform plan.
$ cdktf diff --help
Help output:
cdktf diff [OPTIONS]
Perform a diff (terraform plan) for the given stack
Options:
--version Show version number [boolean]
--disable-logging Dont write log files. Supported using the env CDKTF_DISABLE_LOGGING. [boolean] [default: true]
--log-level Which log level should be written. Only supported via setting the env CDKTF_LOG_LEVEL [string]
--app, -a Command to use in order to execute cdktf app [required]
--output, -o Output directory [required] [default: "cdktf.out"]
-h, --help Show help [boolean]
Examples:
Generate a diff for a given application.
$ cdktf diff
get
This command downloads the providers and modules for an application and
generates CDK constructs for them. It can use the cdktf.json configuration file to read the list of providers and modules.
$ cdktf get --help
Help Output
cdktf get [OPTIONS]
Generate CDK Constructs for Terraform providers and modules.
Options:
--version Show version number [boolean]
--disable-logging Dont write log files. Supported using the env CDKTF_DISABLE_LOGGING. [boolean] [default: true]
--log-level Which log level should be written. Only supported via setting the env CDKTF_LOG_LEVEL [string]
--output, -o Output directory for generated Constructs [string] [default: ".gen"]
--language, -l Output programming language [string] [required] [choices: "typescript", "python", "java", "csharp", "go"]
-h, --help Show help [boolean]
Examples
Download the providers and modules defined in the cdktf.json configuration file.
$ cat cdktf.json
{
"language": "typescript",
"app": "node main.js",
"terraformProviders": ["aws@~> 2.0"]
}
$ cdktf get
init
This command creates a new CDK for Terraform project using a template.
$ cdktf init --help
Help Output
cdktf init [OPTIONS]
Create a new cdktf project from a template.
Options:
--version Show version number [boolean]
--disable-logging Dont write log files. Supported using the env CDKTF_DISABLE_LOGGING.
[boolean] [default: true]
--disable-plugin-cache-env Dont set TF_PLUGIN_CACHE_DIR automatically. This is useful when the plugin cache is
configured differently. Supported using the env CDKTF_DISABLE_PLUGIN_CACHE_ENV.
[boolean] [default: false]
--log-level Which log level should be written. Only supported via setting the env CDKTF_LOG_LEVEL
[string]
--template The template to be used to create a new project. Either URL to zip file or one of the
built-in templates: ["csharp", "go", "java", "python", "python-pip", "typescript"]
[string]
--project-name The name of the project. [string]
--project-description The description of the project. [string]
--dist Install dependencies from a "dist" directory (for development) [string]
--local Use local state storage for generated Terraform. [boolean] [default: false]
--cdktf-version The cdktf version to use while creating a new project. [string] [default: "0.0.0"]
--from-terraform-project Use a terraform project as the basis, CDK constructs will be generated based on the
.tf files in the path [string]
-h, --help Show help [boolean]
Examples
Create a new Typescript project.
$ cdktf init --template="typescript"
Create a new Python project and use a specific version of the cdktf package.
$ cdktf init --template="python" --cdktf-version="0.0.1"
Create a new Typescript project from an existing Terraform codebase. Currently, you can only use the --from-terraform-project flag with TypeScript, and there are some known limitations.
$ cdktf init --template="typescript" --from-terraform-project /path/to/terraform/project
login
This command helps log in to Terraform Cloud by fetching a Terraform Cloud API token.
$ cdktf login --help
Help Output
cdktf login
Retrieves an API token to connect to Terraform Cloud.
Options:
--version Show version number [boolean]
--disable-logging Dont write log files. Supported using the env CDKTF_DISABLE_LOGGING. [boolean] [default: true]
--log-level Which log level should be written. Only supported via setting the env CDKTF_LOG_LEVEL [string]
-h, --help Show help [boolean]
Examples
Fetch an API token from Terraform Cloud.
$ cdktf login
synth
This command synthesizes Terraform configuration for an application. CDKTF stores the synthesized configuration in the cdktf.out directory, unless you use the --output flag to specify a different location. The output folder is ephemeral and might be erased for each synth that you run manually or that happens automatically when you run deploy, diff, or destroy.
$ cdktf synth --help
Help Output
cdktf synth [OPTIONS]
Synthesizes Terraform code for the given app in a directory.
Options:
--version Show version number [boolean]
--disable-logging Don't write log files. Supported using the env CDKTF_DISABLE_LOGGING. [boolean] [default: true]
--log-level Which log level should be written. Only supported via setting the env CDKTF_LOG_LEVEL [string]
--app, -a Command to use in order to execute cdktf app
--output, -o Output directory [default: "cdktf.out"]
--json Provide JSON output for the generated Terraform configuration. [boolean] [default: false]
-h, --help Show help [boolean]
Examples
Synthesize code for an application.
$ cdktf synth
Synthesize code when providing a custom command to execute and an output directory.
$ cdktf synth --app="npm compile && node main.js" --output="dirname"
Synthesize code for an application and output the Terraform JSON configuration.
$ cdktf synth --json
watch
Warning: The watch command is experimental, so you should only use it in development environments. It also automatically deploys all changes without asking for confirmation.
The watch command watches a directory for changes and automatically synthesizes and deploys changes as they happen. It allows for rapid iterations when developing infrastructure, especially when working with serverless services. It currently supports only one stack at a time and automatically deploys changes without asking for confirmation.
Watch reads your root .gitignore file to determine which files trigger a synth and it uses the outdir of your cdktf.json (or the default cdktf.out) to do so for a deploy. It will generate a checksum of the subdirectory containing the Terraform code for your stack to skip deploys if the synthesized Terraform config did not change.
Requirements
Before using watch you should:
Check your root
.gitignorefile. Your root.gitignoremust contain all files that are generated bysynthanddeploy. If that is not the case, thewatchcommand will trigger itself and continuously try to deploy. Although Git supports nesting.gitignorefiles, thewatchcommand currently only reads the root.gitignorefile.Check your environment. The
watchcommand should only be used for development environments. We recommend making sure that the terminal where you want to runwatchhas no access keys that allow thecdktf-clito deploy to your production environment.
Run watch
$ cdktf watch --help
Help Output
cdktf watch [stack] [OPTIONS]
[experimental] Watch for file changes and automatically trigger a deploy
Positionals:
stack Deploy stack which matches the given id only. Required when more than one stack is present in the app [string]
Options:
--version Show version number [boolean]
--disable-logging Dont write log files. Supported using the env CDKTF_DISABLE_LOGGING. [boolean] [default: true]
--disable-plugin-cache-env Dont set TF_PLUGIN_CACHE_DIR automatically. This is useful when the plugin cache is configured differently. Supported using the env CDKTF_DISABLE_PLUGIN_CACHE_ENV. [boolean] [default: false]
--log-level Which log level should be written. Only supported via setting the env CDKTF_LOG_LEVEL [string]
-a, --app Command to use in order to execute cdktf app [required]
-o, --output Output directory [required] [default: "cdktf.out"]
--auto-approve Auto approve [boolean] [default: false]
-h, --help Show help
Examples
Run watch on the development stack (dev). The --auto-approve flag skips the explicit plan approval step and is currently always required.
cdktf watch dev --auto-approve
Troubleshoot watch
Set the CDKTF_LOG_LEVEL environment variable to all and set CDKTF_DISABLE_LOGGING to false.
The debug output is directed to a cdktf.log file in your projects root directory. The log contains information about detected file system changes and the actions they triggered.
The debug output is directed to a cdktf.log file in your projects root directory. The log contains information about detected file system changes and the actions they triggered.