Terraformer Skill

Comprehensive Terraformer tool expertise for reverse-engineering existing cloud infrastructure into Terraform code. Transform brownfield infrastructure into infrastructure-as-code with automated resource discovery and code generation.

When to Use This Skill

Activate this skill when:

Migrating existing infrastructure to Terraform
Documenting undocumented infrastructure
Creating disaster recovery configurations
Reverse-engineering manually created resources
Auditing cloud resource configurations
Generating Terraform code from existing resources
Consolidating multi-account or multi-region infrastructure
Creating baseline configurations for new environments
Importing resources from multiple cloud providers
Validating infrastructure drift

What is Terraformer?

Terraformer is a CLI tool that generates Terraform configuration files from existing infrastructure. It uses cloud provider APIs to discover resources and automatically creates:

Terraform resource blocks (.tf files)
Terraform state files (.tfstate)
Variable definitions
Provider configurations

Best for: Brownfield infrastructure, migration projects, infrastructure discovery, documentation generation

Supported Providers

Terraformer supports 40+ providers including:

Major Cloud Providers

AWS: 150+ resource types including VPC, EC2, RDS, S3, IAM, Lambda, EKS, etc.
Azure: Resource Groups, VNets, VMs, AKS, Storage, Key Vault, App Services
GCP: Projects, VPC, GCE, GKE, Cloud SQL, IAM, Cloud Functions, Storage
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Compute, networking, storage, databases

Container & Orchestration

Kubernetes: Deployments, Services, ConfigMaps, Secrets, Ingress, PVCs
OpenShift: Routes, DeploymentConfigs, BuildConfigs
Cloud Foundry: Apps, services, routes

Other Providers

GitHub: Repositories, teams, webhooks
Datadog: Monitors, dashboards, users
New Relic: Alerts, dashboards
Cloudflare: DNS, firewall rules
Fastly: Services, backends
Heroku: Apps, addons, pipelines

Core Capabilities

Resource Discovery

Automated scanning of cloud accounts
Multi-region resource discovery
Filtered imports by resource type, tag, or name
Bulk import operations
Cross-account discovery

Code Generation

HCL (Terraform language) file generation
State file creation
Variable extraction
Output definitions
Provider configurations

Import Strategies

Full account import: All resources in an account/subscription
Selective import: Specific resource types or services
Filtered import: By tags, names, or patterns
Region-specific import: Single or multi-region
Resource dependency mapping: Maintains relationships

State Management

Generates valid Terraform state
Supports remote state backends
State file splitting by resource type
Incremental state updates

Installation

# macOS
brew install terraformer

# Linux
curl -LO https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/terraformer/releases/download/$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/GoogleCloudPlatform/terraformer/releases/latest | grep tag_name | cut -d '"' -f 4)/terraformer-linux-amd64
chmod +x terraformer-linux-amd64
sudo mv terraformer-linux-amd64 /usr/local/bin/terraformer

# Windows
choco install terraformer

# Verify installation
terraformer version

Basic Usage Pattern

# Basic import command structure
terraformer import <provider> \
  --resources=<resource_types> \
  --regions=<regions> \
  --filter=<filters> \
  --path-pattern=<output_path> \
  --compact

# Example: Import AWS VPC resources in us-east-1
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=vpc,subnet,security_group \
  --regions=us-east-1 \
  --compact

Common Workflows

1. Discover Existing Infrastructure

# List available resources for a provider
terraformer import aws --resources=* --regions=us-east-1 --dry-run

# AWS: List all resource types
terraformer import aws list

# Azure: List resource types
terraformer import azure list

# GCP: List resource types
terraformer import google list

2. Selective Resource Import

# Import specific resource types
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=vpc,subnet,route_table,internet_gateway \
  --regions=us-east-1,us-west-2 \
  --compact

# Import with tag filtering
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=ec2_instance \
  --regions=us-east-1 \
  --filter="Name=tag:Environment;Value=production" \
  --compact

# Import by resource ID
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=s3 \
  --filter="Name=id;Value=my-bucket-name" \
  --compact

3. Full Account Import

# Import all resources (careful - can be large!)
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=* \
  --regions=us-east-1 \
  --compact \
  --path-pattern={output}/aws/{region}/{service}

# Azure resource group import
terraformer import azure \
  --resources=* \
  --resource-group=my-resource-group

# GCP project import
terraformer import google \
  --resources=* \
  --projects=my-project-id \
  --regions=us-central1

4. Multi-Region Import

# Import from multiple regions
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=vpc,ec2_instance,rds \
  --regions=us-east-1,us-west-2,eu-west-1 \
  --compact \
  --path-pattern={output}/aws/{region}

5. Kubernetes Import

# Import Kubernetes resources
terraformer import kubernetes \
  --resources=deployments,services,configmaps,secrets \
  --namespace=production

# Import all namespaced resources
terraformer import kubernetes \
  --resources=* \
  --namespace=default

Output Structure

After running Terraformer, the output directory contains:

generated/
└── aws/
    └── us-east-1/
        ├── vpc/
        │   ├── vpc.tf                    # Resource definitions
        │   ├── terraform.tfstate         # Generated state
        │   ├── variables.tf              # Variable definitions
        │   └── outputs.tf                # Output definitions
        ├── ec2_instance/
        │   ├── ec2_instance.tf
        │   ├── terraform.tfstate
        │   └── variables.tf
        └── security_group/
            ├── security_group.tf
            └── terraform.tfstate

Post-Import Workflow

1. Review Generated Code

# Navigate to output directory
cd generated/aws/us-east-1/vpc

# Review generated Terraform
cat vpc.tf

# Check state file
terraform state list

2. Clean Up and Refactor

# Common cleanup tasks:
# - Remove unnecessary tags
# - Extract hardcoded values to variables
# - Consolidate repeated patterns into modules
# - Remove default values
# - Organize files by logical grouping
# - Add meaningful resource names

3. Initialize and Validate

# Initialize Terraform
terraform init

# Validate configuration
terraform validate

# Plan to verify no changes
terraform plan
# Expected: No changes. Infrastructure is up-to-date.

4. Integrate with Existing Projects

# Option 1: Merge state files
terraform state pull > original.tfstate
# Manually merge or use terraform state mv

# Option 2: Use terraform_remote_state data source
# Reference imported resources from other projects

# Option 3: Import into existing state
terraform import aws_vpc.main vpc-12345678

Advanced Features

Filtering Strategies

# By tag
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=ec2_instance \
  --filter="Name=tag:Team;Value=platform"

# By name pattern
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=s3 \
  --filter="Name=id;Value=prod-*"

# Multiple filters
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=rds \
  --filter="Name=tag:Environment;Value=production" \
  --filter="Name=engine;Value=postgres"

# Exclude pattern
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=vpc \
  --excludes="default-vpc-*"

Custom Path Patterns

# Organize by environment and region
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=* \
  --regions=us-east-1 \
  --path-pattern=generated/{provider}/{region}/{environment}

# Organize by service
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=vpc,subnet,route_table \
  --path-pattern=generated/networking/{service}

Compact Mode

# Compact mode reduces file size and improves readability
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=vpc \
  --compact  # Removes comments and formatting

Plan File Generation

# Generate plan file for review
terraformer plan aws \
  --resources=vpc \
  --regions=us-east-1

# Review plan
terraform show plan.out

Integration with Terraform Enterprise

Migrating to Remote State

# 1. Import infrastructure locally
terraformer import aws --resources=vpc --regions=us-east-1

# 2. Configure remote backend
cat > backend.tf <<EOF
terraform {
  backend "s3" {
    bucket         = "my-terraform-state"
    key            = "imported/vpc/terraform.tfstate"
    region         = "us-east-1"
    encrypt        = true
    dynamodb_table = "terraform-locks"
  }
}
EOF

# 3. Initialize with backend
terraform init

# 4. Push state to remote
terraform state push terraform.tfstate

Creating Modules from Imports

# 1. Import resources
terraformer import aws --resources=vpc,subnet --compact

# 2. Refactor into module structure
mkdir -p modules/vpc
mv generated/aws/us-east-1/vpc/*.tf modules/vpc/

# 3. Create module interface
# Edit modules/vpc/variables.tf, outputs.tf, main.tf

# 4. Use module in root config
cat > main.tf <<EOF
module "vpc" {
  source = "./modules/vpc"

  cidr_block = "10.0.0.0/16"
  name       = "production-vpc"
}
EOF

Best Practices

Before Import

Audit existing infrastructure: Document what exists
Plan resource organization: Decide on module structure
Set up version control: Initialize git repository
Configure authentication: Set up cloud provider credentials
Test on non-production first: Validate process safely

During Import

Use filters: Import only what you need
Import incrementally: Start with core services
Use compact mode: Improve readability
Organize by service: Use path patterns
Document decisions: Add comments explaining why

After Import

Review all generated code: Don't blindly trust output
Run terraform plan: Verify no drift
Refactor immediately: Clean up before it grows
Extract variables: Remove hardcoded values
Add validation: Implement input validation
Create modules: Consolidate repeated patterns
Document architecture: Update documentation
Set up CI/CD: Automate validation and deployment
Enable state locking: Prevent concurrent modifications
Implement policy checks: Add Sentinel/OPA policies

Common Use Cases

1. Disaster Recovery Setup

# Import production infrastructure
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=vpc,subnet,ec2_instance,rds,s3 \
  --regions=us-east-1 \
  --filter="Name=tag:Environment;Value=production"

# Modify for DR region
# - Change region variables
# - Update CIDR blocks if needed
# - Adjust instance sizes for cost

# Deploy to DR region
terraform apply -var="region=us-west-2"

2. Multi-Account Consolidation

# Import from Account A
export AWS_PROFILE=account-a
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=* \
  --regions=us-east-1 \
  --path-pattern=generated/account-a/{service}

# Import from Account B
export AWS_PROFILE=account-b
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=* \
  --regions=us-east-1 \
  --path-pattern=generated/account-b/{service}

# Consolidate and standardize
# Create unified modules from both accounts

3. Infrastructure Documentation

# Import all infrastructure
terraformer import aws --resources=* --regions=us-east-1

# Generate documentation
terraform-docs markdown . > INFRASTRUCTURE.md

# Create architecture diagrams
terraform graph | dot -Tpng > architecture.png

4. Migration to Terraform

# Phase 1: Import existing resources
terraformer import aws --resources=vpc,subnet,route_table

# Phase 2: Validate no drift
terraform plan  # Should show no changes

# Phase 3: Make infrastructure changes via Terraform
# Edit .tf files, run terraform apply

# Phase 4: Decommission manual processes
# Update runbooks, disable console access

Troubleshooting

Issue: Import Fails with Authentication Error

Solution: Verify cloud provider credentials

# AWS
aws sts get-caller-identity
export AWS_PROFILE=my-profile

# Azure
az account show
az login

# GCP
gcloud auth list
gcloud config set project my-project

Issue: Too Many Resources Generated

Solution: Use filters to limit scope

# Instead of importing all resources
terraformer import aws --resources=* # DON'T DO THIS

# Import specific services
terraformer import aws --resources=vpc,ec2_instance,rds

Issue: Plan Shows Drift After Import

Solution: Review for default values and formatting

# Common causes:
# - Default tags added by provider
# - Computed values not captured
# - Different attribute formatting

# Fix by:
# 1. Adding lifecycle ignore_changes
# 2. Removing default values
# 3. Adjusting attribute formatting

Issue: State File Too Large

Solution: Split into smaller state files

# Import with path pattern
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=* \
  --path-pattern=generated/{service}

# Each service gets its own state file

Issue: Missing Dependencies

Solution: Import dependent resources together

# Import VPC and all related resources
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=vpc,subnet,route_table,internet_gateway,nat_gateway,security_group \
  --regions=us-east-1

Issue: Resource Names Not Meaningful

Solution: Refactor after import

# Before: aws_instance.tfer--i-0123456789abcdef0
# After:  aws_instance.web_server_1

# Use terraform state mv to rename
terraform state mv \
  'aws_instance.tfer--i-0123456789abcdef0' \
  'aws_instance.web_server_1'

Provider-Specific Notes

AWS

Requires AWS credentials (env vars, AWS CLI, or IAM role)
Supports 150+ resource types
Can import across multiple accounts with profiles
Best filtering support via tags and resource IDs

Azure

Requires Azure CLI authentication
Organizes by resource groups
Supports managed identities
Use --resource-group flag for scoped imports

GCP

Requires gcloud authentication
Organizes by projects
Use --projects flag for project selection
Supports service account authentication

Kubernetes

Uses current kubeconfig context
Can specify namespace with --namespace
Supports multiple clusters via context switching
Imports CRDs (Custom Resource Definitions)

Performance Optimization

Speed Up Large Imports

# Use parallelism (experimental)
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=ec2_instance \
  --regions=us-east-1,us-west-2 \
  --parallel=4

# Import only recent resources
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=ec2_instance \
  --filter="Name=launch-time;Value=2024-01-01"

# Use compact mode (faster processing)
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=* \
  --compact

Reduce Output Size

# Use excludes to skip unwanted resources
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=* \
  --excludes="default-*,terraform-*"

# Split by service
terraformer import aws \
  --resources=vpc \
  --path-pattern=generated/{service}

Security Considerations

Credential Management: Use temporary credentials or IAM roles
State File Security: State files contain sensitive data
Audit Logging: Enable CloudTrail/Activity Logs for import operations
Least Privilege: Use read-only permissions for import
Sensitive Data: Review for secrets, passwords, API keys
Encryption: Encrypt state files at rest and in transit
Access Control: Restrict who can run terraformer

File References

Core References

references/providers.md - Provider-specific import patterns and examples
references/import-workflow.md - Step-by-step import process and best practices
references/filters.md - Advanced filtering techniques and patterns
references/post-import.md - Cleanup, refactoring, and optimization guide

Examples

examples/aws-import.sh - AWS infrastructure import script
examples/azure-import.sh - Azure resource import script
examples/gcp-import.sh - GCP project import script
examples/kubernetes-import.sh - Kubernetes cluster import script
examples/multi-cloud-import.sh - Multi-cloud consolidated import

Integration Points

With Other Skills

terraform-enterprise: Use imported code with Terraform workflows
iac-architecture: Design patterns for organizing imported infrastructure
vault-operations: Manage secrets discovered during import

With Commands

/iac:import: Guided terraformer import workflow
/iac:validate: Validate imported Terraform code
/iac:refactor: Refactor imported code into modules

With Agents

terraform-import-specialist: Orchestrate complex imports
terraform-architect: Review and optimize imported code
infrastructure-auditor: Analyze imported infrastructure for compliance

Version Compatibility

Terraformer >= 0.8.24 (latest stable)
Terraform >= 1.0.0 (required)
Provider versions: Latest stable recommended
Cloud provider CLI tools for authentication

Quick Reference

Essential Commands

# List available providers
terraformer --help

# List resources for a provider
terraformer import aws list

# Dry run (preview)
terraformer import aws --resources=vpc --dry-run

# Basic import
terraformer import aws --resources=vpc --regions=us-east-1

# Filtered import
terraformer import aws --resources=vpc --filter="Name=tag:Env;Value=prod"

# Multi-region import
terraformer import aws --resources=vpc --regions=us-east-1,us-west-2

# Import all resources
terraformer import aws --resources=* --regions=us-east-1 --compact

Common Filters

# By tag
--filter="Name=tag:Environment;Value=production"

# By resource ID
--filter="Name=id;Value=vpc-12345678"

# By name pattern
--filter="Name=name;Value=prod-*"

# Multiple filters (AND logic)
--filter="Name=tag:Team;Value=platform" --filter="Name=tag:Env;Value=prod"

Output Organization

# By service
--path-pattern=generated/{service}

# By region
--path-pattern=generated/{region}/{service}

# By environment
--path-pattern=generated/{environment}/{service}

# Custom hierarchy
--path-pattern=infrastructure/{provider}/{region}/{environment}/{service}

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