How to Install Terraform on Ubuntu: A Step-by-Step Guide

Terraform is an open-source Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tool by HashiCorp that enables users to define and create infrastructure in a declarative configuration language. It is commonly used to manage cloud resources from different providers such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.

If you are using Ubuntu and would like to install Terraform on Ubuntu, this guide will guide you through step-by-step installation, including varying installation methods, best practices, and troubleshooting.

Why Use Terraform?

Terraform offers several advantages for infrastructure management:

• Automates Infrastructure Provisioning – No need for manual setup; Terraform automates cloud and on-prem infrastructure deployment.
• Ensures Consistency – Prevents configuration drift by maintaining infrastructure as code.
• Supports Multiple Cloud Providers – Manage AWS, Azure, GCP, Kubernetes, and more from a single tool.
• Enables Collaboration – Uses state files and version control to facilitate teamwork.
• Improves Scalability – Easily scale infrastructure up or down based on configuration changes.

Prerequisites

Before you install Terraform on Ubuntu, have the following available:

• An Ubuntu system (20.04, 22.04, or newer)
• A user with sudo privileges
• An internet connection
• Basic familiarity with the Linux command line

Method 1: Install Terraform from HashiCorp’s Official Repository

This is the preferred method as it guarantees that you receive the latest stable release directly from HashiCorp.

Step 1: Update System Packages

Update your system package list prior to installing Terraform:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Required Dependencies

Install dependencies required to add HashiCorp repository:

sudo apt install -y software-properties-common gnupg

Step 3: Add HashiCorp GPG Key

HashiCorp signs its software packages with a GPG key for security. Install the key into your system:

curl -fsSL https://apt.releases.hashicorp.com/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/hashicorp-archive-keyring.gpg

Step 4: Add HashiCorp Repository

Now, install the official HashiCorp repository onto your Ubuntu system:

echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/hashicorp-archive-keyring.gpg] https://apt.releases.hashicorp.com $(lsb_release -cs) main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/hashicorp.list

Step 5: Update Package List Again

Update package list after the new repository has been added:

sudo apt update

Step 6: Install Terraform

Install Terraform using:

sudo apt install -y terraform

Step 7: Check Installation

To ensure Terraform has been installed properly, verify its version:

terraform -version

Upon success, it will display the installed version of Terraform.

Method 2: Manually Install Terraform Using Binary Package

If you need more flexibility at the time of installation or a custom version, you can download and install Terraform on Ubuntu, binary manually.

Step 1: Download Terraform Binary

Visit the official release page of Terraform to download the latest one.

Download the latest Terraform binary with wget (replace the version as necessary):

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wget https://releases.hashicorp.com/terraform/1.6.0/terraform_1.6.0_linux_amd64.zip

Step 2: Install Unzip (if not already installed)

To unzip the file downloaded, install unzip:

sudo apt install -y unzip

Step 3: Extract the Terraform Binary

Unzip the Terraform binary file:

unzip terraform_1.6.0_linux_amd64.zip

Step 4: Move the Binary to /usr/local/bin

Move the extracted binary to a directory in your system’s $PATH:

sudo mv terraform /usr/local/bin/

Step 5: Check Installation

Verify that Terraform has been installed and is accessible:

terrafrom -version

This should print the installed version of Terraform.

Method 3: Install Terraform via Snap

Another easy method of how to install Terraform on Ubuntu is through Snap, a package manager utilized in Ubuntu.

Step 1: Install Terraform using Snap

To install Terraform on Ubuntu, execute the following command:

sudo snap install terraform --classic

Step 2: Verify Installation

To verify Terraform has been installed successfully:

terraform -version

Configuring Terraform

After you install Terraform on Ubuntu, you must create a working directory and your first configuration file.

Step 1: Create a Working Directory

Create a new working directory with mkdir and cd to change directories:

mkdir terraform-project
cd terraform-project

Step 2: Create a Terraform Configuration File

Use a text editor such as nano to open a file called main.tf:

nano main.tf

Enter the following minimum Terraform configuration to launch an AWS EC2 instance:

provider "aws" {<br>region = "us-east-1"<br>}<br>resource "aws_instance" "example" {<br>ami = "ami-0c55b159cbfafe1f0"<br>instance_type = "t2.micro"<br>}

Save the file (CTRL+X, then Y and Enter).

Step 3: Initialize Terraform

Initialize Terraform prior to making any changes:

terraform init

Step 4: Validate Configuration

Verify your configuration file:

terraform validate

Step 5: Apply the Configuration

Apply Terraform to create resources (accept with yes when prompted):

terraform apply

Updating and Removing Terraform

1. Updating Terraform

If you have installed Terraform from the HashiCorp repository, update it with:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade terraform -y

For Snap installations, do:

sudo snap refresh terraform

For manual installations, simply download and replace the binary with the new version.

2. Removing Terraform

Remove Terraform from the repository installation:

sudo apt remove --purge terraform -y

To uninstall the Snap installation:

sudo snap remove terraform

For manual installations, remove the binary:

sudo rm /usr/local/bin/terraform

Troubleshooting Common Issues

1. Command Not Found

If terraform -version responds with “command not found,” check if Terraform is included in your system’s $PATH:

echo $PATH

If /usr/local/bin is not present, append it:

export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin

2. Permission Denied

If you receive a “permission denied” message, check that the binary has execution privileges:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/terraform

3. HashiCorp Repository Issues

If the repo addition with apt update still fails, attempt to re-add the repository and key. Furthermore, check your Ubuntu version with:

lsb_release -cs

Make sure your version is supported by HashiCorp’s repository.

Conclusion

Terraform is a robust tool used to manage infrastructure in a cost-effective way. It is easy to install on Ubuntu via the HashiCorp repository, a manual binary install, or Snap. With the instructions in this tutorial, you can install Terraform, define a minimal configuration, and provision cloud infrastructure.

Having learned how to install, configure, and debug Terraform enables you to now use Terraform successfully in your DevOps workflows

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