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HashiCorp Terraform Associate 003 Glossary: IaC and Workflow Terms

April 14, 2026

HashiCorp Terraform Associate 003 glossary of IaC, state, variables, modules, and workflow terms.

On this page

Use this glossary when Terraform nouns start to blur together. Keep it beside the cheat sheet and resources instead of using it as a substitute for the lessons.

High-yield terms

Term Short meaning Why it matters here
Provider Plugin Terraform uses to manage an external platform Core Terraform noun
Resource Managed object declared in configuration Core config noun
Data source Read-only lookup of existing information Commonly confused with resource
Module Reusable configuration unit Core reuse noun
Root module Top-level configuration you run Terraform against Commonly confused with child module
Variable Input value passed into configuration Commonly confused with output
Output Value exposed from configuration Commonly confused with variable
State Terraform’s tracked record of managed reality Central Terraform concept
Backend State-storage and collaboration configuration boundary Commonly confused with provider
Workspace Separate state instance for a configuration Commonly confused with module or project
Plan Proposed change set Terraform calculates before apply Workflow-critical noun
Drift Difference between real infrastructure and Terraform’s tracked intent Maintenance noun
Import Bring an existing object under Terraform management Does not mean Terraform created it
HCP Terraform HashiCorp hosted Terraform platform for remote operations and governance Current crossover noun

Commonly confused pairs

Pair Keep this distinction clear
provider vs backend integration layer versus state-storage boundary
resource vs data source managed object versus read-only lookup
variable vs output input versus exposed result
state vs configuration tracked reality versus declared intent
module vs workspace reusable config versus separate state instance
plan vs apply preview versus execution
import vs create management adoption versus infrastructure creation

Fast recall anchors

  • provider: talks to platform
  • backend: stores state
  • module: reuse
  • workspace: separate state
  • state: tracked reality
  • plan: preview
  • apply: execute
  • import: adopt existing object

If the confusion is really about…

Topic family Best page to revisit
workflow and state pickers Cheat Sheet
current active-version facts Resources
pacing and legacy transfer order Study Plan
overall exam framing Guide root
Revised on Monday, June 15, 2026
Resources