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HashiCorp Terraform pros and cons

Vendor: HashiCorp
4.3 out of 5

Pros & Cons summary

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Prominent pros & cons

PROS

HashiCorp Terraform offers automation and management capabilities that allow users to code their infrastructure, saving time and improving efficiency.
A key feature of HashiCorp Terraform is its support for multiple cloud providers and platforms, enabling flexibility and ease of use across different environments.
HashiCorp Terraform provides a stable and secure way to provision infrastructure, reducing the risk of errors and outages.
The infrastructure as code approach in HashiCorp Terraform enhances predictability and allows for easy management, rollback, and viewing of change history.
HashiCorp Terraform's modular and reusable structure allows for scalable and consistent application deployment, supporting a wide range of integrations and functionalities.

CONS

HashiCorp Terraform lacks support for some features and languages like YAML, making it complex and challenging to work with for those unfamiliar with its syntax.
There are issues with state management and locking, which can lead to operational risks, particularly with sensitive information stored in state files.
The integration with some cloud services is not seamless, leading to delays and additional manual configurations.
The reliance on third-party plugins presents security vulnerabilities and inconsistencies in quality and maintenance.
HashiCorp Terraform's approach does not fully align with modern coding practices, lacking object-oriented features and more programmatic capabilities like if-else statements.
 

HashiCorp Terraform Pros review quotes

Eryk Lawyd - PeerSpot reviewer
Jul 5, 2023
It is the customization of Terraform's modules that I find most valuable.
reviewer2035185 - PeerSpot reviewer
May 26, 2025
One of the major benefits of HashiCorp Terraform is that it is platform-agnostic because it supports multiple cloud platforms.
UsmanAhmad - PeerSpot reviewer
Apr 23, 2024
Terraform is that it is an open-source tool that gives us great flexibility. Using the Terraform HCL, we are not restricted to a single cloud provider. If my client asks me to deploy the same infrastructure on Azure or GCP, I can use the same code with minor modifications to account for the different providers. This means we are not limited to a specific cloud.
Learn what your peers think about HashiCorp Terraform. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2025.
872,706 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer1980198 - PeerSpot reviewer
Oct 4, 2022
The concept of infrastructure as code is quite intriguing. We have an infrastructure in our code and a state file where we can verify whether something is changed when it was changed, and who changed it. When we use Terraform, these kinds of things fascinate us.
VR
Apr 1, 2023
One of the most valuable features is that it offers the ability to create a VPC, Virtual Private Cloud and VPN connectivity to the VPC can be automated without having to do it manually.
Patryk Golabek - PeerSpot reviewer
Jan 27, 2023
The valuable features of HashiCorp Terraform are the infrastructure can be written, shared, and collaborated on using code, which speeds up deployment. Additionally, bugs and issues can be fixed in the code and redeployed, making it less risky. It is a more efficient method compared to the traditional approach of writing scripts to set up infrastructure.
Rakib Mahmood - PeerSpot reviewer
Mar 1, 2022
Provides automation which has increased our efficiency.
VictorAugusto De Souza E Silva - PeerSpot reviewer
Sep 5, 2025
HashiCorp Terraform operates on a declarative rather than imperative approach, which enables us to repeat processes and creation, allowing us to test, rollback, and view the history of every change using Git.
Tony-Kerr - PeerSpot reviewer
Jun 28, 2024
Terraform has extensive integrations across various platforms. It includes modules that enhance functionality and support for secure practices, such as Terraform Sentinel, which offers code analysis capabilities.
Marcelo-Silva - PeerSpot reviewer
Sep 17, 2025
Recently, they upgraded and created a way for us that if you have a feature on GCP or Azure or any other cloud, but it is not in your state, you can update and bring this feature into your state.
 

HashiCorp Terraform Cons review quotes

Eryk Lawyd - PeerSpot reviewer
Jul 5, 2023
Terraform could create more examples in the documentation.
reviewer2035185 - PeerSpot reviewer
May 26, 2025
One issue we have faced with HashiCorp Terraform is that sometimes the latest features that Microsoft suggests are added in their services take some time for HashiCorp Terraform to get enhanced.
UsmanAhmad - PeerSpot reviewer
Apr 23, 2024
Terraform does not provide an automatic feature to convert infrastructure code from one cloud platform to another.
Learn what your peers think about HashiCorp Terraform. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2025.
872,706 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer1980198 - PeerSpot reviewer
Oct 4, 2022
I would want to see more programmatic capabilities implemented, such as if, else, and simple to manage things in terms of how I can use some programming functions to assist us to achieve more. I would like to have programming language-relevant features, to have programming language be the primary way.
VR
Apr 1, 2023
I still struggle a bit when configuring VPNs when we have multiple rules. If we have five or six virtual private clouds and we have to give rights between those multiple VPCs, we can have big problems. I think it was a learning curve and then we improved it.
Patryk Golabek - PeerSpot reviewer
Jan 27, 2023
HashiCorp Terraform is an open-source tool that relies on external developers to create plugins to expand its capabilities. However, this approach can be problematic as not all plugins are created by professionals and some may have security vulnerabilities. In the case of GKE, Google has created a solid plugin, but for other services, one must search for plugins on the HashiCorp Terraform registry, which can be hit or miss, as many plugins are created by students or hobbyists, who may not continue to maintain or update them. This model of open-sourced plugins may not be the most reliable or secure way of expanding the tool's capabilities.
Rakib Mahmood - PeerSpot reviewer
Mar 1, 2022
Terraform lacks in running script.
VictorAugusto De Souza E Silva - PeerSpot reviewer
Sep 5, 2025
Two aspects of HashiCorp Terraform could be improved: it should have better included tests and a more precise validator.
Tony-Kerr - PeerSpot reviewer
Jun 28, 2024
Terraform should monitor the backend storage more closely. You can handle it within Azure, but HashiCorp should release a dedicated tool to protect those secrets and ensure they're fully encrypted.
Marcelo-Silva - PeerSpot reviewer
Sep 17, 2025
While Terraform is incredibly powerful, its reliance on a state file introduces significant operational complexity and risk. Managing the state for a team requires a carefully configured remote backend with locking to prevent corruption. The state file can also inadvertently store sensitive data in plain text, creating a security risk. Furthermore, refactoring code is not straightforward, as simple resource renames can lead to unintended destruction and recreation of infrastructure if not handled with specific 'terraform state' commands.