Terraform Validator

Comprehensive toolkit for validating, linting, and testing Terraform configurations with automated workflows for syntax validation, security scanning, and intelligent documentation lookup.

⚠️ Critical Requirements Checklist

STOP: You MUST complete these steps in order. Do NOT skip any REQUIRED step.

Step	Action	Required
1	Run bash scripts/extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh <path>	✅ REQUIRED
2	Context7 lookup for ALL providers (explicit AND implicit); WebSearch fallback if not found	✅ REQUIRED
3	READ references/security_checklist.md	✅ REQUIRED
4	READ references/best_practices.md	✅ REQUIRED
5	Run terraform fmt	✅ REQUIRED
6	Run tflint (or note as skipped if unavailable)	Recommended
7	Run terraform init (if not initialized)	✅ REQUIRED
8	Run terraform validate	✅ REQUIRED
9	Run bash scripts/run_checkov.sh <path>	✅ REQUIRED
10	Cross-reference findings with security_checklist.md sections	✅ REQUIRED
11	Generate report citing reference files	✅ REQUIRED
12	Run regression tests (bash tests/test_regression.sh)	✅ REQUIRED
13	Run lightweight CI checks (bash -n, py_compile, smoke)	✅ REQUIRED

IMPORTANT: Steps 3-4 (reading reference files) must be completed BEFORE running security scans. The reference files contain remediation patterns that MUST be cited in your report.

Context7 Fallback: If Context7 does not have a provider (common for: random, null, local, time, tls), use WebSearch: "terraform-provider-{name} hashicorp documentation"

When to Use This Skill

• Working with Terraform files (.tf, .tfvars, .tfstate)
• Validating Terraform configuration syntax and structure
• Linting and formatting HCL code
• Performing dry-run testing with terraform plan
• Debugging Terraform errors or misconfigurations
• Understanding custom Terraform providers or modules
• Security validation of Terraform configurations

External Documentation

Tool	Documentation
Terraform	developer.hashicorp.com/terraform
TFLint	github.com/terraform-linters/tflint
Checkov	checkov.io
Trivy	aquasecurity.github.io/trivy

Validation Workflow

IMPORTANT: Follow this workflow in order. Each step is REQUIRED unless explicitly marked optional.

1. Identify Terraform files in scope
   ├─> Single file, directory, or multi-environment

2. Extract Provider/Module Info (REQUIRED)
   ├─> MUST run: bash scripts/extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh <path>
   ├─> Parse output for providers and modules
   └─> Use for Context7 documentation lookup

3. Lookup Provider Documentation (REQUIRED)
   ├─> For EACH provider detected:
   │   ├─> mcp__context7__resolve-library-id with "terraform-provider-{name}"
   │   ├─> mcp__context7__query-docs for version-specific guidance
   │   └─> If NOT found in Context7: WebSearch fallback (see below)
   └─> Note any custom/private providers for WebSearch

4. Read Reference Files (REQUIRED before validation)
   ├─> MUST READ: references/security_checklist.md (before security scan)
   ├─> MUST READ: references/best_practices.md (for structure validation)
   └─> Reference common_errors.md if errors occur

5. Format and Lint (REQUIRED)
   ├─> MUST run: terraform fmt -recursive (auto-fix formatting)
   ├─> MUST run: terraform fmt -check -recursive (verify no drift)
   ├─> RUN: tflint (or note as skipped if unavailable)
   └─> Report formatting issues

6. Syntax Validation (REQUIRED)
   ├─> MUST run: terraform init (if not initialized)
   ├─> MUST run: terraform validate
   └─> Report syntax errors (consult common_errors.md)

7. Security Scanning (REQUIRED)
   ├─> MUST run: bash scripts/run_checkov.sh <path>
   ├─> Analyze policy violations against security_checklist.md
   └─> Suggest remediations from reference

8. Dry-Run Testing (if credentials available)
   ├─> terraform plan
   ├─> Analyze planned changes
   └─> Report potential issues

9. Regression and Wrapper Determinism Checks (REQUIRED)
   ├─> MUST run: bash tests/test_regression.sh
   ├─> Confirms parser error handling returns non-zero
   ├─> Confirms implicit provider detection for docs lookup
   ├─> Confirms wrapper argument handling is deterministic
   └─> Confirms checkov wrapper preserves scanner exit code

10. Lightweight CI Checks (REQUIRED)
   ├─> MUST run: bash -n scripts/*.sh
   ├─> MUST run: python3 -m py_compile scripts/*.py
   ├─> MUST run: smoke check for extract wrapper on sample fixture
   └─> Record command outputs and exit codes

11. Generate Comprehensive Report
   ├─> Include all findings with severity
   ├─> Reference best_practices.md for recommendations
   └─> Offer to fix issues if appropriate

Required Reference File Reading

You MUST read these reference files during validation:

When	Reference File	Action
Before security scan	references/security_checklist.md	Read to understand security checks and remediation patterns
During validation	references/best_practices.md	Read to validate project structure, naming, and patterns
If errors occur	references/common_errors.md	Read to find solutions for specific error messages
If using Terraform 1.10+	references/advanced_features.md	Read to understand ephemeral values, actions, list resources

Required Script Usage

You MUST use these wrapper scripts instead of calling tools directly:

Task	Script	Command
Extract provider/module info	extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh	bash scripts/extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh <path>
Run security scan	run_checkov.sh	bash scripts/run_checkov.sh <path>
Install checkov (if missing)	install_checkov.sh	bash scripts/install_checkov.sh install

Note: extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh automatically handles the python-hcl2 dependency. If system Python lacks python-hcl2, it creates/reuses a cached virtual environment under ~/.cache/terraform-validator/ by default.

Script Run Context (REQUIRED)

• Default working directory: devops-skills-plugin/skills/terraform-validator
• If running from elsewhere, use absolute script paths:
  • bash /absolute/path/to/terraform-validator/scripts/extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh <path>
  • bash /absolute/path/to/terraform-validator/scripts/run_checkov.sh <path>
  • bash /absolute/path/to/terraform-validator/scripts/install_checkov.sh install

Context7 Provider Documentation Lookup (REQUIRED)

For EVERY provider detected, you MUST lookup documentation via Context7:

1. Run extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh to get provider list
2. For each provider (e.g., "aws", "google", "azurerm"):
   a. Call: mcp__context7__resolve-library-id with "terraform-provider-{name}"
   b. Call: mcp__context7__query-docs with the resolved ID
   c. Note version-specific features and constraints
3. Include relevant provider guidance in validation report

Example for AWS provider:

mcp__context7__resolve-library-id("terraform-provider-aws")
mcp__context7__query-docs(context7CompatibleLibraryID, "best practices")

Context7 Fallback to WebSearch (REQUIRED)

If Context7 does not find a provider, you MUST fall back to WebSearch:

1. If mcp__context7__resolve-library-id returns no results or provider not found:
   a. Use WebSearch with query: "terraform-provider-{name} hashicorp documentation"
   b. For specific version: "terraform-provider-{name} {version} documentation site:registry.terraform.io"
2. Common providers NOT in Context7 (use WebSearch directly):
   - random (hashicorp/random)
   - null (hashicorp/null)
   - local (hashicorp/local)
   - time (hashicorp/time)
   - tls (hashicorp/tls)
3. Document in report: "Provider docs via WebSearch (not in Context7)"

WebSearch Fallback Example:

# If Context7 fails for random provider:
WebSearch("terraform-provider-random hashicorp documentation site:registry.terraform.io")

Note: HashiCorp utility providers (random, null, local, time, tls, archive, external, http) may not be indexed in Context7. Always fall back to WebSearch for these.

Detecting Implicit Providers (REQUIRED)

IMPORTANT: Providers can be used without being declared in required_providers. You MUST detect ALL providers:

Detection Methods

1. Explicit Providers: Listed in required_providers block (from extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh output)
2. Implicit Providers: Inferred from resource type prefixes

Common Implicit Provider Patterns

Resource Type Prefix	Provider Name	Context7 Lookup
random_*	random	terraform-provider-random
null_*	null	terraform-provider-null
local_*	local	terraform-provider-local
tls_*	tls	terraform-provider-tls
time_*	time	terraform-provider-time
archive_*	archive	terraform-provider-archive
http (data source)	http	terraform-provider-http
external (data source)	external	terraform-provider-external

Workflow for Complete Provider Detection

1. Parse extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh output
2. Get providers from "providers" array (explicit)
3. Get resources from "resources" array
4. For EACH resource type:
   a. Extract prefix (e.g., "random" from "random_id")
   b. Check if already in providers list
   c. If NOT in providers: add as implicit provider
5. Perform Context7 lookup for ALL providers (explicit + implicit)

Example

If extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh returns:

{
  "providers": [{"name": "aws", ...}],
  "resources": [
    {"type": "aws_instance", ...},
    {"type": "random_id", ...}
  ]
}

You MUST lookup BOTH:

• terraform-provider-aws (explicit)
• terraform-provider-random (implicit - detected from random_id resource)

Quick Reference Commands

Format and Lint

# Check formatting (dry-run)
terraform fmt -check -recursive .

# Apply formatting
terraform fmt -recursive .

# Run tflint (requires .tflint.hcl config)
tflint --init              # Install plugins
tflint --recursive         # Lint all modules
tflint --format compact    # Compact output

TFLint Configuration: See TFLint Ruleset documentation for plugin setup.

Validate Configuration

# Initialize (downloads providers and modules)
terraform init

# Validate syntax
terraform validate

# Validate with JSON output
terraform validate -json

Security Scanning

MUST use wrapper script:

# Use the wrapper script (REQUIRED)
bash scripts/run_checkov.sh ./terraform

# With specific options
bash scripts/run_checkov.sh -f json ./terraform
bash scripts/run_checkov.sh --compact ./terraform

Detailed Security Scanning: You MUST read references/security_checklist.md before running security scans to understand the checks and remediation patterns.

Security Finding Cross-Reference (REQUIRED)

When reporting security findings, you MUST cite specific sections from security_checklist.md:

Cross-Reference Mapping

Checkov Check Pattern	security_checklist.md Section
CKV_AWS_24 (SSH open)	"Overly Permissive Security Groups"
CKV_AWS_260 (HTTP open)	"Overly Permissive Security Groups"
CKV_AWS_16 (RDS encryption)	"Encryption at Rest"
CKV_AWS_17 (RDS public)	"RDS Databases"
CKV_AWS_130 (public subnet)	"Network Security"
CKV_AWS_53-56 (S3 public access)	"Public S3 Buckets"
CKV_AWS_* (IAM)	"IAM Security"
CKV_AWS_79 (IMDSv1)	"ECS/EKS"
Hardcoded passwords	"Hardcoded Credentials"
Sensitive outputs	"Sensitive Output Exposure"

Report Template for Security Findings

### Security Issue: [Check ID]

**Finding:** [Description from checkov]
**Resource:** [Resource name and file:line]
**Severity:** [HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW]

**Reference:** security_checklist.md - "[Section Name]"

**Remediation Pattern:**
[Copy relevant code example from security_checklist.md]

**Recommended Fix:**
[Specific fix for this configuration]

Example Cross-Referenced Report

### Security Issue: CKV_AWS_24

**Finding:** Security group allows SSH from 0.0.0.0/0
**Resource:** aws_security_group.web (main.tf:47-79)
**Severity:** HIGH

**Reference:** security_checklist.md - "Overly Permissive Security Groups"

**Remediation Pattern (from reference):**
```hcl
variable "admin_cidr" {
  description = "CIDR block for admin access"
  type        = string
}

resource "aws_security_group" "app" {
  ingress {
    description = "SSH from admin network only"
    from_port   = 22
    to_port     = 22
    protocol    = "tcp"
    cidr_blocks = [var.admin_cidr]
  }
}
```

**Recommended Fix:** Replace `cidr_blocks = ["0.0.0.0/0"]` with a variable or specific CIDR range.

Dry-Run Testing

# Generate execution plan
terraform plan

# Save plan to file
terraform plan -out=tfplan

# Plan with specific var file
terraform plan -var-file="production.tfvars"

# Plan with target resource
terraform plan -target=aws_instance.example

Plan Output Symbols:

• + Resources to be created
• - Resources to be destroyed
• ~ Resources to be modified
• -/+ Resources to be replaced

Handling Missing Tools

When validation tools are not installed, follow this recovery workflow:

Recovery Workflow (REQUIRED)

1. Detect missing tool
2. Inform user what is missing and why it's needed
3. Provide installation command
4. ASK user: "Would you like me to install [tool] and continue?"
5. If yes: Run installation and RERUN the validation step
6. If no: Note as skipped in report, continue with available tools

Tool-Specific Recovery

If checkov is missing:

1. Inform: "Checkov is not installed. It's required for security scanning."
2. Ask: "Would you like me to install it? I'll use: bash scripts/install_checkov.sh install"
3. If yes: Run install script, then rerun security scan

If tflint is missing:

1. Inform: "TFLint is not installed. It provides advanced linting beyond terraform validate."
2. Ask: "Would you like me to install it?"
3. Provide: brew install tflint (macOS) or installation script (Linux)

If python-hcl2 is missing:

The extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh script handles this automatically by creating
or reusing a cached venv. No user action required.

Required tools: terraform fmt, terraform init, terraform validate Required for full security validation: checkov Optional but recommended: tflint

Scripts

Script	Purpose	Usage
extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh	Parse Terraform files for providers/modules (auto-handles dependencies)	bash scripts/extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh <path>
extract_tf_info.py	Core parser (requires python-hcl2)	Use wrapper instead
run_checkov.sh	Wrapper for Checkov scans with enhanced output	bash scripts/run_checkov.sh <path>
install_checkov.sh	Install Checkov in isolated venv	bash scripts/install_checkov.sh install

Reference Documentation

MUST READ during validation workflow:

Reference	When to Read	Content
references/security_checklist.md	Before security scan	Security validation, Checkov/Trivy usage, common policies, remediation patterns
references/best_practices.md	During validation	Project structure, naming conventions, module design, state management
references/common_errors.md	When errors occur	Error database with causes and solutions
references/advanced_features.md	If Terraform >= 1.10	Ephemeral values (1.10+), Actions (1.14+), List Resources (1.14+)

Workflow Examples

Example 1: Validate Single File

1. MUST: bash scripts/extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh main.tf
2. MUST: Context7 lookup for each provider detected
3. MUST: Read references/security_checklist.md
4. MUST: Read references/best_practices.md
5. RUN: terraform fmt -check main.tf
6. RUN: terraform init (if needed) && terraform validate
7. MUST: bash scripts/run_checkov.sh -f json main.tf
8. Report issues with remediation from references
9. If custom providers: WebSearch for documentation

Example 2: Full Module Validation

1. Identify all .tf files in directory
2. MUST: bash scripts/extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh ./modules/vpc/
3. MUST: Context7 lookup for ALL providers
4. MUST: Read references/security_checklist.md
5. MUST: Read references/best_practices.md
6. RUN: terraform fmt -recursive
7. RUN: tflint --recursive (or note as skipped if unavailable)
8. RUN: terraform init && terraform validate
9. MUST: bash scripts/run_checkov.sh ./modules/vpc/
10. Analyze findings against security_checklist.md
11. Validate structure against best_practices.md
12. Provide comprehensive report with references

Example 3: Production Dry-Run

1. Verify terraform initialized
2. MUST: Read references/security_checklist.md (production focus)
3. RUN: terraform plan -var-file="production.tfvars"
4. Analyze for unexpected changes
5. Highlight create/modify/destroy operations
6. Flag security concerns (compare with security_checklist.md)
7. Recommend whether safe to apply

Advanced Features

Terraform 1.10+ introduces ephemeral values for secure secrets management. Terraform 1.14+ adds Actions for imperative operations and List Resources for querying infrastructure.

MUST READ: references/advanced_features.md when:

• Terraform version >= 1.10 is detected
• Configuration uses ephemeral blocks
• Configuration uses action blocks
• Configuration uses .tfquery.hcl files

Integration with Other Skills

• k8s-yaml-validator - For Terraform Kubernetes provider validation
• helm-validator - When Terraform manages Helm releases
• k8s-debug - For debugging infrastructure provisioned by Terraform

Notes

• Always run validation in order: extract info → lookup docs → read refs → format → lint → validate → security → plan
• MUST use wrapper scripts for extract_tf_info and checkov
• MUST run bash tests/test_regression.sh after script changes
• MUST run lightweight CI checks: bash -n scripts/*.sh and python3 -m py_compile scripts/*.py
• MUST read reference files before relevant validation steps
• MUST lookup provider docs via Context7 for ALL providers
• MUST offer recovery/rerun when tools are missing
• Never commit without running terraform fmt
• Always review plan output before applying
• Use version constraints for all providers and modules
• Use remote state for team collaboration
• Enable state locking to prevent concurrent modifications

Done Criteria

• Validation instructions are executable end-to-end with one deterministic command path.
• Wrapper scripts behave predictably in both success and failure paths (including propagated non-zero exits).
• Regression tests cover parser error handling, implicit provider detection, wrapper argument handling, and checkov exit-code behavior.
• Lightweight CI checks (bash -n, py_compile, smoke checks) pass before final reporting.