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Many teams begin with Terraform Open Source (OSS) on their local machines before transitioning to Terraform Cloud for enhanced collaboration, state management, and run governance. This guide walks you through migrating your existing Terraform OSS setup to Terraform Cloud without destroying your current AWS infrastructure.

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Table of Contents

  1. Prerequisites
  2. Clone and Apply Locally
  3. Configure Terraform Cloud Backend
  4. Initialize and Migrate State
  5. Trigger Runs via CLI
  6. Comparison: OSS vs. Cloud
  7. References

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Prerequisites

  • Terraform OSS installed (v1.0+).
  • AWS CLI configured or valid AWS credentials.
  • A Terraform Cloud account and organization.
  • Git installed.
Never commit your AWS credentials or Terraform Cloud API tokens to version control. Use environment variables or a secrets manager.

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Clone and Apply Locally

First, clone the HashiCat AWS repository and navigate into it:
The image shows a KodeKloud lab interface for migrating to Terraform Cloud, with instructions to clone a GitHub repository and a terminal window open on the right.
git clone https://github.com/hashicorp/hashicat-aws.git
cd hashicat-aws
Set your AWS credentials using environment variables: 
export AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=<YOUR_ACCESS_KEY_ID>
export AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=<YOUR_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY>
Inspect the existing Terraform configuration in main.tf: 
terraform {
  required_providers {
    aws = {
      source  = "hashicorp/aws"
      version = "~> 3.42.0"
    }
  }
}

provider "aws" {}
Initialize the working directory and apply: 
terraform init
terraform apply -auto-approve
You should see output similar to: 
Plan: 12 to add, 0 to change, 0 to destroy.
Apply complete! Resources: 12 added, 0 changed, 0 destroyed.
Outputs:
  catapp_ip  = "http://3.236.1.255"
  catapp_url = "http://ec2-3-236-1-255.compute-1.amazonaws.com"
Your AWS infrastructure is now managed locally by Terraform OSS.

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Configure Terraform Cloud Backend

To migrate state to Terraform Cloud, update main.tf with a cloud block: 
terraform {
  cloud {
    organization = "YOUR_ORGANIZATION_NAME"

    workspaces {
      tags = ["hashicat", "apps"]
    }
  }

  required_providers {
    aws = {
      source  = "hashicorp/aws"
      version = "~> 3.42.0"
    }
  }
}

provider "aws" {}
Log in to Terraform Cloud via the CLI: 
terraform login
This command prompts you to authorize Terraform Cloud access and stores your API token in ~/.terraform.d/credentials.tfrc.json.

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Initialize and Migrate State

Reinitialize your directory so Terraform switches the backend to Terraform Cloud: 
terraform init
On success, you’ll see: 
Terraform has been successfully initialized with Terraform Cloud backend!
Now, run a plan and apply. Terraform will handle state migration automatically: 
terraform plan
terraform apply -auto-approve
Once complete, your state is stored remotely in Terraform Cloud. You can manage runs, view logs, and set policies from the Terraform Cloud UI:
The image shows a Terraform Cloud interface displaying a list of workspaces with their run statuses, repository links, and latest change timestamps. The sidebar includes options for managing workspaces, registry, and settings.

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Trigger Runs via CLI

To explicitly specify a workspace name, update your cloud block: 
terraform {
  cloud {
    organization = "YOUR_ORGANIZATION_NAME"

    workspaces {
      name = "devops-aws-hashicat-dev"
    }
  }
}
Commit and push these changes to your version control system (if connected). Or, trigger the run directly: 
terraform apply -auto-approve
CLI output will indicate a remote run: 
Running apply in Terraform Cloud. Output will stream here. Press Ctrl+C to cancel.

Preparing the remote apply...
To view this run in a browser, visit:
https://app.terraform.io/app/YOUR_ORGANIZATION_NAME/devops-aws-hashicat-dev/runs/<RUN_ID>
The image shows a Terraform Cloud interface with a workspace named "devops-aws-hashicat-dev" where a plan is running, triggered via CLI. It includes navigation options on the left and a notification about improved navigation.
Upon completion, your Terraform Cloud workspace will reflect the latest state, and your AWS infrastructure remains intact throughout the migration.

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Comparison: Terraform OSS vs. Terraform Cloud

FeatureTerraform OSSTerraform Cloud
State ManagementLocal fileRemote, centralized
CollaborationManual sharingTeams & Policy Controls
Run ExecutionLocal CLIRemote plan & apply
Drift DetectionManualAutomated checks & notifications
Cost EstimationThird-party toolsBuilt-in preview in runs
VCS IntegrationPlugins/scriptsNative GitHub/Bitbucket/GitLab support

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References

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