> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://notes.kodekloud.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Deploying an LKE cluster using Terraform

> Learn to automate provisioning of a Linode Kubernetes Engine cluster using Terraform for repeatable, version-controlled deployments.

Learn how to automate the provisioning of a Linode Kubernetes Engine (LKE) cluster using Terraform. By defining your infrastructure as code, you gain repeatable, version-controlled deployments.

## Prerequisites

* Terraform v1.0+ installed
* A valid Linode API token
* `kubectl` installed and configured

<Callout icon="lightbulb" color="#1CB2FE">
  Store your Linode API token securely. We recommend using environment variables (`TF_VAR_token`) or a protected `.tfvars` file instead of hard-coding credentials.
</Callout>

***

## 1. Terraform Configuration

### 1.1 Required Provider

Specify the Linode provider and lock its version:

```hcl theme={null}
terraform {
  required_providers {
    linode = {
      source  = "linode/linode"
      version = "1.27.1"
    }
  }
  required_version = ">= 1.0"
}
```

### 1.2 Provider & Variables

Configure the provider to use your API token:

```hcl theme={null}
provider "linode" {
  token = var.token
}

variable "token" {
  description = "Linode API token"
  type        = string
  sensitive   = true
}
```

### 1.3 LKE Cluster Resource

Create an LKE cluster named **my-cluster** in `us-central`, using Kubernetes v1.23 and a three-node pool:

```hcl theme={null}
resource "linode_lke_cluster" "my_cluster" {
  label       = "my-cluster"
  k8s_version = "1.23"
  region      = "us-central"
  tags        = ["prod"]

  pool {
    type  = "g6-standard-2"
    count = 3

    # To enable auto-scaling, uncomment the block below:
    # autoscaler {
    #   min = 3
    #   max = 10
    # }
  }
}
```

<Callout icon="triangle-alert" color="#FF6B6B">
  If you enable the `autoscaler`, ensure your account has sufficient quota for scaling nodes.
</Callout>

### 1.4 Output Kubernetes Configuration

Expose the generated kubeconfig for use with `kubectl`:

```hcl theme={null}
output "kubeconfig" {
  value     = linode_lke_cluster.my_cluster.kubeconfig
  sensitive = true
}
```

***

## 2. Deploying the Cluster

Initialize, plan, and apply your configuration:

| Command                         | Description                       |
| ------------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| `terraform init`                | Download provider plugins         |
| `terraform plan`                | Preview changes                   |
| `terraform apply -auto-approve` | Provision resources automatically |

```bash theme={null}
cd Linode
terraform init
terraform plan
terraform apply -auto-approve
```

Expected output:

```bash theme={null}
Plan: 1 to add, 0 to change, 0 to destroy.

Changes to Outputs:
  + kubeconfig = (sensitive value)
```

***

## 3. Monitoring Provisioning

You can track cluster creation progress in the Linode Cloud Manager. Provisioning typically takes 5–15 minutes.

<Frame>
  ![The image shows a Kubernetes cluster management interface with details about a cluster named "my-cluster," including its version, location, resources, and node pool status. It also displays options for managing nodes and accessing the Kubernetes API endpoint.](https://kodekloud.com/kk-media/image/upload/v1752881208/notes-assets/images/Linode-Kubernetes-Engine-Deploying-an-LKE-cluster-using-Terraform/kubernetes-cluster-management-interface.jpg)
</Frame>

Once the status reads **Running**, your LKE cluster is ready for workloads.

***

## 4. Explore the Code on GitHub

View the full Terraform configuration in the [`Linode`](https://github.com/linode/kubernetes-quickstart-environments/tree/main/Linode) folder of the Kubernetes-Quickstart-Environments repo.

<Frame>
  ![The image shows a GitHub repository page titled "Kubernetes-Quickstart-Environments," featuring folders and files related to Kubernetes setup, with a README section and language usage statistics.](https://kodekloud.com/kk-media/image/upload/v1752881209/notes-assets/images/Linode-Kubernetes-Engine-Deploying-an-LKE-cluster-using-Terraform/kubernetes-quickstart-repo-overview.jpg)
</Frame>

Clone the repo to discover additional examples and automate your Kubernetes infrastructure on Linode:

```bash theme={null}
git clone https://github.com/linode/kubernetes-quickstart-environments.git
cd kubernetes-quickstart-environments/Linode
```

***

## References

* [Linode Kubernetes Engine (LKE)](https://www.linode.com/products/kubernetes/)
* [Terraform Documentation](https://www.terraform.io/docs)
* [kubectl Overview](https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/kubectl/overview/)
* [Linode Cloud Manager](https://cloud.linode.com/)

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