Alexis Kestler
Hi there! As a cloud infrastructure analyst and Terraform power user, I‘ve helped dozens of students pass the HashiCorp Certified Terraform Associate exam. Mastering this certification can be a real career boost if you work with infrastructure automation tools.
So in this definitive guide, I‘ll share everything you need to know to pass with flying colors. You‘ll get my proven tips, the best study resources, and insider techniques to get exam-ready quickly. Let‘s get started!
Why Terraform Skills Are So Valuable
First, it‘s worth understanding why Terraform skills are becoming extremely high-demand. As infrastructure scales in complexity, manual changes just don‘t cut it anymore.
Terraform allows teams to automate infrastructure safely and efficiently. By codifying configurations, it provides reproducible infrastructure across environments. And with support for all major cloud platforms, it offers a consistent way to orchestrate multi-cloud and hybrid architectures.
These capabilities explain why Terraform adoption has nearly doubled between 2020 and 2022 based on industry surveys. And over 70% of organizations now use Terraform for infrastructure automation in some form based on recent polls of IT leaders.
As more teams embrace Terraform for critical systems, demand has skyrocketed for engineers with certified expertise. HashiCorp‘s skills survey found hiring managers prioritize Terraform certification over general experience when evaluating candidates.
Earning official validation of your Terraform skills can thus give you a major edge. Let‘s explore the certification exam itself next.
HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate Exam Explained
HashiCorp offers role-based certifications based around their open-source tools like Terraform, Vault, Consul and more. The entry-level certification is the Terraform Associate exam.
Designed for both experienced engineers and those newer to infrastructure automation, it validates core skills like:
- Understanding infrastructure-as-code (IaC) concepts
- Executing the Terraform workflow to provision infrastructure
- Modifying, generating, and reading Terraform configurations
- Creating reusable modules
- Interacting with state
- Mastering CLI usage
- Troubleshooting and testing code
By passing this exam, you prove both conceptual knowledge of how Terraform works along with practical ability to use Terraform in the real-world.
Now let‘s break down everything you need to know about the exam itself:
| Exam Detail | Overview |
|---|---|
| Name | HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate |
| Length | 1 hour |
| Format | Multiple choice and multiple select online proctored exam |
| # of Questions | 50-60 questions |
| Passing Score | 70% correct |
| Prerequisites | Recommended 6+ months hands-on Terraform experience |
| Cost | $70.50 USD through HashiCorp exam provider Pearson VUE |
| Retakes | You can re-take an exam 14 days after last attempt |
| Validity | Certifications expire after 2 years |
While basic Terraform knowledge is sufficient, HashiCorp recommends having at least 6 months hands-on experience. Engineers using Terraform daily generally find the exam difficulty moderate.
Next, let‘s explore the best tactics and resources to pass the exam!
My Battle-Tested Terraform Associate Exam Prep Strategy
After helping dozens of students pass this certification, I‘ve refined an optimal 4 step training blueprint:
1. Review Fundamentals – Study Terraform architecture
2. Work Through Labs – Gain hands-on CLI experience
3. Take Practice Tests – Validate exam readiness
4. Final Review – Cram key facts before testing
Here are proven materials for each phase:
1. Review Terraform Associate Fundamentals
In phase 1, digest core concepts so you have the foundation before practical work.
HashiCorp‘s Official Exam Review Guide available on their site breaks down objectives and knowledge areas tested. Read this so you understand the scope and can identify gaps.
For learning materials, HashiCorp‘s free Terraform Associate video course is terrifically complete. Over 3 hours of tutorials overview architecture, syntax, state, provisioners and key topics. Supplement with the Terraform Up & Running book from O‘Reilly which gets rave reviews.
After consuming training content, ensure you grasp:
- IaC principles
- Terraform vs competitor tools
- HCL syntax and semantics
- State functionality
- Backend workflows
- Configuration structure
- Cloud provider integrations
Hands-on exercises come next…
2. Complete Terraform Associate Labs
While conceptual knowledge is indispensable, real competence requires practice. Work through hands-on labs to hone CLI skills.
My favorite Terraform Associate lab course is from A Cloud Guru. The guided labs let you build real infrastructure by coding Terraform on a hosted cloud sandbox. By provisioning test environments in AWS yourself, you‘ll gain the practical experience expected in the exam.
Key skills to reinforce through hands-on practice:
- Initializing Terraform
- Running plans to preview changes
- Applying changes safely
- Creating/modifying/deleting resources
- Importing existing infrastructure
- Modularizing configurations
- Defining inputs/outputs
- Testing and troubleshooting errors
Once you have CLI familiarity through labs, exam practice tests are critical…
3. Take Terraform Associate Practice Exams
Practice exams boost confidence and expose knowledge gaps. Mimicking real exam conditions is ideal to avoid surprises on test day.
Based on student feedback, the practice tests from both Udemy and Whizlabs provide the most realistic simulations:
| Provider | Questions | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whizlabs | 240 questions 3 full exams |
4.5 ⭐ | $7.98 |
| Udemy | 170+ questions 3 exams |
4.5 ⭐ | $12.99 |
Both offer exam-difficulty questions with detailed explanations to reinforce concepts. By taking these under timed conditions, you experience the real test pacing and format.
Analyze your performance after each test, then review objectives where needed. Repeat exams until scoring 85% or better to ensure exam-day readiness.
With fundamental knowledge, hands-on skills and practice test exposure established, final selective review is helpful before your big day.
4. Review Key Terraform Associate Exam Concepts
Given the test is only 1 hour, it cannot evaluate all Terraform functionality in-depth. It focuses more on concepts than nitty-gritty syntax details.
These key areas represent ~75% of content based on real exam data:
| Exam Section | % of Exam |
|---|---|
| Core architecture and workflow | 15% |
| State functionality | 15% |
| Configuration language and execution plan understanding | 20% |
| Cloud provider integrations | 10% |
| Modules/shared configs | 15% |
I recommend briefly recapping these before testing. HashiCorp‘s exam tips guide succinctly summarizes need-to-know points. And reference the Terraform glossary to brush up definitions.
For portability, print your own two-page cram sheet covering:
- Key CLI commands
- HCL syntax examples
- State tradeoffs
- Backend types
- Module best practices
- Cloud provider capabilities
With core building blocks fresh, you‘re primed for exam glory!
Terraform Associate Exam FAQs
Let‘s wrap up with answers to some frequently asked questions:
Q: Is the Terraform Associate exam difficult?
For infrastructure operators and engineers with 6+ months hands-on Terraform experience, exam difficulty is moderate. Those newer or Terraform can pass with diligent study of objectives.
Q: How long does it take to prepare for the exam?
With consistent practice, expect around 30 hours of total prep time. Those newer to Terraform may require 40-50 hours. An incremental approach over 4-6 weeks balancing theory/labs/practice tests works well.
Q: What score do I need to pass the Terraform Associate exam?
A score of 70% (35/50 questions correct) is required to pass and earn certification. Scoring in the 80-90% range indicates strong mastery of knowledge areas.
Q: When I pass, what certification will I earn?
By passing, you‘ll earn the credential HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate (HCTA) which is valid for 2 years.
Q: Can I take the Terraform Associate exam online?
Yes – HashiCorp partners with Pearson VUE who administer the exams via online proctoring. You can take it remotely or at test centers globally.
I hope these Terraform certification tips help you ace the exam and advance your career! Let me know if you have any other questions.
