HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate (004)
Follow a topic roadmap built from the published exam blueprint, with lessons, practice exercises and practice exams.
The entry point for infrastructure as code. Unlike the Kubernetes exams this one is multiple choice, so it rewards knowing the workflow and the vocabulary precisely rather than typing quickly.
What you'll learn
Every objective Terraform Associate publishes, and what it asks you to be able to do.
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC) with TerraformExplain what IaC is. Describe the advantages of IaC patterns. Explain how Terraform manages multi-cloud, hybrid cloud, and service-agnostic workflows.
- Terraform fundamentalsDescribe how Terraform uses providers. Install and version Terraform providers. Explain how Terraform uses and manages state. Write Terraform configuration using multiple providers.
- Core Terraform workflowDescribe the Terraform workflow. Initialize a Terraform working directory. Validate a Terraform configuration. Apply formatting and style adjustments to a configuration. Generate and review an execution plan for Terraform. Apply changes to infrastructure with Terraform. And 1 more, each a topic in the course below.
- Terraform configurationUse and differentiate resource and data blocks. Refer to resource attributes and create cross-resource references. Use variables and outputs. Understand and use complex types. Write dynamic configuration using expressions and functions. Define resource dependencies in configuration. And 2 more, each a topic in the course below.
- Terraform modulesUse modules in configuration. Explain how Terraform sources modules. Manage module versions. Describe variable scope within modules.
- Terraform state managementDescribe the local backend. Configure remote state using the backend block. Describe state locking. Manage resource drift and Terraform state.
- Maintain infrastructure with TerraformUse the CLI to inspect state. Import existing infrastructure into your Terraform workspace. Describe when and how to use verbose logging.
- HCP TerraformUse HCP Terraform to create infrastructure. Describe how to organize and use HCP Terraform workspaces and projects. Describe HCP Terraform collaboration and governance features. Configure and use HCP Terraform integration.
Explore related topics
The exam at a glance
- Length
- 1 hour
- Cost
- $70.50
- Validity
- 2 years
- Style
- Multiple choice
Online proctored, multiple choice, true or false and multiple answer. Based on 004.
Sitting the exam
The part nobody publishes in a syllabus. For Terraform Associate the logistics are study strategy: what you are allowed to read while the clock runs changes how you should practise, and what a second attempt costs changes when you should book.
Where you sit it
- Online proctored. A live proctor greets you at the start of the appointment, verifies who you are from a government ID, explains the rules and watches the session.
- There is no cloud account and no terminal. This one is answered, not operated.
What you are asked
- Multiple choice, one hour. HashiCorp does not publish how many questions there are.
- Written against Terraform 1.12, so a habit learned on an older version can be the wrong answer here.
What you can look at
- HashiCorp publishes no list of resources permitted during the exam. Assume the question is all you get, and read the appointment rules on HashiCorp's certification support site before you book.
How it is marked
- HashiCorp publishes no pass mark for this exam, so there is no percentage to aim at. Prepare for every objective rather than budgeting for a weak one.
- Passing gets you a digital badge and a downloadable certificate through Credly.
Identification and proctoring
- A government-issued ID, checked by the proctor at the start of the appointment.
- HashiCorp keeps its detailed ID and room requirements on its certification support site rather than its main documentation. Read them before booking: this is the step that costs people an appointment fee.
If you do not pass
- A free retake is not included. Every attempt is a fresh $70.50, which makes this the one exam here where a failed first sitting costs real money.
Booking it
- $70.50 USD, plus locally applicable taxes and fees.
- Valid for two years, and you can sit the recertification exam up to six months before it expires.
- No certification is required first. HashiCorp lists the prerequisites as skills: basic terminal skills, and an understanding of on-premises and cloud architecture.
Read off the official exam page on 25 August 2026. Rules change without notice, so confirm anything you are about to spend money on.
What the exam covers
HashiCorp publishes the objectives but not a weight for each one, so treat these as equally likely to come up.
Course content
34 topics
1. What Infrastructure as Code Is, and Why
- Explain what IaC is
- Describe the advantages of IaC patterns
2. Terraform Across Clouds and Services
- Explain how Terraform manages multi-cloud, hybrid cloud, and service-agnostic workflows
3. Providers: How Terraform Talks to a Platform
- Describe how Terraform uses providers
- Install and version Terraform providers
4. What Terraform State Is
- Explain how Terraform uses and manages state
5. The Core Workflow: Write, Plan, Apply
- Describe the Terraform workflow
6. Initializing a Working Directory
- Initialize a Terraform working directory
7. Resource Blocks and Data Blocks
- Use and differentiate resource and data blocks
8. Validating and Formatting a Configuration
- Validate a Terraform configuration
- Apply formatting and style adjustments to a configuration
9. Reading an Execution Plan
- Generate and review an execution plan for Terraform
10. Applying Changes to Infrastructure
- Apply changes to infrastructure with Terraform
11. Destroying Terraform-Managed Infrastructure
- Destroy Terraform-managed infrastructure
12. Attribute References and Cross-Resource References
- Refer to resource attributes and create cross-resource references
13. Variables and Outputs
- Use variables and outputs
14. Complex Types
- Understand and use complex types
15. Dynamic Configuration with Expressions and Functions
- Write dynamic configuration using expressions and functions
16. Resource Dependencies
- Define resource dependencies in configuration
17. Custom Conditions and Configuration Validation
- Validate configuration using custom conditions
18. Sensitive Data and Secrets Management with Vault
- Understand best practices for managing sensitive data, including secrets management with Vault
19. Using Multiple Providers in One Configuration
- Write Terraform configuration using multiple providers
20. Using Modules in a Configuration
- Use modules in configuration
21. Where Terraform Sources Modules From
- Explain how Terraform sources modules
22. Pinning and Managing Module Versions
- Manage module versions
23. Variable Scope Inside a Module
- Describe variable scope within modules
24. The Local Backend
- Describe the local backend
25. Remote State with the backend Block
- Configure remote state using the backend block
26. State Locking
- Describe state locking
27. Resource Drift and Reconciling State
- Manage resource drift and Terraform state
28. Inspecting State from the CLI
- Use the CLI to inspect state
29. Importing Existing Infrastructure
- Import existing infrastructure into your Terraform workspace
30. Verbose Logging and Diagnosing a Run
- Describe when and how to use verbose logging
31. Creating Infrastructure with HCP Terraform
- Use HCP Terraform to create infrastructure
32. HCP Terraform Workspaces and Projects
- Describe how to organize and use HCP Terraform workspaces and projects
33. Collaboration and Governance in HCP Terraform
- Describe HCP Terraform collaboration and governance features
34. Configuring HCP Terraform Integrations
- Configure and use HCP Terraform integration
What to know before you start
- Having actually run terraform plan and apply against something real
- One cloud provider well enough to know what you are provisioning
- Version control as a habit
Other certifications
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Terraform Associate exam cost?
$70.50. Confirm it on HashiCorp's page before you book: exam fees change.
How long is the Terraform Associate exam?
1 hour. Online proctored, multiple choice, true or false and multiple answer.
How many questions are on the Terraform Associate exam?
Multiple choice, one hour. HashiCorp does not publish how many questions there are. Check the current count with HashiCorp before you book.
How long is Terraform Associate valid?
2 years. Check HashiCorp's recertification route before it lapses.
Is the Terraform Associate exam hands-on?
No. It is a written exam, so the skill it tests is recognising the right design or command rather than executing it under time pressure.
What is on the Terraform Associate exam?
8 objectives: Infrastructure as Code (IaC) with Terraform, Terraform fundamentals, Core Terraform workflow, Terraform configuration, Terraform modules, Terraform state management, Maintain infrastructure with Terraform, HCP Terraform. HashiCorp does not publish a weight per objective.
What should I know before starting Terraform Associate?
Having actually run terraform plan and apply against something real. One cloud provider well enough to know what you are provisioning. Version control as a habit.
Exam details from HashiCorp, checked August 2026. Always confirm on their page before booking.
What learners say about Acelro
About Acelro rather than the Terraform Associate exam: what learners made of the gap analysis, the roadmap and the projects.
“The roadmap makes me focus on a learning curve, no matter the length.”
“Acelro has been really great for me, an inspiring experience. I've gained a lot of confidence doing projects I thought were rocket science.”
“The gap analysis maps your actual skills against what the current job market is asking for. Nobody else made it that clear where I stood.”