How to Auto Approve ‘terraform apply’ With the ‘-auto-approve’ Flag

Automatically approving Terraform apply operations can be done by using the -auto-approve flag. This option is useful in scenarios where you want to skip the manual approval step that usually follows the terraform plan stage. However, it’s important to use this with caution, especially in production environments, as it bypasses the manual review of changes.

Using ‘-auto-approve‘ Flag in Terraform

Here’s how you can use it:

1. Command Usage:

   Run command with -auto-approve command line option, like:

   
   terraform apply -auto-approve
   
   

   This command applies the terraform apply without requiring a manual approval.

2. In Continuous Integration (CI)/Continuous Deployment (CD) Pipelines:

   When integrating Terraform into a CI/CD pipeline, the -auto-approve flag can be used to automate the deployment process. However, ensure that your pipeline includes robust testing and validation steps before the apply stage.

3. Risk Considerations:
   • Bypassing Review: This skips the opportunity to review changes before they are applied, which could lead to unintended modifications in your infrastructure.
   • Usage in Production: Extra caution is needed when using -auto-approve in production. It’s often recommended to keep manual approval for production environments to safeguard against accidental changes.

4. Best Practices:
   • Use in Development or Testing Environments: It’s more suitable for development or testing environments where rapid iterations are common and the impact of changes is lower.
   • Version Control and Code Reviews: Ensure that your Terraform configurations are stored in version control and undergo thorough code reviews before being applied.
   • Automated Testing: Implement automated testing to validate your Terraform configurations.

5. Scripting and Automation:

   When scripting Terraform deployments, the -auto-approve flag can be included in your scripts. Just be aware of the potential risks and ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while the -auto-approve flag is a powerful tool for automation, it should be used judiciously and with a full understanding of the potential implications. Always balance the need for speed and automation with the need for safety and control, especially in sensitive environments like production.