Mastering archive_file in Terraform Like a Pro
Hey friends! 💅 If you’re as obsessed with Terraform as I am (because who doesn’t love automating infrastructure the chic way?!), then you NEED to know about the archive_file data source. It’s basically your bestie for packaging files into ZIP or TAR formats, making deployments effortless. No more manual zipping—Terraform does it for you. 😍
Today, I’m breaking down everything you need to know about archive_file, how to create archives from single or multiple files, and troubleshooting tips because we all know tech can be a little moody sometimes. 🙄
🌟 What is archive_file in Terraform?
Think of archive_file as the glam squad for your code—it takes your files and bundles them into neat little ZIP or TAR packages. Super useful for:
✨ Deploying AWS Lambda functions (which require zipped code!) ✨ Packaging Kubernetes manifests or Helm charts ✨ Bundling files before uploading to S3, Azure Storage, or Google Cloud Storage
Here’s how you set it up:
data "archive_file" "example" {
type = "zip" # Options: zip, tar, tgz
source_dir = "path/to/source" # Directory to compress
output_path = "path/to/output.zip" # Destination of the archive
}Or, if you’re working with just one file:
data "archive_file" "example_file" {
type = "zip"
source_file = "path/to/file.txt"
output_path = "path/to/output.zip"
}💡 Pro Tip: Use source_dir for entire folders and source_file for single files—but NOT both in the same block. Terraform’s picky like that. 😉
📂 Creating an Archive from a Single File
Let’s say you need to ZIP up a single file (hello, AWS Lambda deployments!). It’s super simple:
data "archive_file" "example" {
type = "zip"
source_file = "example.txt"
output_path = "example.zip"
}
output "archive_checksum" {
value = data.archive_file.example.output_base64sha256
}This output_base64sha256 is a SHA-256 checksum to make sure your file stays intact. You don’t need it, but it’s a nice way to keep things in check. ✅
📌 Example: Zipping a Python Script for AWS Lambda
Say you have lambda_function.py and need to deploy it to AWS Lambda:
data "archive_file" "lambda_zip" {
type = "zip"
source_file = "lambda_function.py"
output_path = "lambda_function.zip"
}Then use it in your Lambda function:
resource "aws_lambda_function" "my_lambda" {
function_name = "my_lambda_function"
role = aws_iam_role.lambda_role.arn
runtime = "python3.8"
handler = "lambda_function.lambda_handler"
filename = data.archive_file.lambda_zip.output_path
source_code_hash = data.archive_file.lambda_zip.output_base64sha256
}✨ Heads up! If your function has dependencies, you need to zip the whole folder, not just the script.
🎀 Creating Archives from Multiple Files
Ugh, I wish Terraform let us specify multiple files directly, but no, it’s a diva. 👀 The workaround? Gather files in a temp folder first:
resource "terraform_data" "prepare_files" {
provisioner "local-exec" {
command = <<EOT
mkdir -p temp_folder
cp ${path.module}/file1.txt temp_folder/
cp ${path.module}/file2.txt temp_folder/
cp ${path.module}/file3.txt temp_folder/
EOT
}
}
data "archive_file" "multiple_files" {
type = "zip"
source_dir = "${path.module}/temp_folder"
output_path = "${path.module}/multiple_files.zip"
depends_on = [terraform_data.prepare_files]
}If you just want to archive an entire directory:
data "archive_file" "example" {
type = "zip"
source_dir = "${path.module}/my_folder"
output_path = "${path.module}/example.zip"
}🚀 Uploading an Archive to Azure Storage
For my Azure girls 💙, here’s how to compress a folder and upload it to an Azure Storage Blob:
data "archive_file" "app_package" {
type = "zip"
source_dir = "${path.module}/my_app_folder"
output_path = "${path.module}/app_package.zip"
}Now, create a storage account and upload it:
resource "azurerm_storage_blob" "example" {
name = "app_package.zip"
storage_account_name = azurerm_storage_account.example.name
storage_container_name = azurerm_storage_container.example.name
type = "Block"
source = data.archive_file.app_package.output_path
depends_on = [data.archive_file.app_package]
}😵💫 Troubleshooting archive_file Issues
Terraform acting up? Here’s how to fix common archive_file headaches:
1️⃣ Incorrect Source Path → Check your file paths! Use ${path.module} to avoid mistakes.
2️⃣ Missing zip Utility → Terraform needs zip installed. Fix it with:
-
Linux:
sudo apt install zip -
macOS:
brew install zip -
Windows: Ensure
zip.exeis in your PATH.
3️⃣ Files Not Updating? → Terraform won’t detect changes inside source_dir. Use filemd5() like this:
output "archive_hash" {
value = filemd5(data.archive_file.example.output_path)
}4️⃣ Permission Issues → If AWS Lambda or Docker throws permission errors, chmod your files before zipping:
chmod +x my_script.sh5️⃣ Wrong Paths in Modules → Always use ${path.module}, not ${path.root}!
💡 Key Takeaways
💖 archive_file is a Terraform essential for packaging files before deployment.
💖 Use source_file for one file and source_dir for entire folders.
💖 Troubleshoot common issues with paths, permissions, and missing utilities.
Terraform is fun (and powerful), so go forth and automate like the IT queen you are! 👩💻✨
P.S. Terraform 1.5.x and earlier is open-source, but newer versions are under the BUSL license. If you want a fully open-source alternative, check out OpenTofu—it’s like Terraform but community-driven. 💜
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