Which command initializes a working directory and downloads provider plugins?

Which command initializes a working directory and downloads provider plugins?

• A. terraform plan
• B. terraform apply
• C. terraform init
• D. terraform destroy

Answer: (C)

Initializing a Terraform working directory and downloading provider plugins is what the init command does. Running terraform init sets up the current folder for use by Terraform by configuring the backend, reading the configuration, and fetching the required provider plugins and modules specified in your files. It prepares the environment so you can proceed with terraform plan to see what would change or terraform apply to enact those changes. The other commands have different roles: plan shows the proposed changes without applying them, apply executes those changes to real infrastructure, and destroy tears down the resources you manage. Terraform init often updates the dependency lock file and stores the provider binaries in a .terraform directory, ensuring consistent versions for future runs.

Initializing a Terraform working directory and downloading provider plugins is what the init command does. Running terraform init sets up the current folder for use by Terraform by configuring the backend, reading the configuration, and fetching the required provider plugins and modules specified in your files. It prepares the environment so you can proceed with terraform plan to see what would change or terraform apply to enact those changes. The other commands have different roles: plan shows the proposed changes without applying them, apply executes those changes to real infrastructure, and destroy tears down the resources you manage. Terraform init often updates the dependency lock file and stores the provider binaries in a .terraform directory, ensuring consistent versions for future runs.