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skills/smithery/ai/terraform-validator

terraform-validator

SKILL.md

Terraform Validator

Comprehensive toolkit for validating, linting, and testing Terraform configurations with automated workflows for syntax validation, security scanning, and intelligent documentation lookup.

⚠️ Critical Requirements Checklist

STOP: You MUST complete these steps in order. Do NOT skip any REQUIRED step.

Step Action Required
1 Run bash scripts/extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh <path> ✅ REQUIRED
2 Context7 lookup for ALL providers (explicit AND implicit); WebSearch fallback if not found ✅ REQUIRED
3 READ references/security_checklist.md ✅ REQUIRED
4 READ references/best_practices.md ✅ REQUIRED
5 Run terraform fmt ✅ REQUIRED
6 Run tflint (or note as skipped if unavailable) Recommended
7 Run terraform init (if not initialized) ✅ REQUIRED
8 Run terraform validate ✅ REQUIRED
9 Run bash scripts/run_checkov.sh <path> ✅ REQUIRED
10 Cross-reference findings with security_checklist.md sections ✅ REQUIRED
11 Generate report citing reference files ✅ REQUIRED

IMPORTANT: Steps 3-4 (reading reference files) must be completed BEFORE running security scans. The reference files contain remediation patterns that MUST be cited in your report.

Context7 Fallback: If Context7 does not have a provider (common for: random, null, local, time, tls), use WebSearch: "terraform-provider-{name} hashicorp documentation"

When to Use This Skill

  • Working with Terraform files (.tf, .tfvars, .tfstate)
  • Validating Terraform configuration syntax and structure
  • Linting and formatting HCL code
  • Performing dry-run testing with terraform plan
  • Debugging Terraform errors or misconfigurations
  • Understanding custom Terraform providers or modules
  • Security validation of Terraform configurations

External Documentation

Tool Documentation
Terraform developer.hashicorp.com/terraform
TFLint github.com/terraform-linters/tflint
Checkov checkov.io
Trivy aquasecurity.github.io/trivy

Validation Workflow

IMPORTANT: Follow this workflow in order. Each step is REQUIRED unless explicitly marked optional.

1. Identify Terraform files in scope
   ├─> Single file, directory, or multi-environment

2. Extract Provider/Module Info (REQUIRED)
   ├─> MUST run: bash scripts/extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh <path>
   ├─> Parse output for providers and modules
   └─> Use for Context7 documentation lookup

3. Lookup Provider Documentation (REQUIRED)
   ├─> For EACH provider detected:
   │   ├─> mcp__context7__resolve-library-id with "terraform-provider-{name}"
   │   ├─> mcp__context7__get-library-docs for version-specific guidance
   │   └─> If NOT found in Context7: WebSearch fallback (see below)
   └─> Note any custom/private providers for WebSearch

4. Read Reference Files (REQUIRED before validation)
   ├─> MUST READ: references/security_checklist.md (before security scan)
   ├─> MUST READ: references/best_practices.md (for structure validation)
   └─> Reference common_errors.md if errors occur

5. Format and Lint (REQUIRED)
   ├─> MUST run: terraform fmt -recursive (auto-fix formatting)
   ├─> RUN: tflint (or note as skipped if unavailable)
   └─> Report formatting issues

6. Syntax Validation (REQUIRED)
   ├─> MUST run: terraform init (if not initialized)
   ├─> MUST run: terraform validate
   └─> Report syntax errors (consult common_errors.md)

7. Security Scanning (REQUIRED)
   ├─> MUST run: bash scripts/run_checkov.sh <path>
   ├─> Analyze policy violations against security_checklist.md
   └─> Suggest remediations from reference

8. Dry-Run Testing (if credentials available)
   ├─> terraform plan
   ├─> Analyze planned changes
   └─> Report potential issues

9. Generate Comprehensive Report
   ├─> Include all findings with severity
   ├─> Reference best_practices.md for recommendations
   └─> Offer to fix issues if appropriate

Required Reference File Reading

You MUST read these reference files during validation:

When Reference File Action
Before security scan references/security_checklist.md Read to understand security checks and remediation patterns
During validation references/best_practices.md Read to validate project structure, naming, and patterns
If errors occur references/common_errors.md Read to find solutions for specific error messages
If using Terraform 1.10+ references/advanced_features.md Read to understand ephemeral values, actions, list resources

Required Script Usage

You MUST use these wrapper scripts instead of calling tools directly:

Task Script Command
Extract provider/module info extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh bash scripts/extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh <path>
Run security scan run_checkov.sh bash scripts/run_checkov.sh <path>
Install checkov (if missing) install_checkov.sh bash scripts/install_checkov.sh install

Note: extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh automatically handles the python-hcl2 dependency by creating a temporary virtual environment if needed. The venv is automatically cleaned up on exit.

Context7 Provider Documentation Lookup (REQUIRED)

For EVERY provider detected, you MUST lookup documentation via Context7:

1. Run extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh to get provider list
2. For each provider (e.g., "aws", "google", "azurerm"):
   a. Call: mcp__context7__resolve-library-id with "terraform-provider-{name}"
   b. Call: mcp__context7__get-library-docs with the resolved ID
   c. Note version-specific features and constraints
3. Include relevant provider guidance in validation report

Example for AWS provider:

mcp__context7__resolve-library-id("terraform-provider-aws")
mcp__context7__get-library-docs(context7CompatibleLibraryID, topic="best practices")

Context7 Fallback to WebSearch (REQUIRED)

If Context7 does not find a provider, you MUST fall back to WebSearch:

1. If mcp__context7__resolve-library-id returns no results or provider not found:
   a. Use WebSearch with query: "terraform-provider-{name} hashicorp documentation"
   b. For specific version: "terraform-provider-{name} {version} documentation site:registry.terraform.io"
2. Common providers NOT in Context7 (use WebSearch directly):
   - random (hashicorp/random)
   - null (hashicorp/null)
   - local (hashicorp/local)
   - time (hashicorp/time)
   - tls (hashicorp/tls)
3. Document in report: "Provider docs via WebSearch (not in Context7)"

WebSearch Fallback Example:

# If Context7 fails for random provider:
WebSearch("terraform-provider-random hashicorp documentation site:registry.terraform.io")

Note: HashiCorp utility providers (random, null, local, time, tls, archive, external, http) may not be indexed in Context7. Always fall back to WebSearch for these.

Detecting Implicit Providers (REQUIRED)

IMPORTANT: Providers can be used without being declared in required_providers. You MUST detect ALL providers:

Detection Methods

  1. Explicit Providers: Listed in required_providers block (from extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh output)
  2. Implicit Providers: Inferred from resource type prefixes

Common Implicit Provider Patterns

Resource Type Prefix Provider Name Context7 Lookup
random_* random terraform-provider-random
null_* null terraform-provider-null
local_* local terraform-provider-local
tls_* tls terraform-provider-tls
time_* time terraform-provider-time
archive_* archive terraform-provider-archive
http (data source) http terraform-provider-http
external (data source) external terraform-provider-external

Workflow for Complete Provider Detection

1. Parse extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh output
2. Get providers from "providers" array (explicit)
3. Get resources from "resources" array
4. For EACH resource type:
   a. Extract prefix (e.g., "random" from "random_id")
   b. Check if already in providers list
   c. If NOT in providers: add as implicit provider
5. Perform Context7 lookup for ALL providers (explicit + implicit)

Example

If extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh returns:

{
  "providers": [{"name": "aws", ...}],
  "resources": [
    {"type": "aws_instance", ...},
    {"type": "random_id", ...}
  ]
}

You MUST lookup BOTH:

  • terraform-provider-aws (explicit)
  • terraform-provider-random (implicit - detected from random_id resource)

Quick Reference Commands

Format and Lint

# Check formatting (dry-run)
terraform fmt -check -recursive .

# Apply formatting
terraform fmt -recursive .

# Run tflint (requires .tflint.hcl config)
tflint --init              # Install plugins
tflint --recursive         # Lint all modules
tflint --format compact    # Compact output

TFLint Configuration: See TFLint Ruleset documentation for plugin setup.

Validate Configuration

# Initialize (downloads providers and modules)
terraform init

# Validate syntax
terraform validate

# Validate with JSON output
terraform validate -json

Security Scanning

MUST use wrapper script:

# Use the wrapper script (REQUIRED)
bash scripts/run_checkov.sh ./terraform

# With specific options
bash scripts/run_checkov.sh -f json ./terraform
bash scripts/run_checkov.sh --compact ./terraform

Detailed Security Scanning: You MUST read references/security_checklist.md before running security scans to understand the checks and remediation patterns.

Security Finding Cross-Reference (REQUIRED)

When reporting security findings, you MUST cite specific sections from security_checklist.md:

Cross-Reference Mapping

Checkov Check Pattern security_checklist.md Section Line Reference
CKV_AWS_24 (SSH open) "Overly Permissive Security Groups" Lines 66-110
CKV_AWS_260 (HTTP open) "Overly Permissive Security Groups" Lines 66-110
CKV_AWS_16 (RDS encryption) "Encryption at Rest" Lines 141-175
CKV_AWS_17 (RDS public) "RDS Databases" Lines 356-366
CKV_AWS_130 (public subnet) "Network Security" Lines 62-140
CKV_AWS_53-56 (S3 public access) "Public S3 Buckets" Lines 112-139
CKV_AWS_* (IAM) "IAM Security" Lines 217-308
CKV_AWS_79 (IMDSv1) "EC2/EKS Security" Lines 382-389
Hardcoded passwords "Hardcoded Credentials" Lines 8-45
Sensitive outputs "Sensitive Output Exposure" Lines 47-61

Report Template for Security Findings

### Security Issue: [Check ID]

**Finding:** [Description from checkov]
**Resource:** [Resource name and file:line]
**Severity:** [HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW]

**Reference:** security_checklist.md - "[Section Name]" (lines X-Y)

**Remediation Pattern:**
[Copy relevant code example from security_checklist.md]

**Recommended Fix:**
[Specific fix for this configuration]

Example Cross-Referenced Report

### Security Issue: CKV_AWS_24

**Finding:** Security group allows SSH from 0.0.0.0/0
**Resource:** aws_security_group.web (main.tf:47-79)
**Severity:** HIGH

**Reference:** security_checklist.md - "Overly Permissive Security Groups" (lines 66-110)

**Remediation Pattern (from reference):**
```hcl
variable "admin_cidr" {
  description = "CIDR block for admin access"
  type        = string
}

resource "aws_security_group" "app" {
  ingress {
    description = "SSH from admin network only"
    from_port   = 22
    to_port     = 22
    protocol    = "tcp"
    cidr_blocks = [var.admin_cidr]
  }
}

Recommended Fix: Replace cidr_blocks = ["0.0.0.0/0"] with a variable or specific CIDR range.


### Dry-Run Testing

```bash
# Generate execution plan
terraform plan

# Save plan to file
terraform plan -out=tfplan

# Plan with specific var file
terraform plan -var-file="production.tfvars"

# Plan with target resource
terraform plan -target=aws_instance.example

Plan Output Symbols:

  • + Resources to be created
  • - Resources to be destroyed
  • ~ Resources to be modified
  • -/+ Resources to be replaced

Handling Missing Tools

When validation tools are not installed, follow this recovery workflow:

Recovery Workflow (REQUIRED)

1. Detect missing tool
2. Inform user what is missing and why it's needed
3. Provide installation command
4. ASK user: "Would you like me to install [tool] and continue?"
5. If yes: Run installation and RERUN the validation step
6. If no: Note as skipped in report, continue with available tools

Tool-Specific Recovery

If checkov is missing:

1. Inform: "Checkov is not installed. It's required for security scanning."
2. Ask: "Would you like me to install it? I'll use: bash scripts/install_checkov.sh install"
3. If yes: Run install script, then rerun security scan

If tflint is missing:

1. Inform: "TFLint is not installed. It provides advanced linting beyond terraform validate."
2. Ask: "Would you like me to install it?"
3. Provide: brew install tflint (macOS) or installation script (Linux)

If python-hcl2 is missing:

The extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh script handles this automatically by creating
a temporary venv. No user action required.

Required tools: terraform fmt, terraform validate Optional but recommended: tflint, checkov

Scripts

Script Purpose Usage
extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh Parse Terraform files for providers/modules (auto-handles dependencies) bash scripts/extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh <path>
extract_tf_info.py Core parser (requires python-hcl2) Use wrapper instead
run_checkov.sh Wrapper for Checkov scans with enhanced output bash scripts/run_checkov.sh <path>
install_checkov.sh Install Checkov in isolated venv bash scripts/install_checkov.sh install

Reference Documentation

MUST READ during validation workflow:

Reference When to Read Content
references/security_checklist.md Before security scan Security validation, Checkov/Trivy usage, common policies, remediation patterns
references/best_practices.md During validation Project structure, naming conventions, module design, state management
references/common_errors.md When errors occur Error database with causes and solutions
references/advanced_features.md If Terraform >= 1.10 Ephemeral values (1.10+), Actions (1.14+), List Resources (1.14+)

Workflow Examples

Example 1: Validate Single File

1. MUST: bash scripts/extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh main.tf
2. MUST: Context7 lookup for each provider detected
3. MUST: Read references/security_checklist.md
4. MUST: Read references/best_practices.md
5. RUN: terraform fmt -check main.tf
6. RUN: terraform init (if needed) && terraform validate
7. MUST: bash scripts/run_checkov.sh -f main.tf
8. Report issues with remediation from references
9. If custom providers: WebSearch for documentation

Example 2: Full Module Validation

1. Identify all .tf files in directory
2. MUST: bash scripts/extract_tf_info_wrapper.sh ./modules/vpc/
3. MUST: Context7 lookup for ALL providers
4. MUST: Read references/security_checklist.md
5. MUST: Read references/best_practices.md
6. RUN: terraform fmt -recursive
7. RUN: tflint --recursive (or note as skipped if unavailable)
8. RUN: terraform init && terraform validate
9. MUST: bash scripts/run_checkov.sh ./modules/vpc/
10. Analyze findings against security_checklist.md
11. Validate structure against best_practices.md
12. Provide comprehensive report with references

Example 3: Production Dry-Run

1. Verify terraform initialized
2. MUST: Read references/security_checklist.md (production focus)
3. RUN: terraform plan -var-file="production.tfvars"
4. Analyze for unexpected changes
5. Highlight create/modify/destroy operations
6. Flag security concerns (compare with security_checklist.md)
7. Recommend whether safe to apply

Advanced Features

Terraform 1.10+ introduces ephemeral values for secure secrets management. Terraform 1.14+ adds Actions for imperative operations and List Resources for querying infrastructure.

MUST READ: references/advanced_features.md when:

  • Terraform version >= 1.10 is detected
  • Configuration uses ephemeral blocks
  • Configuration uses action blocks
  • Configuration uses .tfquery.hcl files

Integration with Other Skills

  • k8s-yaml-validator - For Terraform Kubernetes provider validation
  • helm-validator - When Terraform manages Helm releases
  • k8s-debug - For debugging infrastructure provisioned by Terraform

Notes

  • Always run validation in order: extract info → lookup docs → read refs → format → lint → validate → security → plan
  • MUST use wrapper scripts for extract_tf_info and checkov
  • MUST read reference files before relevant validation steps
  • MUST lookup provider docs via Context7 for ALL providers
  • MUST offer recovery/rerun when tools are missing
  • Never commit without running terraform fmt
  • Always review plan output before applying
  • Use version constraints for all providers and modules
  • Use remote state for team collaboration
  • Enable state locking to prevent concurrent modifications
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