How do you document decisions and architecture for Terraform modules?

Documentation of decisions and architecture for Terraform modules is crucial for maintaining clarity, consistency, and understanding among team members. Effective documentation should include the rationale behind design choices, specific implementation details, and any dependencies or interactions with other modules or components.

Key Components of Documentation

  • Module Overview: A brief description of what the module does.
  • Decision Log: Document the decisions made during the module's design and any alternatives considered.
  • Architecture Diagram: Visual representations that illustrate how the module fits into the overall system.
  • Input and Output Variables: Define the input parameters and outputs of the module clearly.
  • Examples: Provide usage examples to demonstrate how the module can be utilized.

Example Documentation

/** * Module Name: VPC Creation * Description: This module is designed to create a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) * for hosting resources in a secure network. * * Decision Log: * - Chose AWS as the cloud provider for compatibility with existing infrastructure. * - Decided to use CIDR block 10.0.0.0/16 based on current IP addressing scheme. * * Input Variables: * - region: The region to deploy the VPC. * - cidr_block: The IP range for the VPC. * * Example Usage: * module "vpc" { * source = "./path/to/vpc_module" * region = "us-west-2" * cidr_block = "10.0.0.0/16" * } */

Terraform documentation infrastructure as code module architecture decision log cloud provider choices