Naming Conventions Example

In this example, we will create a naming convention for resources in a Terraform codebase. We will use the following naming conventions:

Avoid Repeating Resource Type

1
resource "aws_instance" "web_server" {
2
  # ...
3
}

1
resource "aws_instance" "aws_web_server" {
2
  # ...
3
}

1
resource "aws_instance" "web_server_instance" {
2
  # ...
3
}

Use `this` for Generic Resources:

1
resource "aws_db_instance" "this" {
2
  # ...
3
}

1
resource "aws_db_instance" "my_db_instance" {
2
  # ...
3
}

1
resource "aws_db_instance" "db_instance" {
2
  # ...
3
}

Use Descriptive Names

1
resource "aws_instance" "web_server" {
2
  # ...
3
}

1
resource "aws_instance" "database_server" {
2
  # ...
3
}

1
resource "aws_instance" "instance" {
2
  # ...
3
}

Use Singular Nouns

1
resource "aws_instance" "web_server" {
2
  # ...
3
}

1
resource "aws_instances" "web_servers" {
2
  # ...
3
}

1
resource "aws_instance" "dbs_servers" {
2
  # ...
3
}

Use underscores for Multi-word Names

1
resource "aws_instance" "web_server" {
2
  # ...
3
}

1
resource "aws_instance" "web-server" {
2
  # ...
3
}

Order of Resource Arguments Reference

When naming resources, follow the order of arguments in the resource block. This makes it easier to reference the resource in other parts of the codebase.

1
resource "aws_instance" "web_server" {
2
  count = 2
3

4
  # arguments
5

6
  tags = merge(
7
      {
8
        Name = "..."
9
      },
10
      var.tags
11
    )
12

13
  lifecycle {
14
    create_before_destroy = true
15
  }
16

17
  depends_on = [aws_vpc.vpc]
18
}

1
resource "aws_instance" "web_server" {
2
  count = 2
3

4
  # arguments
5

6
  lifecycle {
7
    create_before_destroy = true
8
  }
9

10
  tags = merge(
11
      {
12
        Name = "..."
13
      },
14
      var.tags
15
    )
16

17
  depends_on = [aws_vpc.vpc]
18
}

Conclusion

By following these naming conventions, you can create a consistent and readable codebase that is easy to understand and maintain. This will make it easier for you and your team to work on the codebase and collaborate effectively.

Naming Conventions Example