Before Terraform plans infrastructure, it makes a quieter decision.
Which AWS provider version is allowed to interpret the configuration.
This matters because a provider is not metadata.
It is compiled logic that defines how Terraform understands AWS APIs, validation rules, and defaults at a point in time.
If the provider version is not pinned, time becomes an input.
The same configuration can be interpreted differently on different days, even when the code never changes.
Version pinning does not freeze infrastructure.
It freezes interpretation rules.
Your resource intent stays the same, but planning and validation behavior stop shifting silently.
State meaning remains consistent.
Change becomes intentional.
This lesson explains why provider version pinning matters, not how to use it.
▶ Watch Lesson 17: AWS Provider Version Pinning and Why It Matters to see the full mental model.