Most Terraform explanations of tfvars start with how to use them.
That is usually where confusion begins.
tfvars files are not configuration logic.
They do not change structure.
They do not create dependencies.
And yet, a single change inside a tfvars file can completely alter the infrastructure that results.
That tension is the point of this lesson.
In this video, we step back and look at what problem tfvars actually solve. Not operationally, but conceptually.
Terraform builds a dependency graph.
Before it can do that, it must answer a quiet question:
How is this name satisfied?
Variable declarations define expectations.
Resources consume satisfied values.
tfvars exist in between those two moments.
They participate in reasoning, but never in structure.
This lesson explains:
- Why tfvars live outside the graph
- When Terraform reads them
- How values flow into resource identity
- Why tfvars never create dependencies
- And why they introduce a specific kind of silent risk
The code shown is minimal and static, used only as evidence for how Terraform infers meaning.
No commands.
No steps.
No usage patterns.
If you have ever changed a value and wondered why Terraform stayed calm while the outcome changed dramatically, this lesson will clarify why.
Watch the full video here: