When Terraform evaluates a variable, it does not care where the value came from.
It cares which value wins.
CLI variable overrides sit at the top of Terraform’s precedence hierarchy.
They arrive last.
And because they arrive last, they carry authority.
But that authority is subtle.
In this lesson, we explore why CLI overrides do not change Terraform’s dependency graph, even though they can radically change the meaning of an infrastructure plan. The structure remains stable. The identity paths remain intact. Only the substituted value shifts.
That calm behavior is not a guarantee of safety.
It is a consequence of Terraform’s design.
By understanding variable resolution as a layered evaluation process, rather than a sequence of actions, you gain clarity on when overrides are appropriate, when they are risky, and why Terraform offers no warnings when they are misused.
This lesson focuses on:
- Variable identity versus value sources
- Evaluation timing and precedence
- Why late-binding values are powerful but quiet
- How meaning can change without structural signals
If you’ve ever wondered why Terraform stays silent while outcomes shift, this lesson explains why.
Watch the full video to build a mental model that holds up across providers, environments, and scale.