# Terraform + AWS

The aim of this post is to provide a 10,000 feet view of AWS and Terraform along with links for further digging

### What is AWS?

AWS (Amazon Web Services) is a massive cloud services provider offering over 200 fully featured services from data centres globally. It is the world's largest cloud services provider by market share.

### What is Terraform?

Terraform is an infrastructure as code (IaC) tool that allows you to build, change, and version infrastructure safely and efficiently. It allows you to define infrastructure as code for over  [1300 cloud services providers](https://registry.terraform.io/browse/providers) , including AWS. 

### Can AWS and Terraform be used together?

Yes, terraform supports the vast majority of services offered by AWS.

### Is Terraform free to use?

Terraform is an open source product licensed under the  [MPL-2.0 License](https://tldrlegal.com/license/mozilla-public-license-2.0-(mpl-2)) . It can be downloaded by any developer or company and can be used for commercial purposes without providing compensation to the authors.

### Who created and maintains Terraform?

Terraform was created and is maintained by  [HashiCorp](https://www.hashicorp.com/) . 

### Does HashiCorp make any money off of Terraform?

HashiCorp  [offers a managed service](https://www.hashicorp.com/products/terraform/pricing)  to maintain and collaborate on infrastructure code for $20/month/user. Terraform can be used without using the paid managed service

### Do HashiCorp and AWS play nice with each other?

HashiCorp is an AWS partner and has launched more than a 100 AWS based applications. [ More details here.](https://partners.amazonaws.com/partners/001E000001BxMyKIAV/HashiCorp) 

### Will AWS create a competitive service to Terraform?

AWS does have an IaC service known as  [CloudFormation](https://aws.amazon.com/cloudformation/) . While Terraform supports 1300+ cloud service providers, CloudFormation only supports AWS.