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Managing your resources using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is a critical practice in modern cloud environments. AWS offers multiple IaC tools, with Cloud Development Kit (CDK) and Terraform being among the most popular. Migrating from CDK to Terraform can be complex but achievable with the right approach.
You Should Know:
1. Terraform Setup for Kubernetes
To manage Kubernetes clusters with Terraform, you need the Kubernetes provider:
provider "kubernetes" {
config_path = "~/.kube/config"
}
2. Exporting Existing CDK Infrastructure
Before migration, export your existing CDK infrastructure:
cdk synth > cdk_template.yaml
3. Converting CDK Output to Terraform
Use `cdk8s` or manual conversion to transform CloudFormation templates into Terraform HCL:
cdk8s import cdk_template.yaml --output terraform/
4. Deploying with Terraform
Initialize and apply Terraform configuration:
terraform init terraform plan terraform apply -auto-approve
5. Validating the Migration
Ensure resources are correctly provisioned:
kubectl get pods --all-namespaces aws eks list-clusters
6. Destroying Old CDK Resources
After successful migration, clean up CDK-deployed resources:
cdk destroy --all
7. Automating State Management
Use Terraform remote backends (e.g., S3) for team collaboration:
terraform {
backend "s3" {
bucket = "tf-state-bucket"
key = "kubernetes/terraform.tfstate"
region = "us-east-1"
}
}
8. Handling Kubernetes Secrets in Terraform
Store secrets securely using AWS Secrets Manager or HashiCorp Vault:
data "aws_secretsmanager_secret" "k8s_secret" {
name = "k8s-cluster-secret"
}
What Undercode Say
Migrating from CDK to Terraform requires careful planning, especially for large-scale Kubernetes deployments. Automation, state management, and validation are key to success.
Expected Output:
- Successful `terraform apply` with zero errors.
- Verified Kubernetes cluster accessibility via
kubectl. - Clean removal of old CDK resources.
Prediction
As IaC tools evolve, expect more organizations to adopt multi-tool strategies, leveraging CDK for rapid prototyping and Terraform for production-grade stability.
For more details, refer to the original Medium article.
IT/Security Reporter URL:
Reported By: Darryl Ruggles – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
