Terraform + YAML

YAML is everywhere (Helm values, app configs, environment definitions), and it’s common to want Terraform to consume that data — or generate YAML as an output artifact. Terraform has two built-in functions that make this straightforward: yamldecode (YAML → Terraform types) and yamlencode (Terraform types → YAML).

In the full guide, we cover:

• When YAML is a good fit for Terraform inputs (and when HCL is simpler)
• How yamldecode maps YAML objects/lists/scalars into Terraform types
• How to safely structure YAML so your Terraform code stays predictable
• Using yamlencode to generate YAML (e.g., config files / values content) from Terraform data
• Common pitfalls (type surprises, missing keys, validation patterns) and how to avoid them

➡️ Read the full article on our blog:
https://spacelift.io/blog/terraform-yaml