AWS Terraform Starter Kit

Start here to understand the AWS Terraform Starter Kit, why teams adopt it, and where to go next.


Overview

The AWS Terraform Starter Kit gives you a production-ready baseline for building, testing, and deploying AWS infrastructure with Terraform. Use it to understand the architecture, tooling, and workflows that keep projects consistent and auditable as your team scales.

  • One-command setup via make setup that automates S3 backend, DynamoDB locking, and GitHub OIDC configuration
  • Multi-environment support with isolated state files and environment-specific deployments
  • Secure GitHub Actions deployments using OpenID Connect (OIDC) instead of long-lived IAM credentials
  • Built-in security scanning with TFLint and Checkov for code quality and vulnerability detection
  • Modular architecture with reusable OIDC provider module for maintainable infrastructure

What's inside

  • Automated backend bootstrap for S3 state storage with encryption and DynamoDB locking
  • Makefile-powered commands for validation, deployment, and cleanup workflows
  • GitHub Actions with OIDC for secure deploys (no long-lived secrets)
  • Multi-environment configuration supporting test, staging, and production
  • Reusable OIDC provider module for GitHub Actions authentication
  • TFLint and Checkov integration for comprehensive code quality and security checks

Who is this for

Infrastructure engineers and DevOps teams who want a batteries-included Terraform starter that standardizes CI/CD, state management, and security best practices so teams can focus on building infrastructure instead of wiring.

Documentation map

  • Install — prerequisites, setup wizard, and first deployment
  • Guides — local workflows, CI/CD behavior, and multi-environment management
  • Configuration — structure, environment setup, and project customization
  • Reference — deep dives into Makefile commands, modules, and security scanning

Ready to get hands-on? Head straight to the Install guide, work through the Guides for daily workflows, then use the Configuration pages as you tailor the starter kit to your AWS accounts.