Hashicorp Certified Terraform Associate - HCTA
This isn't just another typical blog post rehashing the HCTA exam details. We won't be covering the syllabus or exam structure that you can easily find on Hashicorp's official website.
In this post, I'll be detailing my journey to successfully passing the HCTA, focusing on the strategies and preparations I undertook.
Prerequisites:
The key is to gain as much practical experience as possible.
The more challenges you encounter and overcome in your hands-on practice, the smoother your exam experience will be.
Although the exam consists of multiple-choice questions, some of them are designed to test your practical knowledge to such an extent that you're likely to answer correctly only if you have real-world experience with the scenarios presented.
Key Preparation Strategies and Challenges
Understanding the nuances of Terraform commands and their differences is crucial.
terraform state (all sub commands)
terraform show
terraform output
Some of the tricky questions include -
terraform push or terraform state pushAfter the moving the state file to another backend, what should you do?
terraform init or terraform state push
- These questions cannot be answered unless you have worked; going on with the theory and white papers will not help.
Terraform count() vs foreach?
- Remote backends and available remote backends
How to Prepare Effectively?
Enroll in a Comprehensive HCTA Exam Preparation Course: This will provide a structured learning path.
Undertake a Small Project Covering All Terraform Use Cases: It's vital not just to know but to understand the use of all Terraform commands thoroughly.
Mock Exams: When you feel ready, test your knowledge with mock exams. There are numerous resources available for this.
Pls remember Theory + Hands-on + Mock exams = HCTA Certified
Good Luck!
References:
Course I used for Preparation: https://www.udemy.com/course/terraform-beginner-to-advanced/
Exam practice: https://www.udemy.com/course/terraform-associate-practice-exam