Terraform: Deploy Multiple Resources

Last Updated on August 7, 2025 by Arnav Sharma

Using for_each in Terraform is a powerful way to deploy multiple resources based on a set of inputs. This method is particularly useful when you want to create multiple instances of a resource with only slight variations between them. Here’s how you can use for_each to deploy multiple resources:

Step 1: Define Your Input Set

First, you need to define a set of inputs that for_each will iterate over. This can be a list, set, or a map. Maps are often used because they allow you to easily associate each resource with a unique key.

For example, suppose you want to create multiple storage accounts in Azure. You might start with a map defining each account:

variable "storage_accounts" {
  description = "A map of storage accounts to create"
  type        = map(object({
    location = string
    account_tier = string
    account_replication_type = string
  }))

  default = {
    "account1" = {
      location = "eastus"
      account_tier = "Standard"
      account_replication_type = "LRS"
    },
    "account2" = {
      location = "westus"
      account_tier = "Standard"
      account_replication_type = "GRS"
    }
    # Add more accounts as needed
  }
}

Step 2: Use for_each in Your Resource Configuration

Next, use for_each in your resource block to iterate over each element in your input set. For each element, Terraform will create a new instance of the resource.

resource "azurerm_storage_account" "example" {
  for_each = var.storage_accounts

  name                     = each.key
  location                 = each.value.location
  account_tier             = each.value.account_tier
  account_replication_type = each.value.account_replication_type

  # Other required fields...
}

In this example, each.key is the key from the storage_accounts map (e.g., “account1”, “account2”), and each.value is the corresponding value, which is an object with properties like location, account_tier, and account_replication_type.

Step 3: Initialize and Apply Your Terraform Configuration

• Run terraform init to initialize the working directory.
• Run terraform plan to see what resources Terraform will create or modify.
• Run terraform apply to create the resources.

Additional Tips

• Dynamic Blocks: For more complex scenarios, you might use dynamic blocks within resources to create nested structures based on a list or map.
• Dependency Management: Be mindful of dependencies between resources. Terraform automatically handles dependencies, but in some cases, you may need to explicitly define them.
• State Management: Each resource created with for_each will have a unique identifier in the Terraform state file based on its key in the map. This helps in managing each resource independently.
• Modifying the Set: If you modify the input set (e.g., add or remove an item), Terraform will add, update, or destroy resources to match the new set.

Using for_each can significantly simplify your Terraform configurations, especially when dealing with multiple similar resources. It ensures that your configurations are more dynamic and easier to maintain.

Arnav Sharma Microsoft MVPMCT

Microsoft Certified Trainer · Cloud · Cybersecurity · AI

I help organisations secure their cloud infrastructure and stay ahead of evolving cyber threats. Microsoft MVP and Certified Trainer, author of Mastering Azure Security, and founder of arnav.au — a platform for practical Cloud, Cybersecurity, DevOps and AI content.

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