> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.ahmadraza.in/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# README

# 🌐 Managing Cloudflare DNS with Terraform

ZONE\_ID=""
API\_TOKEN=""

### tf vars file for token

cloudflare\_api\_token = ""
cloudflare\_zone\_id = ""

## Using Azure Blob Storage for State Backend

terraform init -migrate-state
export ARM\_ACCESS\_KEY=""

This repository automates the management of Cloudflare DNS records using **Terraform**.\
It includes scripts to **import existing DNS records**, **generate Terraform configurations**, and **apply changes** efficiently.

***

## 📂 Directory Structure

```
.
├── account-personal/          # Contains different accounts/domains
│   ├── ahmadraza.in/         # Terraform configs for ahmadraza.in
│   ├── kubecloud.in.net/     # Terraform configs for kubecloud.in.net
│   └── users/                # Other Cloudflare-related user settings
├── cf-terraforming/           # Terraforming scripts for Cloudflare
├── import.sh                  # Script to import existing DNS records into Terraform state
├── import.tf                  # Terraform resource blocks generated from Cloudflare records
├── main.tf                    # Main Terraform configuration
├── output.tf                  # Terraform outputs
├── provider.tf                 # Cloudflare provider configuration
├── README.md                   # Documentation (You're reading it!)
├── secret.md                   # Stores API keys and sensitive information (DO NOT SHARE!)
├── terraform.tfstate            # Terraform state file (tracks deployed resources)
├── terraform.tfstate.backup     # Backup of Terraform state
├── terraform.tfvars             # Terraform variables
├── tf-gen.sh                    # Script to generate Terraform resource blocks
└── variables.tf                 # Variable definitions for Terraform

```

***

## 🛠️ **Setup Requirements**

To use this Terraform setup for managing Cloudflare DNS, you need:

### **1️⃣ Cloudflare API Token**

Generate an **API token** with the following permissions:

* **Zone.Zone Read**
* **Zone.DNS Read & Write**

💡 **How to generate API Token**:

1. Go to [Cloudflare Dashboard](https://dash.cloudflare.com/)
2. Navigate to **My Profile > API Tokens**
3. Create a custom token with the above permissions
4. Copy and save the token securely (you'll need it for Terraform)

***

### **2️⃣ Cloudflare Zone ID**

Each Cloudflare domain (zone) has a unique **Zone ID**.

💡 **How to find your Zone ID**:

1. Go to [Cloudflare Dashboard](https://dash.cloudflare.com/)
2. Select your domain
3. Under **Overview**, find the **Zone ID** at the bottom of the page.

***

## 🚀 **Step-by-Step Usage**

### **1️⃣ Configure Terraform Provider**

Edit the `provider.tf` file with your API token:

```hcl theme={null}
provider "cloudflare" {
  api_token = "your-cloudflare-api-token"
}
```

Alternatively, set it as an environment variable:

```sh theme={null}
export CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN="your-cloudflare-api-token"
```

***

### **2️⃣ Generate Terraform Resource Blocks**

Use the `tf-gen.sh` script to fetch existing Cloudflare DNS records and create Terraform configuration:

```sh theme={null}
bash tf-gen.sh
```

This will generate `import.tf` containing Terraform resource blocks for each DNS record.

***

### **3️⃣ Import Existing Cloudflare DNS Records**

Run the `import.sh` script to import existing records into Terraform state:

```sh theme={null}
bash import.sh
```

This prevents Terraform from trying to recreate records that already exist.

***

### **4️⃣ Apply Terraform Configuration**

After importing, run Terraform to verify and apply changes:

```sh theme={null}
terraform init
terraform plan
terraform apply
```

***

## 🔄 **Handling DNS Record Changes**

* **To add new records:** Modify `main.tf` and run `terraform apply`.
* **To update existing records:** Change `main.tf` and run `terraform plan` to preview changes.
* **To remove records:** Delete the record from `main.tf` and run `terraform apply`.

***

## 🔥 **Troubleshooting**

### **🛑 Terraform is trying to recreate existing records**

If `terraform plan` shows it will **recreate existing records**, it's likely because:

* The **import was not done correctly**
* The **imported state differs from the generated Terraform code**

✅ **Solution**: Ensure you **run `import.sh` before `terraform plan`**.

***

## 📜 **Example Terraform Configuration**

A typical DNS record managed with Terraform looks like this:

```hcl theme={null}
resource "cloudflare_dns_record" "example" {
  zone_id = "947884535b3bc67c60b37af84c91a744"
  name    = "example"
  type    = "A"
  content = "198.51.100.4"
  proxied = true
  ttl     = 1
}
```

***

## 🎯 **Next Steps**

* [ ] Automate DNS updates using CI/CD
* [ ] Manage multiple Cloudflare accounts using workspaces
* [ ] Enhance security by using environment variables for sensitive data

***

## 👤 **Author**

**Ahmad Raza** - [ahmadraza.in](https://ahmadraza.in)\
For more guides, visit: [docs.ahmadraza.in](https://docs.ahmadraza.in) 🚀

***

### **📌 What This README Covers**

✔️ **Terraform setup for Cloudflare DNS**\
✔️ **Generating Terraform configuration from existing records**\
✔️ **Importing existing DNS records into Terraform state**\
✔️ **Managing DNS records efficiently**\
✔️ **Troubleshooting common issues**