Side by side
terraform-plugin-testing vs TFLint
Both stand on infrastructure testing tools. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMac
terraform-plugin-testing provides focused Go tooling for checking Terraform provider behavior, from isolated units to real infrastructure operations. Its acceptance prerequisites and possible infrastructure charges should be planned for before use.
Visit terraform-plugin-testing Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1
TFLint provides local Terraform linting with cloud checks, extensible rules, and several output formats. Review its licensing details and checksum guidance when selecting and distributing release binaries.
Visit TFLintThe facts
| terraform-plugin-testing | TFLint | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac | Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | github.com | github.com |
| On infrastructure testing tools | #21 of 28 | #17 of 28 |
terraform-plugin-testing: what it does well
- Free Go module with no paid plan
- Supports isolated unit tests without network access
- Runs real Terraform lifecycle acceptance tests
- Plan and state assertion packages included
- Works in CI environments running go test
What to know first
- Acceptance tests can incur infrastructure costs
- Requires Terraform CLI 0.12.26 or later
- Requires TF_ACC and provider resource access
- Linux and macOS platforms listed
TFLint: what it does well
- Flags deprecated syntax and unused declarations.
- Checks possible errors for AWS, Azure, and GCP.
- Supports plugins and policies written in Rego.
- Offers multiple report formats, including SARIF.
What to know first
- It is limited to Terraform.
- Most project files use MPL 2.0; some use BUSL 1.1.
- Release binaries are bound by both licenses.
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