Which Terraform command is used to initialize a working directory?

The command used to initialize a working directory in Terraform is indeed "terraform init." This command is crucial because it sets up the necessary environment for your Terraform project, preparing the working directory for other operations. When you run "terraform init," Terraform performs several important tasks:

1. Downloads Provider Plugins: It automatically downloads the required provider plugins specified in your configuration files. Providers are essential since they allow Terraform to interact with various services (like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, etc.).

2. Initializes Backend Configuration: If your Terraform configuration uses a backend (for state management), this command configures the backend you’ve specified, enabling the management of state files.

3. Validates Configuration Files: While not as exhaustive as validation commands, "terraform init" checks to ensure that the configuration files are syntactically correct and that the necessary resources defined can be processed.

4. Prepares Module Sources: If your configuration uses modules (which are reusable Terraform configurations), this command initializes them by downloading them from their sources.

Understanding the purpose of "terraform init" is fundamental for effectively using Terraform, as it ensures that the environment is prepared correctly before you execute commands that modify infrastructure. Other options like "terraform start,"