# Provider Configuration

Implement Terraform provider configuration and authentication with the Plugin...

- Repository: https://github.com/hashicorp/agent-skills (911 stars)
- Category: Testing
- License: MPL-2.0
- Last updated: 2026-10-28
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add hashicorp/agent-skills --skill provider-configuration -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add hashicorp/agent-skills --skill provider-configuration -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add hashicorp/agent-skills --skill provider-configuration -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add hashicorp/agent-skills --skill provider-configuration -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add hashicorp/agent-skills`

## Description

Implement Terraform provider configuration and authentication with the Plugin Framework: provider schema for credentials (Optional + Sensitive attributes), environment variable fallbacks, credential provider chains (static config, then environment variables, shared credentials file, and platform identity), unknown-value guards in Configure(), secret redaction, configure-time credential validation, and diagnostics that name every source tried. Use when implementing or reviewing a provider's Configure method or provider schema, adding authentication options (API keys, tokens, profiles, credentials files, assume-role), deciding how a provider should resolve credentials, debugging "no valid credential sources" or missing-credentials errors, or unit testing credential resolution.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Terraform Provider Configuration and Authentication

How a provider accepts connection settings and resolves credentials. Poor
authentication UX is the first thing every user of a provider hits; a
well-designed credential provider chain is what separates a production-grade
provider from a demo. The examples use a fictional `examplecloud` provider
and the [Plugin Framework](https://developer.hashicorp.com/terraform/plugin/framework/providers).

**References** (load when needed):
- `references/credential-chain.md`, complete, compilable credential chain
  implementation (providers, chain, file profiles, Configure wiring, tests)
- `references/case-studies.md`, how the AWS provider (`aws-sdk-go-base`)
  and smaller providers structure real credential chains

---

## Provider Schema for Authentication

Every authentication attribute must be `Optional`, never `Required`, a
`Required` attribute forces users to put credentials in configuration and
makes environment-variable and credentials-file resolution impossible. Mark
secrets `Sensitive` so Terraform redacts them in plan output, and state the
environment-variable fallback in each description so `tfplugindocs` publishes
the resolution rules.

The rest: https://github.com/hashicorp/agent-skills/blob/HEAD/plugins/terraform/skills/provider-configuration/SKILL.md