FAQ

Common questions and answers about Pulumi Any Terraform providers.

Pulumi Any Terraform is a collection of dynamically bridged Pulumi providers that enable you to use Terraform providers within the Pulumi ecosystem. It automatically converts Terraform providers into fully-typed Pulumi packages with complete TypeScript support.

How is this different from using Terraform directly?

While Terraform uses HCL (HashiCorp Configuration Language), Pulumi lets you use real programming languages like TypeScript, Python, Go, and C#. This means:

Full IDE support with IntelliSense
Type safety and compile-time checks
Real programming constructs (loops, conditionals, functions)
Better code reusability and modularity
Native integration with existing codebases

How is this different from regular Pulumi providers?

Regular Pulumi providers are built specifically for Pulumi. These bridged providers use Pulumi's bridge to automatically convert existing Terraform providers, giving you access to the vast Terraform ecosystem within Pulumi.

Is this production-ready?

Yes! The bridge technology is mature and used by many Pulumi users in production. However, the stability of each provider depends on the underlying Terraform provider quality.

Installation & Setup

Which package manager should I use?

Any of npm, yarn, or pnpm will work. The project itself uses pnpm for development, but you can use whichever you prefer:

npm install pulumi-namecheap
# or
yarn add pulumi-namecheap
# or
pnpm add pulumi-namecheap

Do I need to install Terraform?

No! The Terraform provider runtime is embedded in each Pulumi package. You only need Pulumi CLI and Node.js.

Can I use these providers with other Pulumi providers?

Absolutely! You can mix and match any Pulumi providers in the same program:

import * as aws from "@pulumi/aws";
import * as namecheap from "pulumi-namecheap";

const instance = new aws.ec2.Instance(/* ... */);
const record = new namecheap.Record(/* ... */);

What versions of Pulumi are supported?

These providers require Pulumi 3.190.0 or later. We recommend using the latest stable version.

What Node.js version do I need?

Node.js 18.0 or later is recommended. The project is developed with Node.js 22.18.0.

Usage Questions

How do I find provider documentation?

Check this documentation site for provider guides
Refer to the original Terraform provider documentation
Use TypeScript IntelliSense in your IDE
Check the provider's README in the package

Can I import existing resources?

Yes! Use Pulumi's import command:

pulumi import namecheap:index:Record www domain.com/www/A

How do I handle secrets?

Use Pulumi's built-in secret management:

pulumi config set provider:apiKey value --secret

Or in code:

import * as pulumi from "@pulumi/pulumi";

const config = new pulumi.Config();
const apiKey = config.requireSecret("apiKey");

Can I use these providers in multiple languages?

Currently, these packages are published for TypeScript/JavaScript. Support for Python, Go, and C# could be added in the future.

How do I update a provider?

Update the package version:

npm update pulumi-namecheap

Then run your program:

pulumi preview
pulumi up

Technical Questions

How does the bridge work?

The bridge uses Pulumi's pulumi-terraform-bridge to:

Read the Terraform provider's schema
Generate Pulumi resource definitions
Create TypeScript type definitions
Map Terraform operations to Pulumi lifecycle

See the Architecture guide for details.

What happens to my Terraform state?

You don't use Terraform state files. Pulumi manages its own state, which can be:

Stored in Pulumi Cloud (default)
Self-hosted in S3, Azure Blob, GCS, or local files

Can I migrate from Terraform to these providers?

Yes, but you'll need to:

Convert HCL to TypeScript
Import existing resources into Pulumi state
Test thoroughly before production

Are there any limitations?

Some Terraform features don't translate perfectly:

Terraform modules don't exist (use TypeScript functions instead)
Some Terraform-specific syntax doesn't apply
Provider-specific quirks may exist

How are resources named?

Resources use Pulumi's naming:

Resource name: Logical name in your code
Physical name: Auto-generated or explicit
URN: Unique Pulumi identifier

Can I use Terraform providers not in this collection?

Yes! You can create your own bridged provider by:

Creating a new package structure
Configuring the parameterization
Following the Contributing Guide

Performance Questions

Are these providers slower than native Pulumi?

The bridge adds minimal overhead. Most time is spent in:

API calls to target services
Network latency
Resource creation/update time

How can I speed up deployments?

Use --parallel flag for concurrent operations
Split large stacks into smaller ones
Use stack references for dependencies
Enable Pulumi state caching

Do these providers support preview/dry-run?

Yes! pulumi preview shows what will change before applying.

Troubleshooting Questions

My provider isn't working. What do I check?

Verify credentials are configured correctly
Check API access and IP whitelists
Enable debug logging: pulumi up -v=9
Review the Troubleshooting Guide

I'm getting type errors. How do I fix them?

Ensure TypeScript version is compatible
Regenerate type definitions if needed
Check for type mismatches in your code
Use pulumi.Input<T> for inputs

How do I debug provider issues?

Enable debug logging:

export PULUMI_DEBUG_COMMANDS=true
export TF_LOG=DEBUG
pulumi up -v=9

Resources aren't updating. Why?

Run pulumi refresh to sync state
Check for manual changes outside Pulumi
Verify update is allowed by provider
Review resource protection settings

Development Questions

How do I contribute a new provider?

Follow the Contributing Guide:

Fork the repository
Create a new package
Configure parameterization
Submit a pull request

Can I modify generated code?

No! Generated code is overwritten on rebuild. Instead:

Use wrapper functions
Create helper modules
Extend with TypeScript classes

How do I test my changes?

Build the provider locally
Link to a test program: pnpm link
Run pulumi preview and pulumi up
Verify resources in provider dashboard

How do I report bugs?

Check existing issues
Create a new issue with:
- Provider and version
- Error message
- Minimal reproduction code
- Environment details

Licensing Questions

What license is this project under?

MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

Can I use this commercially?

Yes! MIT license allows commercial use.

Are there any restrictions?

The MIT license requires:

Include copyright notice
Include license text

What about the Terraform providers?

Each Terraform provider has its own license. Check the provider's repository for details.

Cost Questions

Are these providers free?

The Pulumi packages are free and open source. However:

Target services may have costs (API usage, resources)
Pulumi Cloud has free and paid tiers
Consider resource costs in your planning

Do I need a Pulumi subscription?

No for basic usage. Pulumi offers:

Free tier: Individual developers
Team tier: Collaboration features
Enterprise tier: Advanced capabilities

You can also self-host Pulumi state.

Better error messages
Pulumi-specific features
Tighter integration

Bridged providers give you:

Access to any Terraform provider
Wider ecosystem
Regular updates from Terraform community

Future Questions

Will more providers be added?

Yes! Providers are added based on:

Community demand
Provider popularity
Maintenance requirements

Will Python/Go/C# support be added?

Potentially! This would require:

Multi-language code generation
Additional testing
Maintenance overhead

Can I request a new feature?

Yes! Open an issue with:

Feature description
Use case
Benefits

Watch the GitHub repository
Follow Pulumi blog
Check provider release notes

GitHub Issues

Troubleshooting

Contributing

Architecture

On this page