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Infrastructure as Code · Question Set
IaC Basics interview questions for placements and exams.
Questions
13
Included in this set
Subject
Infrastructure as Code
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Difficulty
Mixed
Level of this set
Go through each question and its explanation. Use this set as a focused practice pack for Infrastructure as Code.
Version control systems like Git are essential in IaC because they allow collaboration, history tracking, code review, and rollback of configuration changes. This makes infrastructure changes auditable and aligns infrastructure management with software development practices.
For complete preparation, combine this set with full subject-wise practice for Infrastructure as Code. You can also explore other subjects and sets from the links below.
State management records the current infrastructure configuration so that IaC tools know what exists, what to create, and what to destroy. In Terraform, the state file tracks resource metadata and dependencies. If state is mishandled or corrupted, it can cause drift between actual and expected infrastructure, lead to accidental resource deletions, or break dependency chains. Secure and consistent management of state—such as using remote backends with locking—is essential for collaboration and reliability.
A typical scenario is when an organization used Terraform and Ansible to automate multi-environment cloud provisioning. Before IaC, each environment was manually configured, causing delays and inconsistencies. After implementing IaC, the same configurations were version-controlled, peer-reviewed, and applied automatically through pipelines. This reduced provisioning time from days to minutes, eliminated drift, improved compliance, and enabled quick rollback or scaling during incidents. Such outcomes demonstrate the tangible value of IaC in enterprise DevOps workflows.
Infrastructure as Code brings automation, consistency, scalability, and traceability to infrastructure management. By treating infrastructure definitions as code, teams can version control configurations, automate provisioning, reduce human error, and ensure identical environments across development, staging, and production. It also enables faster disaster recovery, reduces manual intervention, and integrates seamlessly with CI/CD workflows, supporting true DevOps culture.
Infrastructure as Code, or IaC, is a DevOps practice that automates infrastructure provisioning through machine-readable configuration files or code. Instead of manual setup, engineers define and manage environments programmatically, ensuring consistency, scalability, and reproducibility across all deployments.
Declarative IaC tools describe the desired end state of infrastructure, letting the system handle the process to reach it (for example Terraform or CloudFormation). Imperative tools describe step-by-step procedures to create resources (for example Ansible or shell scripts). Understanding this difference helps choose tools based on control versus simplicity.
Idempotency ensures that executing IaC repeatedly results in the same final infrastructure without unwanted changes. This makes automation safe and predictable. Tools like Terraform and Ansible enforce idempotency to prevent resource duplication or accidental modification of existing configurations.
Immutability means infrastructure components are not modified after creation. Instead, a new resource is built and swapped in. This reduces configuration drift and ensures reliable rollback, improving stability and predictability across deployments. Immutable infrastructure simplifies debugging and improves auditability.
Configuration drift occurs when the actual infrastructure state changes without being reflected in the IaC definitions. It often happens due to manual changes or failed updates. Detecting and correcting drift ensures reliability and consistency across environments.
GitOps extends IaC principles by managing infrastructure and application deployments through Git repositories. Every change to infrastructure is done through pull requests and automatically applied by CI/CD pipelines, providing traceability, security, and consistent automation.
Jenkins is a continuous integration and delivery tool, not an IaC tool. Terraform, Ansible, and CloudFormation are examples of Infrastructure as Code tools used to define and manage infrastructure resources programmatically.
The key principles of Infrastructure as Code include declarative definition, idempotency, immutability, modularity, and version control. Declarative definitions describe the desired end state of infrastructure. Idempotency ensures consistency across repeated executions. Immutability reduces configuration drift by replacing rather than mutating infrastructure. Modularity promotes reuse and maintainability. Finally, version control ensures traceability and collaboration across teams.
Teams detect drift by comparing the declared configuration files against the live infrastructure state. Tools like Terraform and CloudFormation have built-in commands to show drift or plan differences. Fixing drift involves reapplying the IaC code, enforcing immutable builds, or eliminating unauthorized manual changes. Implementing continuous compliance checks and version-controlled workflows helps maintain consistency and prevent future drift.