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terraform-destroy Target

Destroys all infrastructure resources managed by the Terraform configuration.

Usage​

nx run my-project:terraform-destroy

# With configuration
nx run my-project:terraform-destroy --configuration=dev

Description​

The terraform-destroy target destroys all infrastructure resources managed by Terraform:

  • Removes all created resources
  • Cleans up infrastructure
  • Updates state to reflect destruction

Dependencies​

  • terraform-init: Must run before terraform-destroy

Configurations​

Supports environment-specific configurations via args array. Configure in your project.json:

{
  "targets": {
    "terraform-destroy": {
      "options": {
        "args": ["-var-file=tfvars/dev.tfvars"]
      },
      "configurations": {
        "prod": {
          "args": ["-var-file=tfvars/prod.tfvars"]
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Paths in -var-file are relative to the project root (where the command runs). Then use configurations:

# Uses tfvars/dev.tfvars
nx run my-project:terraform-destroy

# Uses tfvars/prod.tfvars
nx run my-project:terraform-destroy --configuration=prod

Behavior​

Interactive Confirmation​

By default, Terraform prompts for confirmation before destroying:

Do you really want to destroy all resources?
  Terraform will destroy all your managed infrastructure.
  This action cannot be undone.

  Enter a value: yes

The target runs with -auto-approve by default (no confirmation prompt). Use --configuration=<env> for environment-specific var files.

Targeted Destruction​

Destroy specific resources:

nx run my-project:terraform-destroy -- -target=aws_instance.example

Caching​

  • All Projects: ❌ Not cached (destructive operation)

Examples​

Basic Destroy​

nx run my-infra:terraform-destroy

Destroy with Configuration​

nx run my-infra:terraform-destroy --configuration=dev

Targeted Destroy​

nx run my-infra:terraform-destroy -- -target=aws_instance.example

Common Use Cases​

  • Environment cleanup: Remove dev/test environments
  • Resource cleanup: Remove unused infrastructure
  • Disaster recovery: Clean up after issues
  • Cost optimization: Remove unnecessary resources
  • terraform-init: Must run before terraform-destroy
  • terraform-apply: Creates infrastructure (opposite operation)

Warnings​

warning

Destroy operations are irreversible. Always:

  • Review what will be destroyed
  • Backup important data
  • Use with caution in production
  • Consider targeted destruction for specific resources

Notes​

  • Destroy operations cannot be undone
  • Always review the destroy plan before confirming
  • Use -target to destroy specific resources
  • State is updated after successful destroy
  • Failed destroys may leave infrastructure in partial state