---
title: Using Unleash through Terraform
description: "Set up and configure your Unleash instance using infastructure as code."
---

:::note Availability

**Version**: `5.6+`

:::


## Overview

The [Unleash Terraform provider](https://github.com/Unleash/terraform-provider-unleash) enables you to manage and configure Unleash programmatically, leveraging infrastructure as code (IaC) for automated and scalable configuration. 

This provider is designed to help you with the **initial setup and configuration** of an instance. The provider does not support managing feature flags through Terraform. Since most [feature flags are short-lived](/topics/feature-flags/feature-flag-best-practices#3-make-flags-short-lived), we recommend managing them through the Unleash Admin UI.

For a detailed video tutorial, check out [Managing Unleash through Terraform](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4OIBC1u1ns).
For more examples of specific resources and data sources, visit the [Terraform registry](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/Unleash/unleash/latest/docs/data-sources/permission).

## Manage Terraform access

The permissions of the API token you use with Terraform and your Unleash [plan](https://www.getunleash.io/pricing) determine which objects Terraform can manage:
- For [Open Source](https://www.getunleash.io/pricing) and [Pro](../availability#plans), use [personal access tokens](/reference/api-tokens-and-client-keys#personal-access-tokens).
- For [Enterprise](https://www.getunleash.io/pricing), use [service accounts](/reference/service-accounts). For larger teams, we recommend multiple service accounts with different permissions and separate Terraform repositories for each team under their respective projects.

## Resources

### API tokens

- `unleash_api_token`: Manage access and maintain secure communication with verified integrations.

Example usage:
```hcl
resource "unleash_api_token" "client_token" {
  token_name  = "client_token"
  type        = "client"
  expires_at  = "2024-12-31T23:59:59Z"
  project     = "default"
  environment = "development"
}
```

### Projects

- `unleash_project`: Create and manage projects.
- `unleash_project_access`: Assign access roles and users to specific project resources.

### Users and roles

- `unleash_role`: Define permissions systematically.
- `unleash_user`: Automate user management. Use `send_email = true` to generate an invitation link.

### Service accounts

- `unleash_service_account`: Define and manage service accounts for secure automated access.
- `unleash_service_account_token`: Generate tokens associated with service accounts.

### Single sign-on protocols

- `unleash_oidc`: Manage your [OpenID Connect configuration](../how-to/how-to-add-sso-open-id-connect).
- `unleash_saml`: Manage your [SAML configuration](../how-to/sso).

For example usage and schemas, visit the resources documentation of the [Unleash Terraform provider](https://github.com/Unleash/terraform-provider-unleash/tree/main/docs/resources).

## Data sources

You can use the following data sources to fetch resources from Unleash:

- `unleash_project`
- `unleash_user`
- `unleash_role`
- `unleash_permission`

For example usage and schemas, visit the data sources documentation of the [Unleash Terraform provider](https://github.com/Unleash/terraform-provider-unleash/tree/main/docs/data-sources).