Error while configuring Terraform S3 Backend

Question

I am configuring S3 backend through terraform for AWS.

terraform {
  backend "s3" {}
}

On providing the values for (S3 backend) bucket name, key & region on running "terraform init" command, getting following error

"Error configuring the backend "s3": No valid credential sources found for AWS Provider. Please see https://terraform.io/docs/providers/aws/index.html for more information on providing credentials for the AWS Provider Please update the configuration in your Terraform files to fix this error then run this command again."

I have declared access & secret keys as variables in providers.tf. While running "terraform init" command it didn't prompt any access key or secret key.

How to resolve this issue?

Answer 1

When running the terraform init you have to add -backend-config options for your credentials (aws keys). So your command should look like:

terraform init -backend-config="access_key=<your access key>" -backend-config="secret_key=<your secret key>"

Answer 2

I also had the same issue, the easiest and the secure way is to fix this issue is that configure the AWS profile. Even if you properly mentioned the AWS_PROFILE in your project, you have to mention it again in your backend.tf.

my problem was, I have already set up the AWS provider in the project as below and it is working properly.

provider "aws" {
region = "${var.AWS_REGION}"
profile = "${var.AWS_PROFILE}"
}

but end of the project I was trying to configure the S3 backend configuration file. therefore I have run the command terraform init and I also got the same error message.

Error: error configuring S3 Backend: no valid credential sources for S3 Backend found.

Note that is not enough for the terraform backend configuration. you have to mention the AWS_PROFILE in the backend file as well.

• Full Solution

I'm using the terraform latest version at this moment. it's v0.13.5.

please see the provider.tf

provider "aws" {
region = "${var.AWS_REGION}"
profile = "${var.AWS_PROFILE}" # lets say profile is my-profile
}

for example your AWS_PROFILE is my-profile then your backend.tf should be as below.

terraform {
    backend "s3" {
    bucket = "my-terraform--bucket"
    encrypt = true
    key = "state.tfstate"
    region = "ap-southeast-2"
    profile = "my-profile" # you have to give the profile name here. not the variable("${var.AWS_PROFILE}")
  }
}

then run the terraform init

Answer 3

I've faced a similar problem when renamed profile in AWS credentials file. Deleting .terraform folder, and running terraform init again resolved the problem.