tfmcp: Terraform Model Context Protocol Tool

⚠️ This project includes production-ready security features but is still under active development. While the security system provides robust protection, please review all operations carefully in production environments. ⚠️

tfmcp is a command-line tool that helps you interact with Terraform via the Model Context Protocol (MCP). It allows LLMs to manage and operate your Terraform environments, including:

🎮 Demo

See tfmcp in action with Claude Desktop:

• Reading Terraform configuration files
• Analyzing Terraform plan outputs
• Applying Terraform configurations
• Managing Terraform state
• Creating and modifying Terraform configurations

🎉 Latest Release

The latest version of tfmcp (v0.1.3) is now available on Crates.io! You can easily install it using Cargo:

cargo install tfmcp

🆕 What's New in v0.1.3

• 🔐 Comprehensive Security System: Production-ready security controls with audit logging
• 📊 Enhanced Terraform Analysis: Detailed validation and best practice recommendations
• 🛡️ Access Controls: File pattern-based restrictions and resource limits
• 📝 Audit Logging: Complete operation tracking for compliance and monitoring

Features

• 🚀 Terraform Integration
  Deeply integrates with the Terraform CLI to analyze and execute operations.

• 📄 MCP Server Capabilities
  Runs as a Model Context Protocol server, allowing AI assistants to access and manage Terraform.

• 🔐 Enterprise Security
  Production-ready security controls with configurable policies, audit logging, and access restrictions.

• 📊 Advanced Analysis
  Detailed Terraform configuration analysis with best practice recommendations and security checks.

• ⚡️ Blazing Fast
  High-speed processing powered by the Rust ecosystem with optimized parsing and caching.

• 🛠️ Automatic Setup
  Automatically creates sample Terraform projects when needed, ensuring smooth operation even for new users.

• 🐳 Docker Support
  Run tfmcp in a containerized environment with all dependencies pre-installed.

Installation

From Source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/nwiizo/tfmcp
cd tfmcp

# Build and install
cargo install --path .

From Crates.io

cargo install tfmcp

Using Docker

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/nwiizo/tfmcp
cd tfmcp

# Build the Docker image
docker build -t tfmcp .

# Run the container
docker run -it tfmcp

Requirements

• Rust (edition 2021)
• Terraform CLI installed and available in PATH
• Claude Desktop (for AI assistant integration)
• Docker (optional, for containerized deployment)

Usage

$ tfmcp --help
✨ A CLI tool to manage Terraform configurations and operate Terraform through the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

Usage: tfmcp [OPTIONS] [COMMAND]

Commands:
  mcp       Launch tfmcp as an MCP server
  analyze   Analyze Terraform configurations
  help      Print this message or the help of the given subcommand(s)

Options:
  -c, --config <PATH>    Path to the configuration file
  -d, --dir <PATH>       Terraform project directory
  -V, --version          Print version
  -h, --help             Print help

Using Docker

When using Docker, you can run tfmcp commands like this:

# Run as MCP server (default)
docker run -it tfmcp

# Run with specific command and options
docker run -it tfmcp analyze --dir /app/example

# Mount your Terraform project directory
docker run -it -v /path/to/your/terraform:/app/terraform tfmcp --dir /app/terraform

# Set environment variables
docker run -it -e TFMCP_LOG_LEVEL=debug tfmcp

Integrating with Claude Desktop

To use tfmcp with Claude Desktop:

1. If you haven't already, install tfmcp:

   cargo install tfmcp

   Alternatively, you can use Docker:

   docker build -t tfmcp .

2. Find the path to your installed tfmcp executable:

   which tfmcp

3. Add the following configuration to ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tfmcp": {
      "command": "/path/to/your/tfmcp",  // Replace with the actual path from step 2
      "args": ["mcp"],
      "env": {
        "HOME": "/Users/yourusername",  // Replace with your username
        "PATH": "/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin",
        "TERRAFORM_DIR": "/path/to/your/terraform/project"  // Optional: specify your Terraform project
      }
    }
  }
}

If you're using Docker with Claude Desktop, you can set up the configuration like this:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tfmcp": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": ["run", "--rm", "-v", "/path/to/your/terraform:/app/terraform", "tfmcp", "mcp"],
      "env": {
        "TERRAFORM_DIR": "/app/terraform"
      }
    }
  }
}

1. Restart Claude Desktop and enable the tfmcp tool.

2. tfmcp will automatically create a sample Terraform project in ~/terraform if one doesn't exist, ensuring Claude can start working with Terraform right away. The sample project is based on the examples included in the example/demo directory of this repository.

Logs and Troubleshooting

The tfmcp server logs are available at:

~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp-server-tfmcp.log

Common issues and solutions:

• Claude can't connect to the server: Make sure the path to the tfmcp executable is correct in your configuration
• Terraform project issues: tfmcp automatically creates a sample Terraform project if none is found
• Method not found errors: MCP protocol support includes resources/list and prompts/list methods
• Docker issues: If using Docker, ensure your container has proper volume mounts and permissions

Environment Variables

Core Configuration

• TERRAFORM_DIR: Set this to specify a custom Terraform project directory. If not set, tfmcp will use the directory provided by command line arguments, configuration files, or fall back to ~/terraform. You can also change the project directory at runtime using the set_terraform_directory tool.
• TFMCP_LOG_LEVEL: Set to debug, info, warn, or error to control logging verbosity.
• TFMCP_DEMO_MODE: Set to true to enable demo mode with additional safety features.

Security Configuration

• TFMCP_ALLOW_DANGEROUS_OPS: Set to true to enable apply/destroy operations (default: false)
• TFMCP_ALLOW_AUTO_APPROVE: Set to true to enable auto-approve for dangerous operations (default: false)
• TFMCP_MAX_RESOURCES: Set maximum number of resources that can be managed (default: 50)
• TFMCP_AUDIT_ENABLED: Set to false to disable audit logging (default: true)
• TFMCP_AUDIT_LOG_FILE: Custom path for audit log file (default: ~/.tfmcp/audit.log)
• TFMCP_AUDIT_LOG_SENSITIVE: Set to true to include sensitive information in audit logs (default: false)

Security Considerations

tfmcp includes comprehensive security features designed for production use:

🔒 Built-in Security Features

• Access Controls: Automatic blocking of production/sensitive file patterns
• Operation Restrictions: Dangerous operations (apply/destroy) disabled by default
• Resource Limits: Configurable maximum resource count protection
• Audit Logging: Complete operation tracking with timestamps and user identification
• Directory Validation: Security policy enforcement for project directories

🛡️ Security Best Practices

• Default Safety: Apply/destroy operations are disabled by default - explicitly enable only when needed
• Review Plans: Always review Terraform plans before applying, especially AI-generated ones
• IAM Boundaries: Use appropriate IAM permissions and role boundaries in cloud environments
• Audit Monitoring: Regularly review audit logs at ~/.tfmcp/audit.log
• File Patterns: Built-in protection against accessing prod*, production*, and secret* patterns
• Docker Security: When using containers, carefully consider volume mounts and exposed data

⚙️ Production Configuration

# Recommended production settings
export TFMCP_ALLOW_DANGEROUS_OPS=false    # Keep disabled for safety
export TFMCP_ALLOW_AUTO_APPROVE=false     # Require manual approval
export TFMCP_MAX_RESOURCES=10             # Limit resource scope
export TFMCP_AUDIT_ENABLED=true           # Enable audit logging
export TFMCP_AUDIT_LOG_SENSITIVE=false    # Don't log sensitive data

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

Roadmap

Here are some planned improvements and future features for tfmcp:

Completed

• Basic Terraform Integration
  Core integration with Terraform CLI for analyzing and executing operations.

• MCP Server Implementation
  Initial implementation of the Model Context Protocol server for AI assistants.

• Automatic Project Creation
  Added functionality to automatically create sample Terraform projects when needed.

• Claude Desktop Integration
  Support for seamless integration with Claude Desktop.

• Core MCP Methods
  Implementation of essential MCP methods including resources/list and prompts/list.

• Error Handling Improvements
  Better error handling and recovery mechanisms for robust operation.

• Dynamic Project Directory Switching
  Added ability to change the active Terraform project directory without restarting the service.

• Crates.io Publication
  Published the package to Crates.io for easy installation via Cargo.

• Docker Support
  Added containerization support for easier deployment and cross-platform compatibility.

• Security Enhancements
  Comprehensive security system with configurable policies, audit logging, access controls, and production-ready safety features.

In Progress

• Enhanced Terraform Analysis
  Implement deeper parsing and analysis of Terraform configurations, plans, and state files.

• Comprehensive Testing Framework
  Expand test coverage including integration tests with real Terraform configurations.

Planned

• Multi-Environment Support
  Add support for managing multiple Terraform environments, workspaces, and modules.

• Expanded MCP Protocol Support
  Implement additional MCP methods and capabilities for richer integration with AI assistants.

• Performance Optimization
  Optimize resource usage and response times for large Terraform projects.

• Cost Estimation
  Integrate with cloud provider pricing APIs to provide cost estimates for Terraform plans.

• Interactive TUI
  Develop a terminal-based user interface for easier local usage and debugging.

• Integration with Other AI Platforms
  Extend beyond Claude to support other AI assistants and platforms.

• Plugin System
  Develop a plugin architecture to allow extensions of core functionality.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.