How does Rover compare to Terraform's built-in graph command?

Rover offers an interactive web interface with detailed resource overviews and maps, while Terraform's graph command outputs static DOT format requiring additional tools for visualization. Rover is more user-friendly for exploratory analysis.

How to use Rover with Terraform Cloud backends?

Rover supports backend configurations via the -tfBackendConfig flag, but you may need to set environment variables for authentication, as shown in the README for AWS credentials. Ensure your plan files are accessible locally.

Can Rover visualize nested Terraform modules effectively?

Yes, Rover parses entire configurations including modules, as demonstrated in the example/random-test directory. It generates graphs showing module dependencies and resource relationships for clarity.

How to save Rover diagrams as images for documentation?

Use the -genImage true flag when running Rover to export visualizations as SVG files. This allows easy embedding into reports or sharing without needing the interactive server.

Does Rover work with Terraform workspaces?

Rover relies on plan files or directory configurations, so it should work with workspaces if the plan is generated for a specific workspace. However, the README doesn't explicitly mention workspace handling, so testing is advised.

What's the best way to run Rover in a CI pipeline?

Use standalone mode with -standalone true to generate rover.zip, then extract and host static files. Combine with -genImage for automated SVG exports, integrating into build artifacts or documentation sites.

Open-Awesome

rover

MITGov0.3.3

Interactive Terraform visualization tool that generates resource overviews, maps, and graphs from plan and configuration files.

GitHub

3.3k stars199 forks0 contributors

What is rover?

Rover is an interactive Terraform visualizer that generates diagrams from Terraform plan and configuration files. It creates resource overviews, maps, and graphs to help users understand their infrastructure dependencies and configurations. The tool runs as a local web server or generates static assets for offline viewing.

Target Audience

DevOps engineers, infrastructure developers, and platform teams working with Terraform who need to visualize complex infrastructure relationships and validate configurations.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Rover for its interactive, Docker-first approach that requires no SaaS subscriptions, providing immediate visual insights into Terraform plans without manual diagramming tools.

Overview

Interactive Terraform visualization. State and configuration explorer.

Use Cases

Best For

Visualizing complex Terraform module dependencies and resource relationships
Analyzing Terraform plan files before applying infrastructure changes
Documenting infrastructure architecture with generated SVG diagrams
Understanding legacy or unfamiliar Terraform codebases quickly
Teaching Terraform concepts through interactive resource graphs
Offline infrastructure reviews with standalone generated assets

Not Ideal For

Teams needing real-time visualization of live infrastructure without manual plan regeneration
Environments with strict security policies that prohibit Docker or external binary downloads
CI/CD pipelines requiring fully automated, headless diagram generation without user interaction
Projects using non-Terraform infrastructure-as-code tools like CloudFormation or Pulumi

Pros & Cons

Pros

Interactive Web Interface

Hosts a local web server on port 9000 with interactive resource graphs and maps, enabling real-time exploration of dependencies without manual inspection.

Offline & Standalone Mode

Generates a static rover.zip bundle for offline viewing, allowing infrastructure reviews and documentation without an active server, as highlighted in the standalone mode section.

Docker-First Simplicity

Provides a pre-built Docker image for instant setup, eliminating the need for local Go or npm installations and simplifying deployment across environments.

Flexible Input Handling

Supports Terraform variables, backend configs, and plan files via flags like -tfVarsFile and -planJSONPath, ensuring accurate representation of different environments.

Cons

Plan File Preprocessing Overhead

Requires Terraform plan files to be manually converted to JSON with specific encoding (Unix LF, UTF-8), adding an extra step before visualization can begin.

Complex Source Build Process

Building from source necessitates Go v1.21+ and npm, with separate frontend and backend compilation steps, which can be barrier for users without development tooling.

Terraform-Only Limitation

Exclusively designed for Terraform, lacking support for other infrastructure-as-code tools, which limits its utility in mixed or multi-tool environments.

Frequently Asked Questions

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