To apply changes only to a subset of resources, which approach is appropriate?

To apply changes only to a subset of resources, which approach is appropriate?

• A. Run terraform plan with no target
• B. Run terraform apply with -target to the specific resource
• C. Remove other resources from config
• D. Run terraform fmt

Answer: (B)

When you want to update only a specific part of your infrastructure, limit Terraform’s action to that resource using the -target option with the apply command. This focuses the plan and the changes on the chosen resource and any resources that depend on it, allowing you to apply just those updates without touching the rest of your configuration. Running a plan without a target would generate changes for all managed resources, not a subset. Removing other resources from the config is not a safe or practical way to isolate changes, and formatting the code doesn’t apply any infrastructure changes. Keep in mind that -target is useful for focused work or debugging, but you should eventually run a full plan and apply to bring the entire state into a consistent, correct configuration.

When you want to update only a specific part of your infrastructure, limit Terraform’s action to that resource using the -target option with the apply command. This focuses the plan and the changes on the chosen resource and any resources that depend on it, allowing you to apply just those updates without touching the rest of your configuration. Running a plan without a target would generate changes for all managed resources, not a subset. Removing other resources from the config is not a safe or practical way to isolate changes, and formatting the code doesn’t apply any infrastructure changes. Keep in mind that -target is useful for focused work or debugging, but you should eventually run a full plan and apply to bring the entire state into a consistent, correct configuration.