How to fix Error: Plugin did not respond in Terraform

Run Terraform with debug output to get more detailed error information:

TF_LOG=DEBUG terraform apply

The plugin logs will contain the actual panic message or error details explaining what went wrong.

Examine the plugin logs carefully. Common issues include:

- runtime error: invalid memory address or nil pointer dereference - indicates a bug in the provider
- DNS resolution errors - network/VPN connectivity issue
- Authentication/token errors - invalid credentials or expired tokens

Note the exact error for reporting or searching for fixes.

Provider crashes are often bugs fixed in newer versions:

terraform {
  required_providers {
    aws = {
      source  = "hashicorp/aws"
      version = "~> 5.0"
    }
  }
}

Run:

terraform init -upgrade
terraform apply

Ensure you're using supported versions. Check the provider's documentation for minimum required Terraform version:

terraform version
terraform providers

Downgrade Terraform or the provider if versions are incompatible.

The crash may be caused by invalid data passed to the resource. Review your configuration:

- Check for required fields that might be null
- Verify data types match the resource schema
- Look for circular dependencies or invalid references

Simplify the configuration to isolate which block causes the crash.

If errors mention DNS or API timeouts:

# Test connectivity to cloud provider APIs
ping api.example.com
dig api.example.com

# If on VPN, verify proxy/DNS settings
echo $http_proxy

Disconnect from VPN, try again, or check your network/proxy configuration.

Some resources support timeout configuration:

resource "aws_instance" "example" {
  # ... other config ...

  timeouts {
    create = "10m"
    delete = "10m"
  }
}

Check the resource documentation for supported timeout blocks.

If the error persists after the above steps, it's likely a provider bug. Open an issue on the provider's GitHub repository with:

- Terraform version
- Provider version
- Full debug output from TF_LOG=DEBUG terraform apply
- Minimal reproduction configuration
- The complete error/panic message from plugin logs

Include the full stack trace if available.