This reference explains how to replace tenv with the Atmos toolchain. For the skill's decision guide, see ../SKILL.md. For the full toolchain feature reference, see atmos-toolchain.
If the user manages only 1 tool, see from-tfenv.md or from-tofuenv.md instead. The steps are the same. This file covers tenv's multi-tool scope only.
tenv replaces tfenv and tofuenv. It is one binary that manages version pinning for Terraform,
OpenTofu, Terragrunt, and TFLint. Each tool uses its own version file, or a tenv <tool> use
command.
The Atmos toolchain treats each tool as an independent tool declaration. To migrate, apply the same one-line-per-tool process to each tool that tenv currently manages.
| tenv-managed file | Tool | .tool-versions line |
|---|---|---|
.terraform-version |
Terraform | terraform <version> |
.opentofu-version |
OpenTofu | opentofu <version> |
.terragrunt-version |
Terragrunt | terragrunt <version> |
.tflint-version |
TFLint | tflint <version> |
Convert only the files that exist in the repo. Most projects use 1 or 2 of these files. Few projects use all 4.
Before:
# .terraform-version
1.9.8
# .tflint-version
0.54.0
You can also set versions with commands: tenv terraform use 1.9.8 or tenv tflint use 0.54.0.
After:
# .tool-versions
terraform 1.9.8
tflint 0.54.0
# atmos.yaml
toolchain:
aliases:
terraform: hashicorp/terraform
tflint: terraform-linters/tflint
registries:
- name: aqua
type: aqua
source: https://github.com/aquaproj/aqua-registry/tree/main/pkgs
priority: 10atmos toolchain install- Identify which version files exist in the repo. See the mapping table above. If a file is
missing but a version is pinned another way, run
tenv <tool> detectto find the current resolved version. - Add one
.tool-versionsline for each tool. Use the mapping table. - Add the
toolchain:block toatmos.yamlif the repo does not already have one. See Before/After above. If OpenTofu is the primary binary foratmos terraformcommands, addcomponents.terraform.command: tofutoo. - Verify the setup. Run
atmos toolchain install, then runatmos toolchain list. Confirm each tool resolves to the expected version. - Promote versions to
dependencies.toolson the specific component or workflow when a version is part of that unit's contract. Use this instead of a repo-wide default. See the "Default Rule" in atmos-toolchain. - Remove the version files and uninstall tenv last. Do this only after the team verifies
that
atmoscommands resolve every tool correctly without tenv.
| tenv command | Atmos toolchain equivalent |
|---|---|
tenv terraform install 1.9.8 |
atmos toolchain install terraform@1.9.8 |
tenv terraform use 1.9.8 |
atmos toolchain set terraform 1.9.8 |
tenv tofu install 1.10.3 |
atmos toolchain install opentofu@1.10.3 |
tenv tofu use 1.10.3 |
atmos toolchain set opentofu 1.10.3 |
tenv terragrunt install 0.67.0 |
atmos toolchain install terragrunt@0.67.0 |
tenv tflint install 0.54.0 |
atmos toolchain install tflint@0.54.0 |
tenv terraform list (installed) |
atmos toolchain list |
tenv terraform list --remote (available) |
atmos toolchain search terraform |
tenv terraform detect |
atmos toolchain get terraform |
tenv terraform uninstall 1.9.8 |
atmos toolchain uninstall terraform@1.9.8 |
For the last 4 rows, replace terraform with tofu, terragrunt, or tflint as needed.
tenv works through shims. Its installer adds ~/.tenv/bin to PATH, typically with
export PATH="$HOME/.tenv/bin:$PATH" in ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc.
Each shim (terraform, tofu, terragrunt, tflint) reads its matching version file again on
every invocation. Plain commands such as terraform or tofu always resolve correctly in any
shell. This setup needs no per-project configuration.
The Atmos toolchain does not do this by default. Atmos resolves tools declared in
.tool-versions (the project-wide default) or dependencies.tools (a scoped override) and injects
them into PATH only for the duration of an atmos <subcommand> invocation. If you run one of
these tools plain in your shell, it will not use the Atmos-managed version. To use the
Atmos-managed version in your shell, opt in to shell integration.
Shell integration is a supported mode. It is not a limitation. Use atmos toolchain env to
export the resolved PATH into your interactive shell:
Bash (add to ~/.bashrc):
eval "$(atmos toolchain env --format=bash)"Zsh (add to ~/.zshrc):
eval "$(atmos toolchain env --format=bash)"Atmos has no separate --format=zsh option. The bash format emits plain POSIX
export PATH=... output. Zsh evaluates this output the same way.
Fish (add to ~/.config/fish/config.fish):
atmos toolchain env --format=fish | sourcePowerShell (add to $PROFILE):
Invoke-Expression (atmos toolchain env --format powershell | Out-String)Verify the setup with which terraform (use Get-Command terraform on PowerShell). The command
must resolve under the Atmos toolchain install directory, not a tenv shim. Repeat this check for
tofu, terragrunt, and tflint as needed.
Important: atmos toolchain env creates a static snapshot. It does not repeat tenv's
per-directory resolution. tenv's shims read their version files again on every command. Because
of this, changing directories (cd) into a different project automatically switches versions for
every tool tenv manages.
atmos toolchain env writes the current directory's resolved paths into PATH one time, at eval
time. It does not update automatically when you change directories. Re-run the eval line after
you switch projects. Alternatively, when you work across multiple projects, use
atmos terraform ... instead of bare tool commands. atmos terraform ... always resolves the
version for each invocation, regardless of shell state.
- Atmos toolchain has no equivalent for partial or range-based version selectors yet. Like
tfenv and tofuenv, tenv supports these selectors (for example,
latest:^1.9,latest-stable) fortenv <tool> install. Atmos toolchain version specs support exact versions,latest,pr:<n>,sha:<hex>, andref:<branch/tag>. SemVer range constraints are documented as planned, not yet implemented. Pin exact versions for now. - Atmos does not natively orchestrate Terragrunt the way it orchestrates Terraform and
OpenTofu. Atmos toolchain can still install and pin the
terragruntbinary through.tool-versionsordependencies.tools. Running Terragrunt is the user's own workflow or custom command. It is not a built-in Atmos component type.
- atmos-toolchain SKILL.md:
.tool-versions,dependencies.tools, version spec syntax. - atmos-toolchain commands-reference.md: full CLI command reference.
- from-tfenv.md / from-tofuenv.md: single-tool version of these same steps.