How to Import an Google BigQuery Dataset into Terraform

Import Google BigQuery Dataset with Terraback (recommended)

Terraback reverse-engineers your live infrastructure: it reads the BigQuery resource with read-only credentials, generates the HCL, and produces the exact import block. Two commands take you from a live Google BigQuery Dataset to managed Terraform.

terraback scan all gcp --project my-gcp-project

terraback gcp import --method bulk

The Terraform import block

Terraback emits a Terraform 1.5+ import block like the one below. Because the block lives in your configuration, the import is reviewable in a pull request and repeatable across environments.

import {
  to = google_bigquery_dataset.analytics
  id = "projects/my-project/datasets/analytics"
}

Example google_bigquery_dataset configuration

Here is a realistic Google BigQuery Dataset block. Terraback generates a fuller version from your actual resource attributes; this is a minimal, valid starting point.

resource "google_bigquery_dataset" "analytics" {
  dataset_id = "analytics"
  project    = "my-project"
  location   = "US"

  default_table_expiration_ms = 3600000
}

Gotchas when importing a Google BigQuery Dataset

• The import ID uses dataset_id, not the friendly_name; dataset_id is the immutable identifier.
• location is immutable; importing a US dataset into an EU declaration forces a destroy that deletes the data.
• Tables, views, and routines inside the dataset are separate google_bigquery_table and google_bigquery_routine resources.
• delete_contents_on_destroy defaults to false, so Terraform cannot delete a dataset that still contains tables.

Doing it manually with terraform import

The native approach is to write the google_bigquery_dataset block by hand, then run terraform import google_bigquery_dataset.example <import-id> for every resource, one at a time. That works for a handful of resources, but it does not scale: you author all the HCL yourself and repeat the command for each item. Terraback generates the HCL and the import blocks for your whole account in one pass.

Import other Google Cloud resources