One of the key strengths of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is composability — the ability to build complex systems by layering small, reusable modules. This principle doesn’t just apply to cloud infrastructure; it can extend into other domains like Minecraft when paired with the right tools. In this post, I’ll explore how the Terraform provider for Minecraft enables the same disciplined approach to structure and reusability that we expect in more traditional Terraform usage.

By building a simple log cabin, I’ll demonstrate how primitive modules — such as pillar and cuboid—can be composed into more sophisticated constructs like walls and roofs. These components, in turn, can be reused and nested within higher-order modules like wall_with_windows or wall_with_doors to create opinionated, composite structures. The goal is to show how Terraform’s module system can be used not only to provision infrastructure, but also to encode architectural best practices—regardless of domain.

Alt

Building the Cabin: A Modular Approach

The foundation of the cabin lies in the Wall with Windows and Wall with Doors modules. These aren’t primitive constructs; both are in fact built from lower-level components — pillar and cuboid modules. This hierarchical composition allows for fine-grained control and reusability across different architectural features.

Three of the four walls are constructed using the Wall with Windows module, while the entrance is created using the Wall with Doors module. The structure is topped off with a simple cuboid that acts as the roof. But the visual skeleton of the building isn’t quite complete until we add vertical corner pillars that visually and structurally anchor the frame.

Corner Pillars: A Simple Loop

Here’s how I define the four corner pillars of the cabin using a for_each loop. The logic assigns each corner a 3D coordinate based on a shared origin:

locals {
  corner_pillar_positions = {
    corner_nw = { start_position = { x = local.origin.x, y = local.origin.y, z = local.origin.z } }
    corner_ne = { start_position = { x = local.origin.x + 5, y = local.origin.y, z = local.origin.z } }
    corner_sw = { start_position = { x = local.origin.x, y = local.origin.y, z = local.origin.z + 5 } }
    corner_se = { start_position = { x = local.origin.x + 5, y = local.origin.y, z = local.origin.z + 5 } }
  }
}

module "corner_pillars" {
  for_each = local.corner_pillar_positions

  source   = "../pillar"
  material = "minecraft:oak_planks"
  length   = 4

  start_position = each.value.start_position
}

The Roof: A Simple Capstone

To finish off the structure, I used a cuboid module as a basic flat roof. The roof is made of oak planks and sits directly on top of the four-block-high walls.

module "roof" {
  source = "../cuboid"
  material = "minecraft:oak_planks" # or slabs, or stone, etc.
  start_position = {
    x = local.origin.x
    y = local.origin.y + 4
    z = local.origin.z
  }
  width  = 6
  length = 1
  depth  = 6
}

The roof module could easily be swapped out or layered to create more complex roof geometries in the future, but for now, it provides a clean architectural cap to the structure.

Once this is in place, the full frame of the structure takes shape, with walls and roof cleanly slotted into place and the corners reinforced.

Alt

Furnishing the Interior

With the cabin constructed, it’s time to add a few interior features — functional blocks that simulate a livable space, starting with a crafting table, chests, and an attempted (but currently broken) bed. We drop a few primitive minecraft_block resources to add a crafting table, a few chests, and some wool — since I can’t create beds yet. The chests also get created as two single chests rather than a double chest for the same limitation of the Terraform provider that impacts my ability to configure more complex block types.

Crafting Table Near the Door

The crafting table is placed just to the right of the door. It’s a simple minecraft_block resource placed relative to the origin:

resource "minecraft_block" "door_right" {
  material = "minecraft:crafting_table"
  position = {
    x = local.origin.x + 4
    y = local.origin.y
    z = local.origin.z + 1
  }
}

Alt

Beds: A Work in Progress

I attempted to place two white beds side by side to simulate a full bed. However, due to the limitations of the current Terraform provider for Minecraft, both blocks render only as the foot of the bed. Here’s the configuration:

resource "minecraft_block" "bed1" {
  material = "minecraft:white_bed"

  position = {
    x = -262
    y = 68
    z = -128
  }
}
resource "minecraft_block" "bed2" {
  material = "minecraft:white_bed"

  position = {
    x = -262
    y = 68
    z = -129
  }

  depends_on = [minecraft_block.bed1]
}

Alt

Even with an explicit dependency between the two blocks, the provider does not interpret this as a complete bed structure. No matter what positions or configurations I tried, I couldn’t get the bed to render correctly. As a workaround, I’ve placed wool blocks near the door so the player can build a bed manually if needed.

Alt

The best I can do right now, is place wool next to the door so you can build one yourself.

Alt

Chest Pairing

A similar limitation affects chests. Although I can place two chests adjacent to each other, they appear as single chests rather than forming a connected double chest. Here’s the configuration:

resource "minecraft_block" "chest1" {
  material = "minecraft:chest"
  position = {
    x = local.origin.x + 1
    y = local.origin.y
    z = local.origin.z + 4
  }
}
resource "minecraft_block" "chest2" {
  material = "minecraft:chest"
  position = {
    x = local.origin.x + 2
    y = local.origin.y
    z = local.origin.z + 4
  }
}

For now, these serve as two distinct storage units, until more advanced functionality is supported in the provider.

Alt

Conclusion

This cabin isn’t just a cozy Minecraft home — it’s a case study in composable infrastructure. Using Terraform modules as building blocks, I was able to encode architectural structure into reusable, declarative logic. Primitive modules like pillar and cuboid serve as foundational abstractions. They become the raw materials from which more opinionated, higher-level modules like wall_with_windows are built. These in turn can be combined to create repeatable patterns for constructing complete environments.

The same principles that apply in production infrastructure — modularity, reusability, and abstraction — hold just as well in a Minecraft world. And while there are still rough edges in the provider that limit how far this can go today (especially with more dynamic or stateful blocks), the pattern is already useful. Building opinionated modules out of primitives is a way to encode architectural best practices, even in a voxel world.

As the provider matures, the gap between expressive infrastructure design and immersive world-building will only shrink further. For now, even a simple log cabin proves the concept: composable IaC isn’t just for the cloud.