Text Answer Question

The text answer question resource creates open-ended questions where participants type free-form text responses. These questions allow for flexible answers and can test deeper understanding beyond multiple choice options.

HCL Syntax

Basic Syntax

resource "text_answer_question" "name" {
  question = "Explain the main benefit of using containers in software development."
  answer   = "portability"
}

Full Syntax

resource "text_answer_question" "name" {
  question = "What is the primary purpose of a Dockerfile?"
  answer   = "define container image instructions"

  hints = [
    "Think about what Docker uses to build images",
    "Consider the relationship between Dockerfile and image creation"
  ]

  exact = false

  tags = ["docker", "containers", "dockerfile"]
}

Fields

Core Configuration

text_answer_question

Field	Required	Type	Description
question	✓	string	The question text presented to participants
answer	✓	string	The primary acceptable answer
exact		bool	Whether answers must match exactly (no partial matching). Defaults to false.
hints		list(string)	Hints shown to participants when hints are enabled. Defaults to empty list.
tags		list(string)	Tags for categorizing and organizing questions. Defaults to empty list.

Default Values

The following defaults are applied automatically:

resource "text_answer_question" "name" {
  exact = false
  hints = []
  tags  = []
}

Examples

Simple Definition Question

resource "text_answer_question" "define_pod" {
  question = "What is a Pod in Kubernetes?"
  answer   = "smallest deployable unit"

  tags = ["kubernetes", "concepts", "pods"]
}

Command Usage Question

resource "text_answer_question" "docker_command" {
  question = "What Docker command lists all running containers?"
  answer   = "docker ps"

  exact = true

  tags = ["docker", "commands"]
}

Usage in Quizzes

Text answer questions are referenced in quiz resources:

resource "quiz" "conceptual_understanding" {
  questions = [
    resource.text_answer_question.define_pod,
    resource.text_answer_question.docker_command
  ]

  show_hints = true
  attempts   = 3
}

Best Practices

1. Clear Instructions: Indicate expected answer length or format in the question
2. Appropriate Matching: Use exact matching for commands, flexible for concepts
3. Educational Focus: Use text questions to test understanding, not memorization
4. Reasonable Expectations: Don’t expect participants to guess exact wording