Should I Learn CloudFormation with JSON if I’m Planning to Use Terraform?

Definitely go with YAML for CloudFormation if you need to learn it. JSON can be a pain for complex configurations. If Terraform is your end goal, just jump into it, since you might not even need CloudFormation unless you're stuck in an AWS-only environment.

Learning CloudFormation is useful for understanding Infrastructure as Code overall, especially when you eventually deal with tools like Terraform as well. Its documentation is handy for figuring out resource types and setups. However, if you truly aim for Terraform, I'd prioritize that instead.

Just head straight into Terraform—CloudFormation templates can be really cumbersome. I started with CFN using YAML, and it presented quite a few challenges without proper diagnostics. JSON isn't as user-friendly for longer config files, so don’t sweat it too much.

You really don't need to bother with CloudFormation given your interest in Terraform. You might want to give some thought to learning JSON along the way, as some providers do require it. But if you have a preference for YAML, run with that!

If you're leaning towards Terraform, I'd say skip CloudFormation altogether and dive into Terraform straight away. Learning JSON for its own sake is fine, but you'll practically need YAML for CloudFormation anyway. Just focus on building something with Terraform—it's more versatile across different cloud platforms.