Terraform Provider Aliases Are Part of a Module's Public Interface
Provider configurations carry account, region and credential context. A reusable module that needs aliases is declaring runtime dependencies, not merely HCL syntax.
providers
The Terraform Dependency Lock File Is Part of Your Reproducibility Boundary
required_providers constrains acceptable versions; .terraform.lock.hcl records the exact provider selections and checksums Terraform should install. Committing one without understanding the other creates false confidence.
Terraform Provider Upgrades Are Schema Migrations, Not Dependency Chores
A provider defines resource schemas, planning behavior, defaults, import rules, and state upgrades. Changing its version can alter plans even when no HCL changes, so provider upgrades deserve infrastructure review.