The introduction of new dependency lock files in Terraform 0.14 aims to simplify managing Terraform automation by ensuring that provider versions are consistently applied during automated workflows. The lock file is generated automatically when `terraform init` is run and should be committed into version control systems for future runs to guarantee the same provider versions. Upgrading to a new provider can be completed via `terraform init -upgrade`. The lockfile entry includes hashes of provider packages, which must match exactly between runs to replicate previous results accurately. If not using this new behavior, users can run `terraform init -upgrade` and discard `.terraform.lock` immediately after it is created, or add the lock file to a list of files ignored by version control. Terraform 0.14 also includes several other features such as Getting Started guides, tutorials, and improved security measures like Protecting Sensitive Input Variables.