6 Best Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Tools

DevOps practices such as Infrastructure as Code enable organizations to save costs, maintain scalability, and ensure rapid delivery. IaC is significant to ensure accuracy, reduce errors, and maintain speed and consistency. It integrates CI/CD processes with DevOps.

To get the best result of IaC, organizations need to use the right tool or tools. Here is a list of the six best IaC tools:

1.      Terraform

Terraform is the most popular and preferred IaC tool. From configuration to provisioning, automating, and managing the IaC, Terraform is widely used throughout the IT industry. Its popularity is also due to its support for software such as Windows, Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, Solaris, and OpenBSD.

Using declarative configuration, users can plan, create, and manage IaC across multiple infrastructure providers. The use of the same configuration system reduces human errors and enhances automation throughout the life cycle. Hashicorp has invented and introduced this tool.

2.      Ansible

Want to make the DevOps team more reliable, faster, and easier for deployment? Or automate the configuration and management of software? Ansible is the right tool to use. It also helps to automate the provision. With a strong security baseline, developers can easily create multiple identical environments. Thus they do not need to worry about the compliance requirements. Ansible helps developers to be more creative and innovative. It is easy to understand. RedHat introduced this tool.

3.      CloudFormation

Competitive developers need a tool for quickly and efficiently provision and manage resources. AWS CloudFormation is such a tool. It allows developers to implement best practices of DevOps using IaC. Members can manage third-party resources.

As models and templates are already prepared, users need to write the Code and use AWS to handle the resources. It was established by AWS. It uses YAML and JSON.

4.      Puppet

Need a tool that offers high scalability and availability? Puppet replicates data to enhance scalability and availability. Puppet is similar to Ansible but a bit more complex. Puppet uses a pull model. Users need to monitor updates regularly. It has two editions: open-source and Puppet enterprise. Users can choose according to their needs.

Puppet is written in the Ruby language. It uses DSL to manage Code. It is more popular and suitable with CM tools. Members can define the desired state of the infrastructure using the Code.

5.      SaltStack

SaltStack is an open-source configuration. It works faster with any infrastructure platform. It focuses on automation. Users can automate the infrastructure, security, and network without any hassle. Developers can get rid of common infrastructure issues using this IaC tool. Automation reduces human errors.

SaltStack is created based on Python language. A significant advantage of using it for deploying, configuring, and provisioning infrastructure is its simplicity.

6.      Docker

If developers need a tool that allows them to create an application with all libraries and deploy it in any environment, Docker is the right tool. It improves the IaC environments. It enables security and consistency throughout the performance lifecycle. It also focuses on automation. It was invented by Solomon Hykes and Sebastian Pahl. It works with IBM, Microsoft, AWS, etc.

All of these tools have specific advantages and characteristics. All of these tools can be used by businesses according to their needs.