Terraform Cloud has been a popular tool among DevOps and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) professionals since its launch in 2019. It is a cloud-based solution for managing Terraform code and automating deployment workflows. The tool is designed to simplify the deployment pipeline and workflow automation for cloud infrastructure on the major cloud providers such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). However, there are some Terraform Cloud alternatives available, and this article will guide you through some of the top Terraform Cloud competitors and alternatives to help you make the best decision for your needs.
What is Terraform Cloud and why look for alternatives?
What is Terraform?
Terraform is an infrastructure as code tool, launched by HashiCorp, that allows developers to define and manage their cloud infrastructure through code. The tool uses a declarative configuration language to define the entire infrastructure stack as a series of interdependent modules, templates, and resources that can be managed through code. Terraform is designed to work with multiple cloud providers, including AWS, Azure, and GCP.
What is Terraform Cloud?
Terraform Cloud is a cloud-based solution for managing Terraform code and automating deployment workflows. It offers an extensive range of features such as remote state management, policy as code, and version control. Terraform Cloud is a reliable tool designed to simplify the deployment pipeline and workflow automation for cloud infrastructure on the major cloud providers such as AWS, Azure, and GCP. It supports popular DevOps tools such as Ansible, Kubernetes, and Git.
Why look for alternatives to Terraform Cloud?
While Terraform Cloud is an excellent solution for managing cloud infrastructure, it might not fit everyone’s needs. Some businesses might require more customization, scalability, or specific features that Terraform Cloud might not offer. Furthermore, some users might be hesitant to use a cloud-based solution and prefer an on-premise solution. Therefore, exploring Terraform Cloud alternatives is necessary to find the best tool that fits your business requirements and needs.
Top Alternatives to Terraform Cloud
Spacelift
Spacelift is a cloud-native Terraform deployment and management solution. Spacelift provides an intuitive user interface and simplifies the process of configuring and deploying infrastructure. One of the essential features of Spacelift is its ability to automate repetitive build steps in the deployment pipeline, saving DevOps teams significant time and effort. Spacelift supports multiple cloud providers and architectures such as AWS, Azure, and Kubernetes, and it offers a wide range of Terraform modules and plugins to help teams build robust and reusable Terraform templates.
How is Spacelift an alternative to Terraform Cloud?
Spacelift simplifies the deployment process and offers users an intuitive user interface. It also provides the ability to automate repetitive build steps, making it easier for DevOps teams to manage the deployment pipeline. Spacelift offers a wide range of Terraform modules and plugins to help teams build robust and reusable Terraform templates.
What are the features offered by Spacelift?
Spacelift offers a range of features, including:
- Intuitive user interface
- Automated build steps
- Robust and reusable Terraform templates through its modules and plugins
- Multi-cloud support for AWS, Azure, and Kubernetes
How does Spacelift compare to Terraform Cloud?
Spacelift offers an intuitive user interface and robust Terraform templates, and it can be used to automate repetitive build steps. While Terraform Cloud also offers these features, Spacelift may be a better option for teams requiring additional customization and scalability.
env0
env0 is an IaC management platform that is designed to simplify the deployment process. env0 enables developers to define and manage their infrastructure as code on the popular cloud providers, including AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. env0 offers robust automation capabilities, allowing teams to manage deployments efficiently and reliably.
What makes env0 a solid Terraform Cloud alternative?
env0 offers a range of features that make it a solid Terraform Cloud alternative, including:
- Seamless integration with popular DevOps tools
- Automated deployment pipelines
- Multi-cloud support for AWS, Azure, and GCP
- Support for Terraform modules and plugins
How is env0 different from Terraform Cloud?
env0 offers more customization and scalability options than Terraform Cloud, particularly when it comes to support for DevOps tools and multi-cloud infrastructure. env0 also provides a simplified deployment process through its automation capabilities, reducing deployment time and effort.
What are the key features of env0?
env0 offers a range of key features, including:
- Integration with popular DevOps tools
- Automation of deployment pipelines
- Support for Terraform templates, modules, and plugins
- Multi-cloud support for AWS, Azure, and GCP
Scalr
Scalr is an open-source Terraform deployment and orchestration tool designed to simplify the management of cloud infrastructure. Scalr supports multiple cloud providers and architectures, including AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, making it a versatile solution for different business needs. Scalr offers a range of features, including policy-based access and a customizable user interface.
What is Scalr and how does it compare to Terraform Cloud?
Scalr is an open-source Terraform deployment and orchestration tool designed to simplify the management of cloud infrastructure. Scalr offers policy-based access, customizable user interface, and multi-cloud support, making it a great alternative to Terraform Cloud for teams that require greater customization and scalability.
What Scalr features make it a good Terraform Cloud alternative?
Scalr offers a range of features, including:
- Policy-based access
- Customizable user interface
- Multi-cloud support for AWS, Azure, and GCP
- Support for Terraform modules and plugins
What are the benefits of using Scalr over Terraform Cloud?
Scalr’s customizable user interface and policy-based access provide excellent flexibility and granularity to manage cloud infrastructure. Scalr also offers more customization and scalability to support several infrastructure architectures, including multi-cloud.
Competitors and Alternatives Overview
Several Terraform Cloud competitors and alternatives exist. These include Pulumi, CloudFormation, and Azure ARM templates. While some of these tools offer similar features to Terraform Cloud, such as remote state management and support for multiple cloud providers, they differ in terms of customization, scalability, and automation. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate each alternative and find the best one for your specific needs.
How do they stack up against Terraform Cloud?
Terraform Cloud competitors and alternatives vary in features, customization, scalability, and automation. While Terraform Cloud is a popular choice for many DevOps professionals regarding deployment pipeline and workflow automation, exploring these alternatives can help you find the best fit for your business requirements and needs.
What are the pros and cons of each alternative?
The pros and cons of each alternative may vary depending on your business requirements and needs. It is essential to evaluate the features and capabilities of each alternative to find the best fit.
Features to Look for in Terraform Cloud Alternatives
Visualization
Visualization is a critical feature in any cloud infrastructure management tool. It provides a visual representation of the infrastructure stack, which helps teams identify and mitigate errors and address concerns. Visualization also helps teams better understand complex cloud architectures. When evaluating Terraform Cloud alternatives, visualization features should be a crucial consideration.
Why is it important to have visualization in a Terraform Cloud alternative?
Visualization provides teams with a better understanding of complex cloud architectures and helps identify and mitigate infrastructure issues quickly.
What alternatives offer strong visualization tools?
Some Terraform Cloud alternatives with strong visualization tools include Scalr and Pulumi. Scalr offers a customizable user interface, while Pulumi provides a dashboard that provides real-time infrastructure updates.
How do these visualization features compare to Terraform Cloud?
Visualization tools offered by Terraform Cloud alternatives are comparable to those provided by Terraform Cloud. However, some alternatives offer more customization options than Terraform Cloud, providing more flexibility to manage cloud infrastructure.
Workflow Automation
Workflow automation is critical in any cloud infrastructure management tool. It provides the ability to automate repetitive build steps, reducing deployment time and effort. Workflow automation
FAQ
Q: What is the topic of this FAQ?
A: The topic of this FAQ is terraform cloud alternatives.
Q: What is Terraform Cloud?
A: Terraform Cloud is a management solution offered by HashiCorp for infrastructure as code (IAC) using Terraform code.
Q: Why would someone need an alternative to Terraform Cloud?
A: There can be several reasons to look for alternatives to Terraform Cloud, including the need for customizable tools, workflow automation, RBAC, or better cloud management, among others.
Q: What are some commonly used Terraform Cloud alternatives?
A: Some commonly used Terraform Cloud alternatives include Spacelift, env0, Kubernetes, Pulumi, and Git.
Q: How does Spacelift differ from Terraform Cloud?
A: Spacelift is an IAC management solution similar to Terraform Cloud, but it provides agentless automation, better scalability, and a faster debugging process through a clear winner graph.
Q: What are some features of env0?
A: env0 allows end-users to create custom templates, provides RBAC, and enables easy mapping and approval of modules, among others.
Q: How is Pulumi different from Terraform Cloud?
A: Pulumi is an open-source tool that enables users to customize their workflows, validate configurations, and use code frameworks like Ansible and AWS CDK to solve complex infrastructure problems.
Q: Can Terraform Cloud be used with other cloud infrastructure providers like OpenStack or VMware?
A: Yes, Terraform Cloud’s open architecture allows it to integrate with several cloud infrastructure providers, including OpenStack and VMware.
Q: What is the role of RBAC in Terraform Cloud and other cloud management solutions?
A: RBAC or Role-based access control allows better access control and security by providing different levels of permission and access rights to different users in the organization.
Q: What is Sentinel in Terraform Cloud?
A: Sentinel is a policy as a code framework that allows users to define and enforce policies across their infrastructure-as-code provisioned using Terraform code.
Q: Can Terraform Cloud’s features be customized?
A: Some Terraform Cloud features can be customized using templates or using Infracost, a feature that enables users to calculate the cost of their infrastructure across different cloud providers and spot optimization opportunities. Alternatively, self-hosting the Terraform Enterprise solution allows for greater customization.