Fundamentals of DevOps and Software Delivery » FAQ
How do configuration management tools compare to infrastructure as code tools?
Configuration management tools (like Ansible) focus on software and system state on existing hosts, while infrastructure-as-code tools (like Terraform/OpenTofu) provision and manage underlying infrastructure resources. They are complementary and often used together.
Practical guidance
- Use IaC to create infrastructure; use configuration tools to shape host runtime state.
- Keep clear boundaries between provisioning and configuration responsibilities.
- Automate both layers in CI/CD to avoid manual drift.
- Choose one primary workflow and enforce it consistently across environments.