Infrastructure as Code tools are critical for DevOps success. Compare the two leading platforms.
Key Differences
Terraform: Multi-cloud, HCL syntax, external state. CloudFormation: AWS-only, JSON/YAML, managed state.
When to Use Terraform
- Multi-cloud deployments
- Complex module reuse
- Provider ecosystem needs
- Team has existing HCL expertise
When to Use CloudFormation
- AWS-only infrastructure
- Native AWS integration required
- Simplified state management
- StackSets for multi-account
Best Practice
Many teams use both: CloudFormation for AWS-native services, Terraform for multi-cloud and third-party integrations.
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