Deploying Apps to AWS with Terraform - Getting Started

Introduction

In this section, we delve into the intricacies of three significant IaC tools: Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, and Ansible.

Terraform Overview:

Terraform uses a declarative syntax through HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) and relies on state files to keep track of infrastructure changes. These files are crucial for Terraform's operations, as they indicate the infrastructure's current state and subsequent modifications.

AWS CloudFormation Insights:

As AWS's original IaC solution, CloudFormation specializes in managing AWS infrastructure. It allows users to create templates in JSON or YAML, providing flexibility in scripting. Unlike Terraform, CloudFormation manages the state of the infrastructure internally, eliminating the need for external state files. It features built-in functions for variable and template manipulation, along with StackSets for multi-region deployments and drift detection to monitor post-deployment changes.

Understanding Ansible:

Ansible, known for its hybrid approach, excels in both configuration management and infrastructure deployment. Primarily utilized for system-level configuration management, Ansible playbooks are written exclusively in YAML. It's a non-stateful tool, compares the current system state with the deployment template on each run. Ansible offers procedural and declarative deployment options, catering to diverse operational needs, and is compatible with a wide range of operating systems.

Summary:

Terraform is a cloud-agnostic tool using HCL for infrastructure as code (IaC).
AWS CloudFormation is AWS-specific, using JSON or YAML for IaC.
Ansible is a hybrid tool, known for configuration management and infrastructure deployment, using YAML.
These tools serve different purposes and are suited to various infrastructure requirements.