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RANKINGS/SAAS/INFRASTRUCTURE AS CODE TOOLS

Top 10 Infrastructure as Code Tools

10 ranked on capability, adoption, value, momentum and trust, with a plain verdict on every entry.

LISTER SCORE · UPDATED REGULARLY
Terraform remains the industry standard for multi-cloud infrastructure provisioning, making it ideal for large enterprises with complex environments. Pulumi suits developers who prefer writing infrastructure in general-purpose programming languages like Python or TypeScript, while AWS CloudFormation is the best choice for teams deeply committed to the Amazon Web Services ecosystem.
RANKENTRYSCORETRENDFROM
1TerraformTerraform uses its own declarative language called HashiCorp Configuration Language.95.0NEWFree
2PulumiPulumi supports Python, TypeScript, Go, and C# for defining cloud architecture.92.7NEWFree
3AWS CloudFormationCloudFormation templates can be written in either JSON or YAML.90.3NEWFree
4AnsibleAnsible uses agentless architecture by connecting through SSH or WinRM.88.0NEWFree
5ChefChef uses recipes and cookbooks to describe infrastructure states.85.7NEWCustom
6PuppetPuppet uses a declarative, model-based approach to configuration management.83.3NEWCustom
7SaltStackSalt uses a publish-subscribe pattern with a master-minion topology.81.0NEWCustom
8CrossplaneCrossplane turns any Kubernetes cluster into a manager for external cloud resources.78.7NEWFree
9Azure Resource ManagerAzure Resource Manager uses JSON templates to define infrastructure.76.3NEWFree
10Google Cloud Deployment ManagerDeployment Manager allows templates to be written using Python or Jinja2.74.0NEWFree
LAST UPDATED 2026-07-20CURATED · UPDATED REGULARLY

The ranking, in detail

01

Terraform

The industry standard for cloud provisioning

An open-source infrastructure as code software tool created by HashiCorp that uses a declarative configuration language.

From FreeBest for Multi-cloud provisioning
95.0
02

Pulumi

Infrastructure as code using general-purpose languages

An infrastructure as code platform that allows developers to use familiar programming languages to define cloud resources.

From FreeBest for Developers using standard programming languages
92.7
03

AWS CloudFormation

Native AWS infrastructure automation

A service that gives developers and businesses an easy way to create a collection of related AWS and third-party resources.

From FreeBest for Native AWS environments
90.3
04

Ansible

Simple IT automation

An open-source software provisioning, configuration management, and application-deployment tool.

From FreeBest for Configuration management and orchestration
88.0
05

Chef

Speed up delivery with automated infrastructure

A configuration management tool written in Ruby that uses a pure Ruby DSL for writing system configuration.

From CustomBest for Enterprise configuration management
85.7
06

Puppet

Enterprise-grade IT automation and compliance

An automated administrative engine for configuration management and infrastructure automation.

From CustomBest for Enforcing system compliance and configuration state
83.3
07

SaltStack

Fast, scalable and flexible software for infrastructure management

A Python-based configuration management and remote execution engine acquired by VMware.

From CustomBest for High-speed remote execution
81.0
08

Crossplane

Build cloud-native control planes without writing code

An open-source Kubernetes add-on that enables platform teams to build bespoke control planes.

From FreeBest for Kubernetes-native infrastructure management
78.7
09

Azure Resource Manager

Deployment and management service for Azure

The deployment and management service for Azure that provides a management layer to create, update, and delete resources.

From FreeBest for Native Microsoft Azure deployments
76.3
10

Google Cloud Deployment Manager

Simple and flexible infrastructure management for GCP

An infrastructure management service that automates the creation and management of Google Cloud resources.

From FreeBest for Native Google Cloud Platform setups
74.0

Frequently asked questions

What is Infrastructure as Code?

Infrastructure as Code is the management and provisioning of computing infrastructure through machine-readable definition files, rather than physical hardware configuration or interactive configuration tools.

Should I choose Terraform or Pulumi?

Choose Terraform if you prefer a declarative domain-specific language and need wide multi-cloud support. Choose Pulumi if your team prefers writing infrastructure using general-purpose programming languages like Python or TypeScript.

Are cloud-native tools better than third-party tools?

Cloud-native tools like AWS CloudFormation offer deep integration with their specific platforms without external setup. Third-party tools like Terraform are better suited for organizations managing multiple cloud providers simultaneously.

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