| Aspect | Terraform | Ansible |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Provisioning resources: networks, VMs, databases, DNS | Configuring servers: packages, files, services |
| Approach | Declarative: you describe desired state | Procedural via playbooks, many modules are idempotent |
| State | Keeps a state file, plan previews changes | No state, inspects the target machine |
| Connectivity | Through cloud provider APIs | SSH or WinRM, agentless |
| Language | HCL | YAML and Jinja2 |
| License and maintainer | BUSL 1.1, HashiCorp (IBM) | GPLv3, Red Hat |
| Learning curve | Moderate, you must grasp state and dependencies | Low for simple jobs, hard for large roles |
| Best for | Cloud infrastructure as code | Server configuration, deployment, ad-hoc fleet commands |
Choose Terraform when
- You must create and change cloud resources reproducibly.
- A plan before changes matters.
- You manage several clouds with one tool.
Choose Ansible when
- You configure existing servers or VMs.
- You need agentless application deployment.
- You manage a fleet of machines with no cloud API.
Bottom line
It is not either-or: the typical pair is Terraform (or OpenTofu) creating servers and Ansible configuring them. If you must pick one for cloud infrastructure, pick Terraform.
Compared
Logos belong to their owners and are used for identification only. Icons: Simple Icons (CC0), Devicon (MIT).