* [Topics](/en/topics "Topics")
* [Open source](/en/topics/open-source "Open source")
* Understanding Ansible, Terraform, Puppet, Chef, and Salt
Understanding Ansible, Terraform, Puppet, Chef, and Salt
========================================================
Published  March 1, 2023•*3*-minute read
Copy URL
Jump to section
---------------
OverviewCommon automation toolsDifferent approachesThe Red Hat difference
Overview
--------
Choosing the [automation](/en/topics/automation) solution that works best for your organization is no easy task. There’s not a single "right" approach—you can automate your enterprise in multiple ways. Indeed, many IT organizations today use more than one automation tool, and a major consideration is how well they work together to achieve business goals.
Other factors to keep in mind when evaluating automation tools include architecture (is it agent-based or agentless?), programming (is it declarative or procedural?), and language (is it data-serialized or domain-specific?). And of course your operating system.  It’s also important to understand the level of community support for each product and what each is primarily engineered to do, such as provisioning, configuration management, and compliance.
Clearly, there are many considerations when choosing an automation software for your business. This article helps explain the differences between [Red Hat® Ansible® Automation Platform](/en/technologies/management/ansible) and other common open source automation tools.
[Explore a beginner’s guide to Ansible Automation Platform](/en/engage/ansible-automation-platform-beginners-guide-ebook "engage | solp | solp | red hat ansible automation platform a beginner s guide")
Common open source automation tools
-----------------------------------
With open source at its core, [Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform](/en/technologies/management/ansible) is a [security-hardened](/en/technologies/management/ansible/gain-security-with-red-hat-ansible-automation-platform), tested subscription product that offers full life cycle support for organizations. It’s built upon the foundation of its upstream project, Ansible, and benefits from the experience and intelligence of its thousands of global contributors.
So where does Ansible fit in the wider landscape of automation tools that includes Terraform, Puppet, Chef, and Salt?  Each of these products is supported and takes a distinct approach to automation, and all are available as enterprise solutions sold by different software companies.
* [Terraform](/en/topics/automation/ansible-vs-terraform) was created in 2014 by HashiCorp.
* [Puppet](/en/topics/automation/ansible-vs-puppet) is supported by Perforce and is available in a series of commercial products including Puppet Enterprise and Puppet Bolt.
* [Chef](/en/topics/automation/ansible-vs-chef) was acquired by Progress in 2020 and is available in a series of commercial products including Chef Enterprise Automation Stack.
* [Salt](/en/topics/automation/ansible-vs-salt) (commercially known as SaltStack) was acquired by VMWare in 2020, to be included as part of the vRealize Automation portfolio that was recently rebranded as VMware Aria Automation. VMware was acquired by Broadcom in 2022.
Red Hat resources
-----------------
[Keep reading](/en/resources "Keep reading")
Each tool approaches IT automation differently
----------------------------------------------
### Ansible
Known for its simplicity and ease of use, Ansible Automation Platform is an open source, command-line IT automation software application that uses [YAML-based](/en/topics/automation/what-is-yaml) "playbooks" to configure systems, deploy software, and [orchestrate advanced workflows](/en/technologies/management/ansible/orchestration) to support application deployment, system updates, networking configuration and operation, and more. It does not require the installation of an agent on managed nodes, which simplifies the deployment process. And it has strong support for cloud-based infrastructure.
[Video: Learn about the value of a Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform subscription](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkfAErWRVxk)
What’s the difference between Ansible and Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform? [Get the details](/en/technologies/management/ansible/ansible-vs-red-hat-ansible-automation-platform).
### Terraform
Terraform is a cloud infrastructure provisioning and deprovisioning tool with an [infrastructure as code (IaC)](/en/topics/automation/what-is-infrastructure-as-code-iac) approach. It’s a specific tool with a specific purpose—provisioning. Like Ansible, it has an active open source community and well-supported downstream commercial products. And it has strengths that—when combined with Ansible Automation Platform—work well to create efficiencies for many businesses.
[Learn more about Ansible vs. Terraform](/en/topics/automation/ansible-vs-terraform) 
[Video: See how Ansible Automation Platform works with Terraform](https://youtu.be/vQSDWa8MlN8)
### Puppet
Puppet is an automation application designed to manage large and complex infrastructures. By using a model-driven approach with imperative task execution and declarative language to define configurations, it can enforce consistency across a large number of systems. It also has strong reporting and monitoring capabilities, which can help IT teams identify and diagnose issues quickly.
[Learn more about Ansible vs. Puppet](/en/topics/automation/ansible-vs-puppet)
### Chef
Chef is an IT automation platform written in Ruby DSL that transforms infrastructure into code. Similar to [Ansible Playbooks,](/en/topics/automation/what-is-an-ansible-playbook) Chef uses reusable definitions known as cookbooks and recipes (thus the product name) to automate how infrastructure is configured, deployed, and managed across networks—whether on-premise, in the cloud, or in a hybrid environment. It has strong support for testing and verification of configurations, which can help catch issues before they affect production systems.
[Learn more about Ansible vs. Chef](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/gitops)
### Salt
 Salt is a modular automation application written in Python. Designed for high-speed data collection and execution, it’s a [configuration management](/en/topics/automation/what-is-configuration-management) tool with a lightweight ZeroMQ messaging library and concurrency framework that establishes persistent Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connections between the server and agents.
[Learn more about Ansible vs. Salt](/en/topics/automation/ansible-vs-salt)
The Red Hat difference
----------------------
Ansible Automation Platform is engineered to help organizations create, manage, and scale their automation workloads. It offers a flexible, stable, and security-focused foundation for deploying end-to-end automation solutions—including automation for hybrid cloud, edge locations, networks, security, infrastructure, and many other [use cases](https://www.ansible.com/use-cases).
[Why choose Red Hat for automation?](/en/topics/automation/why-choose-red-hat-for-automation)
And with more than 170 Red Hat Ansible Certified Content Collections from 80+ partners—and features like the [automation dashboard](/en/technologies/management/ansible/automation-dashboard-analytics) and [Red Hat Ansible Lightspeed](/en/technologies/management/ansible/ansible-lightspeed)—Ansible Automation Platform takes the guesswork out of installing, configuring, and supporting automation in your organization.
[Learn more about Ansible Automation Platform](/en/technologies/management/ansible "Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform | Product Trial")
Red Hat® Ansible® Automation Platform getting started guide
-----------------------------------------------------------
Learn how Red Hat® Ansible® Automation Platform can help you accelerate IT operations across your enterprise.
[Keep reading](/en/technologies/management/ansible/getting-started-guide "Red Hat® Ansible® Automation Platform getting started guide")
Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform learning hub
------------------------------------------------
Explore learning materials and tools designed to help you use Red Hat® Ansible® Automation Platform, organized by the tasks you need to accomplish.
[Keep reading](/en/technologies/management/ansible/learn "Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform learning hub")
Keep reading
------------
### What is InstructLab?
InstructLab simplifies the process of customizing large language models with private data.
[Read the article](/en/topics/ai/what-is-instructlab "article | what is instructlab?")
### What is Istio?
Find out more about Istio, an open source service mesh that controls how microservices share data with one another.
[Read the article](/en/topics/microservices/what-is-istio "article | What is Istio?")
### What is CentOS Stream?
CentOS Stream is a Linux® development platform where open source community members can contribute to Red Hat® Enterprise Linux in tandem with Red Hat developers.
[Read the article](/en/topics/linux/what-is-centos-stream "product article | what is centos stream")
Open source resources
---------------------
### Featured product
* #### [Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform](/en/technologies/management/ansible)
  A platform for implementing enterprise-wide automation, no matter where you are in your automation journey.
[See all products](/en/technologies/all-products "See all products")
### Related content
* Blog post
  [New observability features in Red Hat OpenShift 4.20 and Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management 2.15](/en/blog/new-observability-features-red-hat-openshift-420-and-red-hat-advanced-cluster-management-215)
* Blog post
  [2025 Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform: A year in review](/en/blog/2025-red-hat-ansible-automation-platform-year-review)
* Blog post
  [2025 was a year of transformative customer success with Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform](/en/blog/2025-was-year-transformative-customer-success-red-hat-ansible-automation-platform)
* Blog post
  [Event-Driven Ansible: Simplified event routing with Event Streams](/en/blog/event-driven-ansible-simplified-event-routing-event-streams)
### Related articles
* [Automating Microsoft Windows with Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform](/en/technologies/management/ansible/automate-microsoft-windows-with-ansible)
* [What is InstructLab?](/en/topics/ai/what-is-instructlab)
* [What is DevOps automation?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-devops-automation)
* [What is IT service management (ITSM)?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-it-service-management-itsm)
* [What is Infrastructure as Code (IaC)?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-infrastructure-as-code-iac)
* [Ansible vs. Kubernetes: how they work together](/en/topics/automation/Ansible-vs-Kubernetes)
* [What is cloud migration? And how can automation help?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-cloud-migration)
* [What is a configuration management database (CMDB)?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-a-configuration-management-database-cmdb)
* [What is Istio?](/en/topics/microservices/what-is-istio)
* [What is a software-defined data center (SDDC)?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-a-sddc)
* [What is IT automation?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-it-automation)
* [Why choose Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform as your AI foundation?](/en/topics/automation/automation-and-ai)
* [What is CentOS Stream?](/en/topics/linux/what-is-centos-stream)
* [How to build an IT automation strategy](/en/topics/automation/build-an-automation-strategy)
* [What is access control?](/en/topics/security/what-is-access-control)
* [What is virtual infrastructure management? And how can automation help?](/en/topics/automation/virtual-infrastructure-management)
* [What is KVM?](/en/topics/virtualization/what-is-KVM)
* [What is IT migration?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-it-migration)
* [How to automate migrations with Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform](/en/technologies/management/ansible/automate-migrations-with-red-hat-ansible-automation-platform)
* [Why use Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform with Red Hat OpenShift?](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/ansible-on-openshift)
* [What is CloudOps?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-cloudops)
* [What is Podman Desktop?](/en/topics/containers/what-is-podman-desktop)
* [What is CentOS?](/en/topics/linux/what-is-centos)
* [What are CentOS replacements?](/en/topics/linux/centos-alternatives)
* [What is Podman?](/en/topics/containers/what-is-podman)
* [Red Hat Satellite on Red Hat Enterprise Linux](/en/technologies/management/satellite/satellite-for-rhel)
* [What is role-based access control (RBAC)?](/en/topics/security/what-is-role-based-access-control)
* [What is Helm?](/en/topics/devops/what-is-helm)
* [Which Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform deployment option is right for you?](/en/technologies/management/ansible/ansible-deployment-options)
* [What is an Ansible module—and how does it work?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-an-ansible-module)
* [What is Argo CD?](/en/topics/devops/what-is-argocd)
* [How to manage and automate applications at the edge](/en/topics/edge-computing/how-to-manage-automate-applications-edge)
* [How to build an automation Center of Excellence](/en/topics/automation/how-to-build-automation-center-of-excellence)
* [What is orchestration?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-orchestration)
* [How to adopt Automation as Code: Extending Infrastructure as Code into Policy as Code](/en/topics/automation/how-to-adopt-automation-as-code)
* [What is a webhook?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-a-webhook)
* [Learning Ansible basics](/en/topics/automation/learning-ansible-tutorial)
* [Red Hat Lightspeed data and application security](/en/topics/management/data-application-security)
* [What is an Ansible Role—and how is it used?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-an-ansible-role)
* [What is MicroShift?](/en/topics/edge-computing/microshift)
* [What is data management?](/en/topics/data-services/what-is-data-management)
* [Gain security with Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform](/en/technologies/management/ansible/gain-security-with-red-hat-ansible-automation-platform)
* [What is NetOps?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-netops)
* [What is an Ansible Rulebook?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-an-ansible-rulebook)
* [What is an Ansible Playbook?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-an-ansible-playbook)
* [OpenJDK versus Oracle JDK](/en/topics/application-modernization/openjdk-vs-oracle-jdk)
* [What is configuration management](/en/topics/automation/what-is-configuration-management)
* [What is Cloud Foundry?](/en/topics/application-modernization/what-is-cloud-foundry)
* [What is event-driven automation?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-event-driven-automation)
* [Zero-Touch Provisioning and telco automation with Red Hat](/en/topics/telecommunications/zero-touch-provisioning-and-telco-automation-at-red-hat)
* [What is Buildah?](/en/topics/containers/what-is-buildah)
* [What is infrastructure automation?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-infrastructure-automation)
* [What is provisioning?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-provisioning)
* [What is YAML?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-yaml)
* [What is compliance management?](/en/topics/management/what-is-compliance-management)
* [What is cloud orchestration?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-cloud-orchestration)
* [Ansible vs. Chef: What you need to know](/en/topics/automation/ansible-vs-chef)
* [What is security automation?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-security-automation)
* [Ansible vs. Salt: What you need to know](/en/topics/automation/ansible-vs-salt)
* [What is Linux?](/en/topics/linux/what-is-linux)
* [What's the best Linux distro for you?](/en/topics/linux/whats-the-best-linux-distro-for-you)
* [What is a configuration file?](/en/topics/linux/what-configuration-file)
* [Ansible vs. Puppet: What you need to know](/en/topics/automation/ansible-vs-puppet)
* [Red Hat OpenShift vs. OKD](/en/topics/containers/red-hat-openshift-okd)
* [Why run Apache Kafka on Kubernetes?](/en/topics/integration/why-run-apache-kafka-on-kubernetes)
* [Spring on Kubernetes with Red Hat OpenShift](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/spring)
* [What is Apache Kafka?](/en/topics/integration/what-is-apache-kafka)
* [Ansible vs. Terraform, clarified](/en/topics/automation/ansible-vs-terraform)
* [Why choose Red Hat for automation?](/en/topics/automation/why-choose-red-hat-for-automation)
* [Ansible vs. Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform](/en/technologies/management/ansible/ansible-vs-red-hat-ansible-automation-platform)
* [What is cloud automation?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-cloud-automation)
* [What is Skopeo?](/en/topics/containers/what-is-skopeo)
* [What is network automation?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-network-automation)
* [What are managed IT services?](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-are-managed-it-services)
* [Using Helm with Red Hat OpenShift](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/helm)
* [What is business process management?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-business-process-management)
* [What is patch management (and automation)?](/en/topics/management/what-patch-management-and-automation)
* [What is the Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform automation controller?](/en/technologies/management/ansible/automation-controller-product-feature)
* [What is Grafana?](/en/topics/data-services/what-is-grafana)
* [What is SOAR?](/en/topics/security/what-is-soar)
* [What is open source software?](/en/topics/open-source/what-is-open-source-software)
* [Open source vs. proprietary software in vehicles](/en/topics/open-source/open-source-vs-proprietary-software-in-vehicles)
* [What is business process automation?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-business-process-automation)
* [What is KubeLinter?](/en/topics/containers/what-is-kubelinter)
* [What is RKT?](/en/topics/containers/what-is-rkt)
* [What is Kogito?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-kogito)
* [What was CoreOS and CoreOS container Linux](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/what-was-coreos)
* [What is IT process automation?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-it-process-automation)
* [What is deployment automation?](/en/topics/automation/what-is-deployment-automation)
* [What is business optimization?](/en/topics/automation/business-optimization)
* [What is Kubernetes cluster management?](/en/topics/containers/what-is-kubernetes-cluster-management)
* [What is SRE?](/en/topics/devops/what-is-sre)
* [What is Jaeger?](/en/topics/microservices/what-is-jaeger)
* [What is open source?](/en/topics/open-source/what-is-open-source)
* [What is risk management?](/en/topics/management/what-is-risk-management)
* [What is IT system life-cycle management?](/en/topics/management/it-system-life-cycle-management)
* [What is Knative?](/en/topics/microservices/what-is-knative)
* [What is etcd?](/en/topics/containers/what-is-etcd)
* [What is an SOE?](/en/topics/management/what-is-an-soe)
* [What is Clair?](/en/topics/containers/what-is-clair)
* [What is robotic process automation (RPA?)](/en/topics/automation/what-is-robotic-process-automation)
* [What is network management?](/en/topics/management/what-is-network-management)
* [What is cloud management?](/en/topics/cloud-computing/what-is-cloud-management)
* [What's business automation?](/en/topics/automation/whats-business-automation)
* [What is Docker?](/en/topics/containers/what-is-docker)
[More about this topic](/en/topics/open-source "More about this topic")