Pulumi vs. Terraform: Choosing the Best Infrastructure as Code Solution

Pulumi vs Terraform

Ready to get started?

Jump right in with our free plan or book a demo with a solution architect to discuss your needs.

FAQ

Pulumi vs. Terraform, which one is better?

Pulumi and Terraform are both Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools, but they differ in approach. Terraform uses HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL), while Pulumi supports general-purpose programming languages like Python, TypeScript, and Go. Terraform is more widely adopted and declarative, whereas Pulumi offers more flexibility with imperative programming.

Pulumi vs. Terraform vs. CDK?

AWS CDK (Cloud Development Kit), Pulumi, and Terraform are IaC tools with different approaches:

  • Pulumi supports multiple clouds and allows using real programming languages.
  • Terraform is declarative and widely used for multi-cloud environments.
  • AWS CDK is specific to AWS and lets developers define infrastructure in familiar programming languages.

If you need multi-cloud support, Terraform or Pulumi is better. If you're AWS-focused, CDK may be a strong choice.

Pulumi vs. Terraform vs. Ansible?

Pulumi and Terraform focus on infrastructure provisioning, while Ansible is primarily a configuration management tool.

  • Terraform/Pulumi: Best for defining and managing infrastructure (e.g., servers, databases, networking).
  • Ansible: Best for post-deployment configuration, automation, and orchestration (e.g., software installation, updates, security patches).

Pulumi vs. Terraform vs. Crossplane?

Crossplane, Pulumi, and Terraform all manage cloud infrastructure, but Crossplane integrates deeply with Kubernetes.

  • Pulumi: Uses real programming languages and supports multi-cloud environments.
  • Terraform: Declarative HCL-based, strong ecosystem, and state management.
  • Crossplane: Kubernetes-native, using Kubernetes CRDs to manage infrastructure as code.

If you are Kubernetes-centric, Crossplane is a great choice. If you need broader multi-cloud IaC, go with Pulumi or Terraform.

What language is Pulumi written in?

Pulumi is primarily written in Go, but it supports multiple programming languages for defining infrastructure, including:

  • TypeScript / JavaScript – Common among frontend and full-stack developers.
  • Python – Frequently used in DevOps and data engineering.
  • Go – Preferred by backend and cloud engineers.
  • C# / .NET – Well-suited for Microsoft Azure and enterprise applications.

Pulumi’s flexibility allows developers to use familiar languages instead of learning a domain-specific language like Terraform’s HCL.

Interesting Reads

A guide to Kubernetes troubleshooting

Facing Kubernetes issues? This guide offers practical steps to fix k8s application failures, manage logs, and improve performance and security in your cluster.

Introduction to Helm for Kubernetes

Explore core concepts, features, and benefits for DevOps, with a practical workflow example to simplify deployments and boost efficiency.