Infrastructure as Code vs Manual Configuration

Developers should learn Infrastructure as Code to achieve faster, more reliable, and scalable infrastructure deployments, especially in cloud-native and microservices environments meets developers should use manual configuration when working with simple applications, prototyping, or in environments where automation tools are unavailable or overkill, such as local development setups or one-off server configurations. Here's our take.

Infrastructure as Code

Nice Pick

Developers should learn Infrastructure as Code to achieve faster, more reliable, and scalable infrastructure deployments, especially in cloud-native and microservices environments

Pros

• It is crucial for automating repetitive tasks, ensuring consistency across development, staging, and production environments, and enabling infrastructure to be treated as a disposable resource
• Related to: terraform, ansible

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Manual Configuration

Developers should use manual configuration when working with simple applications, prototyping, or in environments where automation tools are unavailable or overkill, such as local development setups or one-off server configurations

Pros

• It is also essential for debugging automated setups, as understanding manual processes helps identify issues in automated pipelines
• Related to: configuration-management, infrastructure-as-code

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use Infrastructure as Code if: You want it is crucial for automating repetitive tasks, ensuring consistency across development, staging, and production environments, and enabling infrastructure to be treated as a disposable resource and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Manual Configuration if: You prioritize it is also essential for debugging automated setups, as understanding manual processes helps identify issues in automated pipelines over what Infrastructure as Code offers.

The Bottom Line

Infrastructure as Code wins

Developers should learn Infrastructure as Code to achieve faster, more reliable, and scalable infrastructure deployments, especially in cloud-native and microservices environments