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Stage 10: Terraform Bankruptcy 💥

At this point, developers might be ready to throw in the towel on Terraform. They question the hype and wonder if it's all worth it.

They might even start looking for alternatives like CDK, CDK TF, Pulumi, or platforms like Crossplane.

As the complexity and scale of Terraform projects reach a tipping point, developers face a stark realization. This wasn't easy. Questions arise about the inherent difficulties of managing sprawling infrastructure code bases using Terraform, leading to a moment of reckoning. Some might question if Terraform is still the right tool for them.

danger
  • Scripts all over the place that call Terraform
  • No clear separation of concerns
  • Inconsistent conventions, or a total lack of conventions
  • Disorganized project structures
  • Interdependencies that complicate deployment processes
  • Unsafe CI/CD practices and hardcoded credentials
  • Incomplete or out-of-date documentation
  • No one understands how it all works anymore ⚠️

But the problem isn't Terraform.​

The problem is how they are using Terraform.

Changing the tool, will not change the outcome. Even if they decide to switch to a different tool, they will face the same challenges, just with a different set of limitations.

Terraform is not a framework. It's a tool. One that can be used by a framework. Just as Docker is not Kubernetes.

What developers really need is a coherent strategy with some rigor for approaching cloud architecture that translates to how they manage the configuration and design all the components that comprise their infrastructure.

It's not a surprise that teams fail with Terraform. Most developers never get the opportunity to write their own framework from scratch; Instead, they use one that is well-established and proven by countless enterprises and supported by a community. So why should we expect DevOps teams to be equipped and prepared to design an extensible framework when they’ve never done it before?

Realization​

After a little bit of Googling, searching Reddit and asking around, they then stumble upon Atmos. A framework that will make their lives easier.

What is a framework?

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Try Atmos!