Operations → Cloud Infrastructure
Infrastructure as Code
The practice of defining infrastructure resources using version-controlled configuration or code.
Motivation
Infrastructure as Code solves the problem of managing infrastructure through reviewable, repeatable definitions instead of manual clicks.
Where it fits
It belongs to operations and cloud infrastructure.
Mental model
IaC treats infrastructure configuration like software: versioned, reviewed, tested, and automated.
Important details
It improves reproducibility, auditability, and disaster recovery, but still requires careful state and secrets management.
Common mistakes
- Assuming IaC prevents all manual drift.
- Forgetting that bad code can create bad infrastructure.