What is Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and Why Is It Important in DevOps?

Published on: May 28, 2025
Author: Collins Kiprotich Cheruiyot

---

Introduction

In the world of cloud computing and DevOps, Infrastructure as Code (IaC) has become a foundational concept for managing infrastructure efficiently and reliably. Today, I started my Terraform journey, and the very first thing I learned was what IaC is and why it’s so powerful.

---

What is Infrastructure as Code (IaC)?

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is a method of managing and provisioning cloud infrastructure using code, instead of manually configuring servers or using click-based interfaces.

With IaC, you write configuration files (e.g., using Terraform or CloudFormation) that describe your infrastructure (servers, databases, load balancers, etc.). These files can be versioned, reused, and shared—just like application code.

---

Key Benefits of IaC

1. Consistency and Repeatability

IaC eliminates the risk of human error. When you deploy the same configuration multiple times, you get the same infrastructure every time.

2. Version Control

Using Git or another VCS, you can track changes, roll back to previous versions, and collaborate with others on infrastructure code.

3. Faster Deployment

Deploying infrastructure becomes as fast as running a command. IaC automates provisioning, saving tons of manual time.

4. Better Collaboration

Teams can collaborate on infrastructure just like they do with application code—reviewing pull requests, tracking changes, and improving code quality.

5. Easier Testing & Validation

IaC allows you to test infrastructure changes in staging environments before pushing to production, just like app testing.

---

Tools That Support IaC

Some of the most popular IaC tools include:

• Terraform – Open-source, declarative IaC tool.

• AWS CloudFormation – AWS-native IaC tool.

• Docker & Kubernetes – Often used alongside IaC for containerized environments.

• Ansible– used for configuration management and provisioning.

---

My Day 1 IaC Setup

Today I:

• Read Chapter 1 of "Terraform: Up & Running"

• Installed Terraform and AWS CLI

• Configured my AWS account

• Set up Visual Studio Code with the AWS Toolkit

---

Final Thoughts

IaC is revolutionizing how we manage infrastructure. It's no longer about clicking through dashboards—it's about writing clean, testable, and scalable code to define our infrastructure. As a DevOps enthusiast, embracing IaC is one of the smartest moves I can make.

---