Compare Azure Resource Manager vs. Terraform

Azure Resource Manager serves as the central service for managing and deploying resources within the Azure ecosystem. It acts as a management interface that allows users to create, modify, and remove resources tied to their Azure accounts. To ensure security and organization post-deployment, users can utilize features such as access control, locks, and tags. When a request is made through various Azure tools, APIs, or SDKs, it is directed to Resource Manager, which then authenticates and authorizes the request before passing it to the corresponding Azure service for execution. This uniform handling of requests through a single API guarantees consistent outcomes and features across all tools. Whether using the Azure portal, PowerShell, Azure CLI, REST APIs, or client SDKs, users can access the same functionalities seamlessly. Moreover, any features first introduced through APIs are typically integrated into the portal within a maximum of 180 days following their initial launch, ensuring users have timely access to new capabilities. This streamlined process enhances user experience and resource management efficiency within Azure.

Terraform is a powerful open-source tool for managing infrastructure as code, offering a consistent command-line interface to interact with numerous cloud services. By translating cloud APIs into declarative configuration files, Terraform enables users to define their infrastructure requirements clearly. Infrastructure can be written using these configuration files, leveraging the HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL), which provides a straightforward way to describe resources through blocks, arguments, and expressions. Before making any changes to your infrastructure, executing the command terraform plan allows you to verify that the proposed execution plan aligns with your expectations. To implement the desired configuration, you can use terraform apply, which facilitates the application of changes across a wide range of cloud providers. Furthermore, Terraform empowers users to manage the entire lifecycle of their infrastructure — from creating new resources to overseeing existing ones and eventually removing those that are no longer necessary, ensuring efficient management of cloud environments. This holistic approach to infrastructure management helps streamline operations and reduces the risk of errors during deployment.