Alternatives to Chef

An infrastructure automation platform for configuration management, compliance audits and workflow orchestration across servers. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as Chef.

  • Puppet

    A configuration management and infrastructure automation tool that enforces the intended state of servers.

    PaidProprietaryWindowsLinuxCommand line

    Puppet also enforces server state with its own configuration language and offers the Puppet Forge module library, with compliance in its enterprise edition.

  • Salt

    Open-source automation framework for remote execution, configuration management and orchestration across many servers.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hostedCommand line

    Salt is free and open source, combining remote execution and configuration management with event-driven automation on Linux.

  • CFEngine

    A configuration management and automation system that keeps servers in a defined, compliant state.

    FreemiumOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hostedCommand line

    CFEngine offers a lightweight agent and a free open-source Community edition, though its web UI and reporting belong to the Enterprise edition.

  • Rudder

    Open-source configuration management and compliance platform for Linux and Windows systems.

    FreemiumOpen sourceWindowsLinuxSelf-hosted

    Rudder is open source and covers Linux and Windows, adding patch and vulnerability management with CIS, NIST and ISO 27001 benchmark auditing.

  • Uyuni

    An open-source server for patching, configuring and provisioning large fleets of Linux machines using Salt.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxWebSelf-hosted

    Uyuni is a free, open-source Salt-based server for configuring and patching Linux fleets, focused on Linux clients only.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.