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Chef Workstation vs Puppet: catalog facts
Chef Workstation	Puppet
Free Free to download; check Chef's licence terms before commercial use.	Paid A commercial product from Perforce; prices are not listed on the homepage.
Windows, Command line	Windows, Linux, Command line
Everything needed to start with Chef in one install Covers writing, testing and running automation code	Enforces declared server state and corrects drift Puppet Forge library of shared modules
Only useful if you manage infrastructure with Chef Command-line focused with a learning curve	Aimed at organisations rather than individuals Has its own configuration language to learn
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Closed source	Closed source
License not stated	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 24, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.