Chef
Chef is an infrastructure automation framework centered on “infrastructure as code” using cookbooks and recipes.
Core model
- Uses a Ruby-based DSL for resources and convergence logic.
- Commonly runs with a server-workstation-node architecture.
- Converges nodes to desired state by executing recipes.
Strengths
- Highly expressive and programmable for complex workflows.
- Strong ecosystem and enterprise operations capabilities.
- Good fit for teams already comfortable with software engineering patterns.
Trade-offs
- Ruby DSL can be a barrier for teams preferring declarative YAML.
- Operational overhead can be significant in smaller setups.