Comparative Analysis of Configuration Management Tools: Chef vs. Ansible, SaltStack, and Puppet

EasyChair Preprint 15755

Abstract

Configuration Management (CM) tools play a critical role in automating infrastructure and maintaining consistency in modern IT systems. This paper presents a comparative analysis of Chef, Ansible, SaltStack, and Puppet, four prominent tools in the domain of Configuration Management. Each tool has unique features, strengths, and challenges that cater to diverse organizational needs. Chef, known for its flexibility and integration capabilities, offers a robust solution for managing large-scale environments but comes with a steep learning curve. Ansible is praised for its simplicity and agentless architecture, making it beginner friendly. SaltStack excels in speed and scalability, while Puppet’s mature ecosystem provides extensive support for complex configurations. This study evaluates these tools based on criteria such as ease of use, scalability, integration, security, and community support. Through case studies and analysis, we discuss how these tools are implemented in real-world scenarios and their effectiveness in addressing key challenges like configuration drift, dependency management, and security compliance. The findings aim to provide insights for organizations and developers in selecting the most suitable CM tool for their needs. Ultimately, while each tool has its trade-offs, the choice depends on specific project requirements and team expertise.

Keyphrases: (CI) Dependency Management Configuration Drift., Configuration Management Chef Automation, Tool Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Continuous Integration

@booklet{EasyChair:15755,
  author    = {Harsh Katariya and Madhuri Gedam and Roopali Lolage and Shruti Patil and Ujjval Shrivastav},
  title     = {Comparative Analysis of Configuration Management Tools:  Chef vs. Ansible, SaltStack, and Puppet},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 15755},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2025}}