Puppet vs Ansible: Key Differences Explained

Puppet is an open-source tool for setting up, managing, and maintaining systems and infrastructure. It helps you define how servers should be configured, which packages should be installed, which services should be running, and which permissions the files on these systems should have. And your system configuration stays that way for as long as you want.

Key features of Puppet

The following are some key Puppet features:

• Declarative language (Puppet DSL): Ideal system configurations are written in Puppet DSL, a specialised language specifically for Puppet.
• Agent-based model: Puppet runs agents on nodes that are programmed to check in at intervals with the central Puppet node to retrieve and apply configurations.
• Integrated reporting and auditing: Puppet tracks system changes and offers detailed reports. 

How does Puppet work?

Running a Puppet manifest involves running a set of instructions that define the system state you want to achieve. A Puppet manifest is a file written in Puppet DSL where you define resources like packages, services, and files ending with a .pp extension. 

Take this sample Puppet manifest, for example. It tells Puppet to ensure NGINX is installed and running on target servers:

When you run this manifest, Puppet follows this step-by-step process to achieve the desired state:

1. Facts collection: Each Puppet agent (installed on your target machines) sends the Puppet master system details, such as OS, hostname, and available resources.
2. Catalogue compilation: The Puppet master uses those facts and your manifest to build a catalogue. A catalogue is a plan that tells Puppet precisely what each machine should look like after Puppet finishes applying the manifest.
3. Catalogue application and report: The agent receives and applies the catalogue locally. If a package or service is missing, Puppet corrects it automatically.
4. Report and enforcement: Puppet agents check in regularly, usually every 30 minutes, to ensure the defined state is intact. If something changes, like someone manually disables NGINX, Puppet fixes it during the next run.

How Puppet works. Image source.

This continuous process ensures your target servers continue to run Nginx unless you delete the manifest or uninstall Puppet from any of them.

Pros and cons of Puppet

Puppet is helpful in many situations, but it also has some downsides. Here are some of the pros and cons of using Puppet:

Pros: 

• Automatic state enforcement: Continuously checks and fixes configuration drift without manual intervention
• Strong reporting: Offers built-in compliance reports and change auditing
• Idempotent by design: Ensures consistent outcomes by default
• Mature ecosystem: Puppet offers a range of pre-built modules on Puppet Forge and strong enterprise support
• Granular control: Puppet DSL offers powerful abstraction, variables, and logic, creating stronger control and room for innovation when managing servers

Cons: 

• Steeper learning curve: Puppet uses its own special language, which can be challenging for beginners
• Heavier setup: In addition to the main Puppet server, you need to install Puppet agents on all the target machines you want to configure
• Slower to get started: Puppet takes more time to set up compared to Ansible, which is easier to start using
• Less flexible: Puppet is better for long-term setup and keeping things the same, not for quick, one-time fixes

Ansible is a simple automation tool that helps manage server setups, install applications, and automate tasks. All you have to do is ensure the central Ansible server can communicate with the machines you want to set up via SSH. 

Key features of Ansible

The following are some key features of Ansible:

• Agentless architecture: Ansible connects to target systems using SSH or WinRM, so installing agent software on your target servers is unnecessary.
• Simple YAML syntax: Configuration and automation tasks are written in YAML, which is human-readable and universal among tools in the DevOps space. 
• Inventory management: It supports static and dynamic inventories. You can manage hosts using simple text files and dynamic scripts that pull real-time data from cloud APIs.
• Rich plugin ecosystem: Ansible connects various systems through its extensive plugin framework. These plugins enhance Ansible’s capabilities beyond standard features. 

How does Ansible work?

In the example below, Ansible is used to install and start NGINX on multiple servers using a simple YAML playbook:

Ansible connects to your remote machines and executes tasks as described in the YAML playbooks. These tasks tell Ansible what you want done.

Here’s how the process works:

1. Inventory definition: You define your infrastructure in a simple inventory file, written as a list of IP addresses or hostnames grouped by role.
2. Playbook execution: You write YAML playbooks describing tasks like installing packages, managing services, or copying files.
3. Connection and execution: When you run Ansible, it connects to each host over SSH, executes the defined tasks in order, and reports the results to you in real-time.
4. Agentless by design: No agents or daemons to install on your servers. As long as Ansible can connect over SSH (or WinRM), it can manage the system.

Ansible is idempotent, meaning that if you run the same task twice, it will not make any changes unless something is incorrect or new. This feature means that reviewing your playbooks always reveals the state of your server configuration, making it easier to predict and manage configurations effectively.

Pros and cons of Ansible

The following are some advantages and disadvantages of using Ansible:

Pros:

• Agentless: No need to install Ansible on the target servers; connect via SSH or WinRM.
• Easy to Learn: Simple YAML syntax that is readable by even non-developers.
• Quick Setup: Lightweight and fast to get started, especially for small to medium teams.
• Great for ad-hoc tasks: This solution is perfect for one-time tasks or scenarios where you want to do a simple setup across multiple servers.
• Modular design: Supports roles and reusable playbooks for a cleaner organisation.

Cons:

• Not ideal for continuous enforcement: Ansible doesn’t automatically keep checking the system unless you set up cron.
• Manual idempotency:  You have to make sure tasks are correctly written to avoid unnecessarily repeating changes.
• Less structured logic:  Ansible doesn’t support complicated rules as well as Puppet does.

Both tools serve similar functions, but they employ distinct approaches to server management configuration. 

Puppet uses a declarative language and a client-server model, requiring agents on target nodes and a central Puppet master. Ansible is agentless, using SSH to push configurations from a control node. This makes Ansible simpler to set up, especially in dynamic or smaller environments.

There is more to these tools. The following points give these ideas proper context.

1. Architecture and setup

Ansible doesn’t need agents. You just install it on one machine (the control node), and it uses SSH to connect to all the others. That means setup is quick, and you don’t have to install anything on the target machines.

Puppet, on the other hand, is agent-based by default. You install a Puppet agent on every machine you want to manage. These agents talk to a central Puppet master (or server), which controls everything. Puppet can be used masterless, but it’s not as straightforward.

2. Language and configuration style

Ansible employs YAML for task definitions, known as playbooks. YAML is an easily readable, beginner-friendly, and widely adopted language for most DevOps tools. By examining an Ansible playbook, you can readily grasp its content.

Unlike Ansible, Puppet uses its own language based on Ruby. While Puppet is excellent for deploying in challenging environments and managing complex systems, learning a new language just for configuration may seem pointless.

3. Execution mechanism

Ansible operates by pushing changes to systems when you instruct it to do so. You execute a command, and it connects to the target machines to perform the tasks. Nothing occurs unless you manually trigger it (or schedule it using something like cron or Ansible Tower).

For Puppet, the agents on your target nodes check in every 30 minutes by default, ask the master for instructions, and apply changes if there has been any deviation. This pull-based model is excellent for maintaining systems in a known state.

4. Idempotency and state management

Both Ansible and Puppet aim to be idempotent, meaning they can run the same task several times without changing anything if the system is already in the desired state.

Puppet enforces the idea of “desired state” by default. It constantly checks and ensures the system stays the way you defined it.

Ansible can be made idempotent, but you must write your tasks carefully. It doesn’t automatically check or maintain the system state over time unless you schedule it.

5. Learning curve and ease of use

Ansible is uncomplicated to learn. You don’t need to master a new language because almost anyone can read YAML. It’s an excellent choice if your team is beginning with infrastructure automation. 

To work with Puppet, you must understand Puppet DSL, which can be challenging for those without experience in Ruby. Additionally, setting up the master-agent model requires further effort. 

However, once you become acquainted with the language, the initial difficulties quickly fade as you manage complex infrastructure and configurations.

6. Use cases and strengths

Ansible is ideal for unplanned tasks that require quick setup and automation, especially in small to medium environments. It’s great for people who want results quickly without much setup overhead. It’s also strong in cloud provisioning and works well in DevOps pipelines.

Puppet shines in large environments where long-term consistency across many systems is needed. It’s a better fit for enterprises where machines need to self-check and self-correct.

7. Integration and extensibility

Ansible makes it easier for you to start deployment in minutes. Instead of writing your playbook from scratch, you can go to Ansible Galaxy to choose from any of the pre-existing roles that other users of Ansible have written. These roles work smoothly with tools like Jenkins and Terraform. Ansible is also well integrated with popular cloud platforms like Google Cloud, AWS, and Azure. 

In comparison, Puppet features an extensive module ecosystem through Puppet Forge, allowing for effective integration with monitoring, CI/CD, and infrastructure tools. However, extra configurations are needed to ensure smooth connectivity between its components.

8. Security and secrets management

In Ansible, controller and node servers communicate using simple SSH. It takes its security up a notch with Ansible Vault, a built-in tool that can be integrated with other secret management systems almost stress-free.

Puppet employs its proprietary secure certificate system to authenticate and identify nodes for connection. It manages secrets through a tool named Hiera, which supports data encryption.

Here’s a comparison table highlighting the differences and similarities between these tools.

Ansible is generally better than Puppet for most modern DevOps workflows due to its simpler setup, agentless architecture, and use of YAML, which makes playbooks easier to write and maintain. Ansible is also more flexible for ad hoc tasks and integrates more naturally with CI/CD pipelines.

Puppet uses a declarative DSL and requires agents, which adds complexity but offers more advanced reporting and resource modeling. It’s better suited to large-scale, policy-driven environments with strict infrastructure definitions.

Here’s a breakdown to help you decide between them:

Choose Ansible if:

• You want a simple, fast setup without installing agents on every server
• Your team prefers human-readable YAML over custom DSL
• You need quick deployments: ad-hoc tasks, one-time fixes, or rapid deployment
• You’re starting from scratch and want to get up and running in a few minutes
• You’re focused on orchestration (coordinating tasks across systems), not just configuration

Choose Puppet if:

• You manage a large number of servers and want long-term consistency across them
• Your team is okay with learning Puppet DSL and wants profound control over configurations
• You need automatic state enforcement systems that self-correct without manual intervention
• You want built-in compliance reporting, auditing, and a structured, policy-driven approach
• Your environment is more static or enterprise-scale, and you prioritise stability over speed

Here are other great configuration management tools:

• Chef: Like Puppet, Chef uses a Ruby-based DSL, is agent-based, and uses the same pull-based mechanism. It also excels in managing complex dependencies and is widely adopted in enterprise environments.
• SaltStack (Salt): A flexible automation tool that supports both push and pull models. It’s known for its speed and real-time event-driven architecture. Salt is great for large-scale environments that require fast and dynamic changes.
• CFEngine: One of the earliest configuration management tools, known for being lightweight and secure. It’s ideal for managing thousands of servers with minimal overhead and strong performance.
• Rudder: If you are interested in using a web-based configuration management tool, then Rudder is the best option for you. It’s focused on compliance, reporting, and auditability. Its web interface makes it a good fit for teams that prefer less coding.

Read more: 13 Popular Ansible Alternatives You Should Know

Spacelift is a modern infrastructure automation platform that improves Ansible workflows by adding policy control, collaboration tools, and deep visibility to your existing playbooks and roles. Built to support teams working with Infrastructure as Code, Spacelift helps bring structure, compliance, and speed to Ansible-based automation.

Spacelift allows you to manage and run your Ansible configurations in a GitOps-friendly workflow, where you can trigger pull requests and automatically test configurations before deployment.

You can define reusable stacks, use environment-specific variables, and enforce policies using Open Policy Agent (OPA). That way, you stay compliant without losing steam.

You can also integrate Spacelift with your CI/CD tools, set up approval gates, and monitor Ansible runs with detailed output and logs, all within a secure and centralised interface.

Read more about how Spacelift can help you with your infrastructure orchestration workflows here. If you want to take your infrastructure automation to the next level, request a demo with one of our engineers.

Other configuration management tools do not enjoy the same level of consideration as Ansible and Puppet. This is because they excel at their primary purpose: managing and automating computer systems. They shine in certain areas more than others.

Ansible is easy to use, doesn’t need special software installed on each system, and works quickly. This makes it great for automating tasks in the cloud and with DevOps. Puppet, however, is better for making sure large systems stay the same and don’t get out of sync.

Even though they work differently and use different languages, both tools help reduce mistakes and keep systems consistent.