Pulumi is a modern infrastructure as code (IaC) platform that allows developers to use familiar programming languages to manage and provision cloud resources. It is an open-source project that provides a unified, multi-cloud and multi-language programming model for developers and infrastructure teams.
Unlike traditional IaC tools that use domain-specific languages (DSLs) or declarative JSON or YAML files, Pulumi leverages existing programming languages like JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Go, and C#. This allows for more flexibility, better code reuse, and powerful abstraction.
Definition of Pulumi
Pulumi is a cloud development platform that enables developers to write, deploy, and manage cloud infrastructure using the programming language they are most comfortable with. It supports a wide range of cloud providers including AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and Kubernetes, among others.
At its core, Pulumi is an Infrastructure as Code tool, similar to Terraform or CloudFormation, but with a key difference: instead of using a proprietary DSL or markup language to define resources, Pulumi uses standard, general-purpose programming languages. This means you can use all the features of a language like TypeScript or Python to define your infrastructure.
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is a method of managing and provisioning computing infrastructure through machine-readable definition files, rather than physical hardware configuration or interactive configuration tools. The IT infrastructure managed by this comprises both physical equipment such as bare-metal servers as well as virtual machines and associated configuration resources.
The collective procedures and code that are used in this process are referred to as "infrastructure code". This is similar to scripting, but extends into the practices of software development when managing larger systems with complex lifecycles.
General-Purpose Programming Languages
General-purpose programming languages are designed to be used for writing software in the widest variety of application domains. They do not include domain-specific languages, but are intended to be of use for all aspects of software development. Examples of general-purpose languages include Python, Java, C, and JavaScript.
Using general-purpose languages in Pulumi allows developers to leverage the full power of a modern programming language, including abstractions, testing, and componentization. This can lead to more robust, maintainable infrastructure code.
History of Pulumi
Pulumi was founded in 2017 by Eric Rudder and Joe Duffy, two former Microsoft executives, with the goal of bringing cloud engineering to the masses. The company officially launched in 2018, introducing its open-source SDK which lets developers specify and manage their cloud infrastructure using the programming language of their choice.
Since its launch, Pulumi has gained popularity among developers and organizations for its innovative approach to infrastructure as code. It has attracted a number of high-profile customers, including Mercedes-Benz, Lemonade, and Tableau, and has raised over $57 million in funding.
Founders and Key People
Eric Rudder, one of the co-founders of Pulumi, is a former Microsoft executive who served as the company's Senior Vice President of Technical Strategy. He has a long history in the tech industry, with roles at companies like Attachmate and IBM before joining Microsoft.
Joe Duffy, the other co-founder, is also a former Microsoft executive, where he led various developer tools and platform efforts. He is the CEO of Pulumi and is responsible for the company's vision and execution.
Development and Growth
Since its launch, Pulumi has seen significant growth and development. The company has continuously expanded its support for various cloud providers and programming languages, and has introduced a number of new features and improvements to its platform.
One of the key factors behind Pulumi's growth has been its focus on developer experience. By allowing developers to use their preferred programming languages to define infrastructure, Pulumi has made it easier for teams to adopt infrastructure as code practices.
Use Cases of Pulumi
Pulumi's unique approach to infrastructure as code opens up a wide range of use cases. It can be used for everything from provisioning single resources like storage buckets or databases, to managing complex, multi-cloud applications.
Some common use cases for Pulumi include setting up and managing Kubernetes clusters, creating and managing AWS resources like EC2 instances and S3 buckets, and provisioning resources for serverless applications.
Provisioning and Managing Kubernetes Clusters
Kubernetes is a popular platform for managing containerized applications, and Pulumi provides a powerful and flexible way to define and manage Kubernetes resources. With Pulumi, you can create, update, and manage Kubernetes clusters in any cloud, using your favorite programming language.
For example, you can use Pulumi to define a Kubernetes deployment in TypeScript, and then use Pulumi's CLI to deploy the application to a Kubernetes cluster in AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. You can also use Pulumi to manage the underlying infrastructure for the Kubernetes cluster, such as the virtual machines or networking resources.
Creating and Managing AWS Resources
AWS is the largest cloud provider, and Pulumi provides a comprehensive set of libraries for managing AWS resources. With Pulumi, you can define AWS resources like EC2 instances, S3 buckets, and DynamoDB tables using your favorite programming language, and then use Pulumi's CLI to create, update, or delete those resources.
For example, you can use Pulumi to define an AWS Lambda function in Python, and then use Pulumi's CLI to deploy the function to AWS. You can also use Pulumi to manage the underlying infrastructure for the Lambda function, such as the IAM roles or security groups.
Examples of Pulumi in Action
Pulumi's flexibility and power can be seen in a variety of real-world examples. These examples showcase how Pulumi can be used to manage complex, multi-cloud applications, and how it can simplify infrastructure management for developers and teams.
Let's look at a few specific examples of how companies are using Pulumi to manage their cloud infrastructure.
Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America (MBRDNA)
MBRDNA uses Pulumi to manage its AWS infrastructure. The team at MBRDNA was able to use Pulumi to define their infrastructure in TypeScript, which allowed them to leverage their existing knowledge and skills. With Pulumi, they were able to reduce their deployment times from weeks to minutes.
Pulumi also helped MBRDNA improve their infrastructure management practices. By using Pulumi's state management features, they were able to track and manage changes to their infrastructure more effectively. This helped them avoid configuration drift and ensure that their infrastructure was always in the desired state.
Lemonade
Lemonade, a digital insurance company, uses Pulumi to manage its Kubernetes infrastructure. The team at Lemonade was able to use Pulumi to define their Kubernetes resources in Python, which allowed them to leverage their existing knowledge and skills. With Pulumi, they were able to automate their deployment processes and reduce their deployment times.
Pulumi also helped Lemonade improve their infrastructure management practices. By using Pulumi's state management features, they were able to track and manage changes to their infrastructure more effectively. This helped them avoid configuration drift and ensure that their infrastructure was always in the desired state.
Conclusion
Pulumi is a powerful tool for managing cloud infrastructure. Its unique approach to infrastructure as code, which leverages general-purpose programming languages, provides a flexible and powerful way to manage cloud resources. Whether you're a developer looking to automate your cloud deployments, or an infrastructure team looking to standardize and streamline your processes, Pulumi has a lot to offer.
As cloud computing continues to evolve, tools like Pulumi will play an increasingly important role in helping teams manage their cloud resources effectively. By providing a familiar and powerful programming model, Pulumi is helping to bring infrastructure as code to the mainstream.