GeoEngineer vs Google Cloud Deployment Manager vs Terraform: What are the differences?

1. Programming Language Support: GeoEngineer primarily uses Ruby as its programming language, offering flexibility for developers who are familiar with Ruby. Google Cloud Deployment Manager uses Jinja and Python templates for configuration, while Terraform uses HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) which is more aligned with JSON and allows for a simpler and more readable syntax.

2. Provider Support: Google Cloud Deployment Manager is tightly integrated with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and is specifically designed for deploying resources on GCP. Terraform, on the other hand, supports multiple cloud providers including AWS, Azure, GCP, and more. GeoEngineer also provides support for multiple cloud providers, but its provider support may not be as extensive as Terraform.

3. State Management: Terraform utilizes remote state storage backends which enable collaboration and state locking mechanisms to prevent conflicts when multiple users are working on the same infrastructure. GeoEngineer has similar state management capabilities but may not be as mature as Terraform in terms of features and scalability. Google Cloud Deployment Manager also has state management functionality, but it is more tightly coupled with GCP resources.

4. Community Support: Terraform has a larger and more active community compared to GeoEngineer and Google Cloud Deployment Manager. This means that users can find more resources, documentation, and community modules to leverage in their infrastructure automation projects. GeoEngineer and Google Cloud Deployment Manager, being newer tools, may have a smaller community and fewer resources available.

In Summary, each of these tools has its strengths and weaknesses, with Terraform being a popular choice for its extensive provider support and active community, while GeoEngineer and Google Cloud Deployment Manager may be preferred for their specific integrations with certain cloud platforms.