In this Terraform and OpenTuFu, we will compare Terraform vs. OpenTufu and which tool you should use in the future.
In August 2013, Terraform made a significant change to its licensing, transitioning the tool from an open-source to a business source license. This change had a major impact on businesses that relied on the tool for building and developing their infrastructure.
The change has a major effect on many businesses that use the tool to build and develop their infrastructure and end up paying for using the tool.
OpenTofu
As a result of the change, the Linux Foundation decided to fork the Terraform code and start a new project that will continue to make Terraform free and, most importantly, run under an open-source license. You can read more about OpenTofu here.
In terms of usability and usage, OpenToFu has the same functionality as Terraform, with the added peace of mind that the tool is available under open-source licensing.
The key features of OpenTufu are:
- Open Source and free for all purposes
- Use the same code base as Terraform
- Support the same major providers (Azure, AWS, etc.)
Terraform
With the recent change in licensing and IBM’s acquisition of Terraform, the future of Terraform as an open-source and free tool is uncertain.
After announcing the sale to IBM, we blogged about Bicep Vs Terraform and if it is time to change.
If you were wondering why Microsoft created Bicep, you now have the answer. We believe that the recent changes with Terraform will pave the way for IBM to monetize Terraform in a similar manner as Docker licensing changed Docker.
Terraform vs. OpenTufu
Both Terraform and OpenTuFu have their strengths and are suitable for different scenarios. The recent changes with Terraform might indicate that the tool will be free for personal usage and might cost in the future.
This kind of change can affect many businesses that use the tool. OpenToFu offers the same functionality with the support of the Linux Foundation and other major companies.