🚀 DevOps Cool Tools Series | RealOps Podcast 🎙️
Guest: Malcolm Matalka, Co-founder Terrateam
Host: Gourav Shah, Founder of School of DevOps & AI
GitOps has transformed the way we manage infrastructure and applications, but often, it’s seen as synonymous with Kubernetes and tools like ArgoCD and FluxCD. In this episode of the RealOps Podcast, we expand beyond Kubernetes and explore GitOps for Infrastructure as Code (IaC) with Terraform and OpenTofu. Joining us is Malcolm, co-founder of Terrateam, a company dedicated to bringing GitOps principles to Terraform and beyond.
The Story Behind Terrateam
Malcolm and his co-founder, Josh, saw a critical gap in the industry: existing Terraform automation tools were either rigid enterprise solutions that slowed teams down or hobbyist open-source projects that lacked robustness. They built Terrateam, an open-source GitOps-based infrastructure automation tool, to bridge this gap. Their goal? To create a flexible yet powerful workflow that integrates seamlessly with Git-based operations, ensuring teams can move fast without compromising security or stability.
What Makes Terra Team Unique?
Full GitOps Workflow for Terraform and OpenTofu
Unlike traditional CI/CD tools, Terra Team integrates deeply into your Git-based workflows, ensuring infrastructure changes are proposed, reviewed, tested, and applied all within pull requests.
Fine-Grained Access Control and Workflow Customization
Enterprises often struggle with Terraform automation because of coarse access control and rigid workflows. Terra Team provides workspace-level access control, meaning different environments (dev, prod) can have distinct policies.
Cost Visibility with OpenInfraQuote (earlier InfraCosts) Integration
One of the most exciting features is cost estimation built into pull requests. Before applying a change, teams can see the projected cost impact, helping them make informed decisions.
In fact, Terrateam is replacing the earstwhile InfraCost integration with their own brand new open source project OpenInfraQuote, which is 100% open-source and requires no server (https://github.com/terrateamio/openinfraquote).
Scalability and Security
Unlike tools like Atlantis that run everything on a single server, Terrateam offloads compute to GitHub Actions and other CI/CD systems, ensuring scalability while keeping sensitive credentials within your environment.
The Rise of OpenTofu
The conversation also delved into OpenTofu, a community-driven fork of Terraform that emerged after HashiCorp changed Terraform’s licensing model. Malcolm, a founding member of OpenTofu, explained how it remains fully compatible with Terraform while introducing enhancements like state encryption and dynamic provider configuration.
For those wondering whether to switch from Terraform to OpenTofu, Malcolm’s advice was simple: stick with Terraform 1.5.7 if it meets your needs, but keep an eye on OpenTofu as it evolves. The transition between the two is seamless, ensuring no lock-in for users.
Why GitOps for Infrastructure Matters
GitOps isn't just about Kubernetes—it’s about bringing clarity, control, and automation to infrastructure changes. With Terrateam, Git becomes the single source of truth for Terraform, OpenTofu, and Pulumi deployments. This means:
No manual SSH-ing into machines to apply Terraform changes.
No risk of drift between actual infrastructure and what’s in Git.
Clear audit trails and approval workflows.
Learn More about OpenTofu, Terrateam, and GitOps
To continue your journey into GitOps for Infrastructure as Code, be sure to explore the official resources of the tools we discussed:
Terrateam: https://github.com/terrateamio/terrateam
OpenTofu: https://opentofu.org/
These websites provide documentation, tutorials, and community guides that offer deeper insights into how GitOps principles can be applied to Terraform workflows and infrastructure management.
Also, don't miss the fact that this episode includes a live demo of Terrateam's PR-based GitOps workflow in action. It's worth watching to see firsthand how a pull request triggers and manages Terraform changes, giving you a practical understanding of why this approach is so powerful in real-world scenarios.
Finally, we encourage you to engage with the OpenTofu and Terrateam communities. By connecting with these communities (via forums, GitHub, or social channels), you can stay updated on the latest best practices and innovations in the IaC and GitOps space – and continue learning as these tools and techniques evolve.
Getting Started with GitOps for Terraform
If you’re an IT professional, DevOps engineer, or cloud infrastructure specialist, now is the time to level up your skills in GitOps and Terraform. The School of DevOps offers hands-on training programs to help you master Terraform, GitOps, and cloud-native infrastructure.
🎯 Start your journey with our expert-led courses today! 👉 Join the School of DevOps
🔊 Listen to the full episode on the RealOps Podcast to dive deeper into GitOps for Infrastructure as Code!
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