cdist vs Puppet
cdist
cdi.st
Puppet
puppet.comSide by side
| Figure | cdist | Puppet |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $120/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 5 |
| Spec score · Configuration Management Tools | 8.6 (#6) | 8.9 (#2) |
| Documentation | The project provides manuals in HTML and man-page formats, including documentation for community-maintained contrib types. | Documentation covers Enterprise, Continuous Delivery, security compliance and Bolt task execution, with versioned installation and administration material. |
| Extensibility | Types are cdist’s extension mechanism, and type and core are kept separate. | The product supports an extensible scanner architecture and open API framework, while Puppet Forge provides more than 7,000 reusable modules. |
| Integrations | The project publishes a separate cdist-contrib repository for additional types not included in core cdist. | Official integration listings include ServiceNow, VMware, Argo CD, Jenkins, Dynatrace, Datadog, New Relic, Splunk, Tenable Nessus and CIS Benchmarks. |
| Intended users | The site describes cdist as used in environments ranging from small to enterprise grade. | Puppet describes Puppet Enterprise as best suited to medium and large organizations managing complex hybrid environments that require security, compliance, and centralized automation. |
| Operating systems | The documentation lists Linux distributions, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, Mac OS X, and XenServer among systems cdist was tested or known to run on. | Puppet Enterprise supports managed Linux, Windows and macOS agents; primary servers run on Unix-like systems rather than Windows. |
| Purpose | cdist is a configuration management system positioned as an alternative to Ansible, Chef, or Puppet. | Puppet Enterprise provides policy-driven configuration management and infrastructure automation for enterprise-scale environments. |
| Support | The maker offers community help through a Matrix room and an IRC channel, and says commercial support can be requested from ungleich. | Enterprise plans include standard or premium technical support, CVE service-level commitments and optional technical account management. |
Plans
Puppet
- Puppet CoreFree
- Puppet Enterprise free trialFree
- Puppet Enterprise listing price$120 a month
- Puppet EnterprisePriced on request
- Puppet Enterprise AdvancedPriced on request
In their own words
cdist
cdist is a free, open-source configuration management system that applies a defined state to computers through shell scripts and cdist types. It is positioned as an alternative to Ansible, Chef, and Puppet. Types provide the extension mechanism, and the project says their results are idempotent, so outcomes do not depend on call order. cdist uses push mode: source computers connect to targets over SSH and apply configuration, without requiring a central server or an agent on the target. A target needs a POSIX-compatible shell and SSH server, while the source needs a POSIX-like shell, Python 3.5 or later, and an SSH client. The project lists a small core, standard types, and parallel execution. Installation is documented through Git or pip. Supported systems include Linux distributions, BSD systems, Mac OS X, and XenServer. Manuals are available in HTML and man-page formats, with community help through Matrix and IRC.
Puppet
Puppet Enterprise provides policy-driven configuration management and infrastructure automation for complex cloud and hybrid environments. It uses policy as code to continuously enforce desired state, helping organizations identify and remediate configuration drift. Both agent-based and agentless management are supported, with a web interface and role-based access control. Puppet Enterprise Advanced adds continuous enforcement of CIS Benchmarks and DISA STIGs, self-service automation, AI features, observability integrations, and advanced patching. It also integrates with third-party vulnerability scanners, including Nessus, for remediation. Listed integrations include GitHub, AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, HashiCorp Vault, and ServiceNow. Agents are listed for Linux, Windows, and macOS. Puppet describes the product as suited to medium and large organizations managing complex environments that require security, compliance, and centralized automation. Pricing is custom; a free trial runs on up to 10 nodes with no commitment or time limit. Network and edge device management is optional, and licensing for those devices requires contacting sales.