Fabric vs Rudder
Fabric
fabfile.org
Rudder
rudder.ioSide by side
| Figure | Fabric | Rudder |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | $3.33/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 8 |
| Spec score · Configuration Management Tools | 7.5 (#17) | 8.7 (#5) |
| Support | The project recommends its fab-user mailing list for usage help and also points users to GitHub Issues for bugs. | Enterprise includes unlimited standard support, while the Corporate Security Suite includes unlimited premium support and a dedicated customer success manager. |
| What it does | Fabric is a Python library for running shell commands remotely over SSH and returning Python objects. | Rudder is an infrastructure automation platform for continuously managing configuration, patching, vulnerabilities and compliance across cloud, hybrid and on-premise systems. |
Plans
Rudder
- Rudder CoreFree
- Rudder Starter - Essential (Monthly)$4 a month
- Rudder Security Suite - Premium (Monthly)$23 a month
- Rudder Starter - Essential (Yearly)$40 a year
- Rudder Security Suite - Standard (Yearly)$200 a year
- Rudder Security Suite - Premium (Yearly)$225 a year
- Rudder Corporate Security SuitePriced on request
- Rudder EnterprisePriced on request
In their own words
Fabric
Fabric is a free, open-source Python library for running shell commands remotely over SSH and returning Python objects. It supports individual hosts and multiple hosts, with serial or parallel execution, and can run Python functions or code blocks against those connections. Through Invoke, Fabric exposes Python tasks with parameters and pre- or post-tasks through the fab command-line tool; a comma-separated host list supports serial task execution. Paramiko supplies SSH protocol support, while documented authentication methods include private key files, SSH agents, and passwords. The installation guide recommends pip install fabric and lists Python, Invoke, and Paramiko as requirements. Fabric is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows in a self-hosted, agentless model. Its documentation says it adds no extra GSSAPI support beyond Paramiko’s connection parameters. Modern Fabric can be installed alongside Fabric 1 for a gradual upgrade. Each run or sudo call uses a separate remote shell session, so directory changes do not persist between calls.