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Engineering practiceIntermediate

Infrastructure as Code

Infrastructure as code defines cloud and platform resources through machine-readable, version-controlled declarations or programs rather than ad hoc manual configuration.

What it means

The code can create networks, identities, compute, storage, databases, policies, and monitoring consistently across environments.

Why it matters

Infrastructure code becomes a high-impact source of truth. A defect or compromise can reproduce insecure configuration at scale, so it needs software-grade security and review.

Practical focus

  • Store code in protected version control
  • Review plans and changes before deployment
  • Scan for risky settings and embedded secrets
  • Reconcile deployed state with approved definitions

Common mistakes

  • Treating generated templates as automatically secure
  • Editing production manually after deployment
  • Using one highly privileged deployment identity everywhere

Certification relevance

This subject appears in or supports the following certification bodies of knowledge:

AWS Cloud PractitionerAzure FundamentalsGoogle Cloud Digital LeaderCompTIA Cloud+GIAC GCLDISC2 CCSP

Authoritative sources