Npm Infrastructure As Code Libraries

When are Infrastructure as Code libraries useful

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) libraries are incredibly useful in a number of scenarios. Primarily, they allow for the automation of infrastructure deployment, resulting in consistent environments, reliable systems, and efficient development processes.

With IaC libraries, teams can adopt a version control system for their deployment scripts, leading to comprehensible and maintainable infrastructure configurations. If a developer is deploying a JavaScript application using npm packages, infrastructure as code helps in consistent setup of environment leading to fewer 'works on my machine' type of problems.

In continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) workflows, IaC libraries play a pivotal role by enabling automation and speeding up the development process. They allow developers to quickly set up, modify, and tear down test environments that mirror production systems.

What functionalities do Infrastructure as Code libraries usually have

IaC libraries usually come with a wide range of functionalities:

1. Provisioning: Setting up server(s) or environments needed for your application.
2. Configuration Management: Defining and maintaining the state of systems and software.
3. Orchestration: Coordinating and managing the lifecycle of infrastructure and applications.
4. Health Checks & Monitoring: Automated checks to ensure your systems are working as expected.
5. Rollbacks & Version Control: Ability to return to previous configurations to avoid faulty deployments.
6. Synchronization: Ensure all servers/environments are running the same code version.
7. Security Management: Assistance in managing security configurations and policies.

IaC libraries in conjunction with npm package manager enable JavaScript developers to manage dependencies, scripts, configurations, and other tasks that are crucial in the application lifecycle.

Gotchas/Pitfalls to look out for

There are certain pitfalls that come with the territory of using Infrastructure as Code libraries, including the following:

1. Complexity: As the infrastructure grows, so too does the complexity of managing it with code. Especially for beginners, understanding the nuances may be challenging.
2. Lack of visibility: Because everything is now managed through code, errors or issues might become harder to spot. An incorrect configuration might lead to severe problems down the line.
3. Divergence from Standard Practices: Development teams may have established pipelines and practices for application code, but IaC libraries bring a new layer of protocols and best practices. Teams need to ensure they understand and follow these.
4. Inconsistent Environments: Even though IaC aims to ensure consistency, minor differences might creep into environments over time. Regularly use IaC to tear down and rebuild environments to maintain consistency.
5. Dependency Vulnerabilities: With npm, dependencies might have vulnerabilities that can be exploited. Always check and update your dependencies regularly to avoid security risks.

Always remember to test your infrastructure just like you would test your application code, to avoid the above pitfalls and ensure efficient application deployment.