# PowerShell DSC vs SaltStack

**Leader by vioscaleAI score:** SaltStack

| Attribute | PowerShell DSC | SaltStack |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 46.6 (27% (low)) | 56.7 (72% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 3 | 100 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | - | 0 |
| adoption.github_stars | 61 | 15,715 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | - | 31,513 |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"A declarative configuration platform where you describe desired system state in JSON or YAML, then validate and enforce it across machines. Resources handle the actual configuration work and can be written in any language. It is indexed under Configuration Management Tools.","source":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/dsc/overview","question":"What is PowerShell DSC?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"PowerShell DSC supports Windows, macOS, Linux and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/dsc/overview","question":"What platforms does PowerShell DSC support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. PowerShell DSC is published under the CC-BY-4.0 licence, a copyleft licence, so check its terms before embedding it in a closed-source product. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.","source":"https://github.com/microsoftdocs/PowerShell-Docs-DSC","question":"Is PowerShell DSC open source?","confidence":0.95}]` | - |
| deployment.options | - | `{"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | A PowerShell-based platform for writing infrastructure configurations as code, with origins in Windows management but expanding to cross-platform support across Windows, Linux, and macOS. | An event-driven framework for automating the deployment, configuration, and management of IT infrastructure, designed to maintain consistent system state across distributed environments. |
| features.capabilities | `{"model":"push","language":"JSON, YAML","idempotent":true,"architecture":"agentless","desired_state":true,"windows_support":true,"content_registry":true,"open_source_core":true,"policy_compliance":true}` | `{"hosting":"self","idempotent":true,"desired_state":true,"windows_support":true,"open_source_core":true}` |
| language.primary | PowerShell | Python |
| license.spdx | CC-BY-4.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true,"mac":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` | `{"mac":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/dsc/overview","retrievedAt":"2026-10-05T10:04:39.990Z"}` | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.saltstack.com","retrievedAt":"2026-10-15T09:25:09.662Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | open_source |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| release.cadence_days | - | 6 |
| release.history | - | `[{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3008.3","date":"2026-09-30T21:19:42Z","type":"stable","version":"v3008.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3007.15","date":"2026-09-30T21:12:34Z","type":"stable","version":"v3007.15"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3006.28","date":"2026-09-30T20:55:21Z","type":"stable","version":"v3006.28"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3008.1-2","date":"2026-07-26T01:32:20Z","type":"stable","version":"v3008.1-2"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3008.1-1","date":"2026-07-23T19:43:15Z","type":"stable","version":"v3008.1-1"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3008.2","date":"2026-07-01T19:37:49Z","type":"stable","version":"v3008.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3006.27","date":"2026-07-01T18:54:23Z","type":"stable","version":"v3006.27"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3006.26","date":"2026-06-24T17:16:34Z","type":"stable","version":"v3006.26"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3008.1","date":"2026-06-11T14:41:31Z","type":"stable","version":"v3008.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3008.0","date":"2026-05-27T10:36:40Z","type":"stable","version":"v3008.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3008.0rc4","date":"2026-05-15T17:27:10Z","type":"stable","version":"v3008.0rc4"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3008.0rc3","date":"2026-05-13T16:48:46Z","type":"stable","version":"v3008.0rc3"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3006.25","date":"2026-05-13T16:42:11Z","type":"stable","version":"v3006.25"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3008.0rc2","date":"2026-05-06T18:22:06Z","type":"stable","version":"v3008.0rc2"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3007.14","date":"2026-04-29T18:00:27Z","type":"stable","version":"v3007.14"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3008.0rc1","date":"2026-04-23T23:59:27Z","type":"stable","version":"v3008.0rc1"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3006.24","date":"2026-04-23T22:26:43Z","type":"stable","version":"v3006.24"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3006.23","date":"2026-02-23T21:17:26Z","type":"stable","version":"v3006.23"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3006.22","date":"2026-02-22T02:37:56Z","type":"stable","version":"v3006.22"},{"url":"https://github.com/saltstack/salt/releases/tag/v3007.13","date":"2026-02-12T23:09:14Z","type":"stable","version":"v3007.13"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | yes | - |
| security.scorecard | - | 4.8 |
| security.vulnerabilities | - | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=alpine&package_name=salt-syndic&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (Configuration Management Tools)

| Capability | PowerShell DSC | SaltStack |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Architecture | Agentless / SSH-push | - |
| Push / pull model | Push | - |
| Config language | JSON, YAML | - |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Masterless mode | - | - |
| Hosting | - | Self-hosted only |
| **Correctness** |  |  |
| Idempotent | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Model** |  |  |
| Desired-state declarative | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Ecosystem** |  |  |
| Content registry | ✓ | - |
| **Platform** |  |  |
| Windows support | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Scope** |  |  |
| Cloud provisioning | - | - |
| **Governance** |  |  |
| Policy / compliance | ✓ | - |
| **Commercial** |  |  |
| Enterprise edition | - | - |
| **Licensing** |  |  |
| Open-source core | ✓ | ✓ |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-17T01:28:54.812Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*