# AWS CDK vs Spacelift

**Leader by Vioscale score:** AWS CDK

| Attribute | AWS CDK | Spacelift |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 65 (76% (high)) | 46.5 (73% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 100 | - |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 4,665 | - |
| adoption.github_stars | 12,876 | - |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | 1,691,427 | - |
| deployment.options | `{"self_hosted":true}` | `{"cloud":true,"on_prem":true,"air_gapped":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | A development framework that lets you define AWS cloud resources and infrastructure using standard programming languages like TypeScript, Python, Java, .NET, and Go. CDK compiles your code into CloudFormation templates for deployment. | Platform for orchestrating infrastructure-as-code workflows across multiple tools and clouds. Integrates provisioning, configuration management, and policy enforcement in a unified interface, with GitOps-based automation and AI-assisted capabilities for managing infrastructure at scale. |
| features.capabilities | `{"language":"TypeScript, Python, Java, .NET, Go","paradigm":"general_language","multicloud":false,"policy_as_code":true,"drift_detection":true,"import_existing":true,"state_management":"vendor_managed","open_source_engine":true,"provider_ecosystem":true,"managed_saas_offering":false}` | `{"hosting":"both","language":"Terraform HCL, Kubernetes YAML, CloudFormation JSON, Pulumi Python, Ansible","paradigm":"declarative_dsl","multicloud":true,"policy_as_code":true,"drift_detection":true,"import_existing":true,"state_management":"vendor_managed","open_source_engine":false,"provider_ecosystem":true,"gitops_reconciliation":true,"managed_saas_offering":true}` |
| integrations.count | 5 | 17 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"AWS CloudFormation"},{"name":"AWS Lambda"},{"name":"AWS SNS"},{"name":"AWS Step Functions"},{"name":"AWS EC2"}]` | `[{"name":"Terraform"},{"name":"OpenTofu"},{"name":"CloudFormation"},{"name":"Pulumi"},{"name":"Kubernetes"},{"name":"Ansible"},{"name":"GitHub"},{"name":"GitLab"},{"name":"Bitbucket"},{"name":"AWS"},{"name":"Azure"},{"name":"Google Cloud"},{"name":"Slack"},{"name":"Infracost"},{"name":"Checkov"},{"name":"Wiz"},{"name":"OPA"}]` |
| language.primary | TypeScript | - |
| license.spdx | Apache-2.0 | - |
| market.availability | `{"hqCountry":"US","primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"hqCountry":"US","primaryMarkets":["US","EU"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true}` | `{"cli":true,"web":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://aws.amazon.com/pricing/?nc2=h_pr_hub","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T21:53:47.459Z"}` | `{"type":"subscription","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Free","summary":"Free forever, no credit card required","features":["2 public workers","Unlimited users","Webhooks","Terraform provider","Spacectl CLI","OIDC API keys","Bronze support"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":0,"currency":"USD"}],"contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Starter Plus","summary":"$20,000","features":["1 private worker (2 available)","Spaces","IaC support (OpenTofu, Terraform, Terragrunt, Pulumi, Kubernetes)","Workflow customization","VCS integration","Resource visualization","Cloud cost estimation","Spacelift Terraform provider","Stack dependencies","Cloud integrations","Drift detection","Policy as Code engine","Public workers","Unlimited users","Webhooks","Bronze support"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":20000,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"For growing teams looking to optimize team workflows with infrastructure automation","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Business","summary":"Contact for pricing","features":["3 private workers","Blueprints","Templates","Advanced scheduling","Private provider registry","Targeted replans","Dedicated Slack support channel","Dedicated Customer Success Manager","Silver Support + CSM"],"description":"For teams looking to orchestrate infrastructure provisioning, configuration, and collaboration","contactSales":true},{"free":false,"name":"Enterprise","summary":"Contact for pricing","features":["5-30 private workers","Concurrent-VCS connections","Audit trail","SSO integration with SAML 2.0","OIDC API Keys","Internal source control system","Enhanced Onboarding Support","Gold Support + CSM","MFA"],"description":"For companies that need Enterprise level infrastructure orchestration and governance","contactSales":true},{"free":false,"name":"Enterprise Plus","summary":"Contact for pricing","features":["12-30 private workers","Self-hosted deployment","FedRAMP certification","On-premises deployment","Air-gapped environments","Gold Support + CSM + Executive escalation"],"description":"For companies that need SaaS or self-hosted deployment with special security, compliance, and support","contactSales":true}],"addOns":[{"name":"Spacelift Intelligence"}],"summary":"Free tier for small teams. Starter Plus from $20,000. Business and Enterprise plans require quote.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://spacelift.io/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T16:37:54.513Z","startingPrice":{"amount":20000,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | freemium |
| pricing.price_level | free | high |
| pricing.transparent | yes | no |
| release.cadence_days | 4 | - |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.266.0","date":"2026-08-19T19:02:29Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.266.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.265.0","date":"2026-08-13T19:48:20Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.265.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.264.0","date":"2026-08-10T18:02:37Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.264.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.263.0","date":"2026-07-31T16:57:22Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.263.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.262.2","date":"2026-07-29T14:24:40Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.262.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.262.1","date":"2026-07-24T14:54:56Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.262.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.262.0","date":"2026-07-22T20:53:52Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.262.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.261.0","date":"2026-07-02T16:42:15Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.261.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.260.0","date":"2026-06-16T23:45:38Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.260.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.259.0","date":"2026-06-12T09:53:11Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.259.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.258.1","date":"2026-06-09T09:30:30Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.258.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.258.0","date":"2026-06-04T20:43:31Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.258.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.257.0","date":"2026-05-21T20:24:32Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.257.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.256.1","date":"2026-05-20T15:48:47Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.256.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.256.0","date":"2026-05-19T23:02:53Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.256.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.255.0","date":"2026-05-19T11:26:34Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.255.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.254.0","date":"2026-05-13T22:07:55Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.254.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.253.1","date":"2026-05-08T16:13:36Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.253.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.253.0","date":"2026-05-06T17:51:15Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.253.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.252.0","date":"2026-04-30T12:40:15Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.252.0"}]` | - |
| reliability.status_page | yes | yes |
| security.disclosure_policy | yes | yes |
| security.fedramp | - | yes |
| security.hipaa | yes | - |
| security.pci | yes | - |
| security.scorecard | 5.9 | - |
| security.soc2 | - | yes |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":8,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=aws-cdk-lib&per_page=100","last_12m":3,"max_severity":"HIGH"}` | - |

## Capabilities (Infrastructure as Code Tools)

| Capability | AWS CDK | Spacelift |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Paradigm | General language | Declarative DSL |
| Language | TypeScript, Python, Java, .NET, Go | Terraform HCL, Kubernetes YAML, CloudFormation JSON, Pulumi Python, Ansible |
| **Portability** |  |  |
| Multicloud / cloud-agnostic | ✗ | ✓ |
| **Architecture** |  |  |
| State management | Vendor-managed | Vendor-managed |
| **Extensibility** |  |  |
| Pluggable provider ecosystem | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Governance** |  |  |
| Policy as code | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Ops** |  |  |
| Drift detection | ✓ | ✓ |
| GitOps continuous reconciliation | - | ✓ |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Managed SaaS offering | ✗ | ✓ |
| Hosting | - | Cloud + self-hosted |
| **Adoption** |  |  |
| Import existing resources | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Licensing** |  |  |
| Open-source engine | ✓ | ✗ |
| **Ecosystem** |  |  |
| CNCF maturity | - | - |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T17:00:02.125Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*