# cloud-init vs pyinfra

**Leader by Vioscale score:** pyinfra

| Attribute | cloud-init | pyinfra |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 50.7 (68% (medium)) | 57.7 (69% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 24 | 13 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 0 | 22 |
| adoption.github_stars | 3,793 | 5,965 |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true,"on_prem":true,"self_hosted":true}` | `{"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | An open-source utility that customizes cloud instances during boot by applying user-provided configuration data, supporting all major cloud providers and Linux distributions. | An infrastructure automation tool written in Python that runs commands over SSH on multiple servers concurrently and idempotently, without needing agents or configuration files. |
| features.capabilities | `{"model":"push","hosting":"self","idempotent":true,"architecture":"agentless","desired_state":true,"masterless_mode":true,"windows_support":false,"open_source_core":true,"cloud_provisioning":true}` | `{"model":"push","hosting":"self","language":"Python","idempotent":true,"architecture":"agentless","desired_state":true,"masterless_mode":true,"open_source_core":true}` |
| language.primary | Python | Python |
| license.spdx | - | MIT |
| market.availability | `{"hqCountry":"GB","primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | - |
| platform.support | `{"linux":true}` | `{"cli":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","sourceUrl":"https://cloud-init.io/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-21T12:43:06.271Z"}` | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://pyinfra.com/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T22:42:42.751Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | commercial |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | yes | yes |
| release.cadence_days | 38 | 34 |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/26.2","date":"2026-07-29T03:33:43Z","type":"stable","version":"26.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/26.1","date":"2026-02-28T02:05:06Z","type":"stable","version":"26.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/25.3","date":"2025-09-26T11:33:24Z","type":"stable","version":"25.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/25.2","date":"2025-08-12T19:05:26Z","type":"stable","version":"25.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/25.1.4","date":"2025-08-06T19:27:52Z","type":"stable","version":"25.1.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/25.1.3","date":"2025-06-12T20:48:07Z","type":"stable","version":"25.1.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/25.1.2","date":"2025-05-01T17:45:51Z","type":"stable","version":"25.1.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/25.1.1","date":"2025-03-24T17:21:47Z","type":"stable","version":"25.1.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/25.1","date":"2025-02-20T21:12:24Z","type":"stable","version":"25.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/24.4.1","date":"2025-01-15T16:21:06Z","type":"stable","version":"24.4.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/24.4","date":"2024-11-25T16:33:16Z","type":"stable","version":"24.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/24.3.1","date":"2024-09-05T17:05:38Z","type":"stable","version":"24.3.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/24.3","date":"2024-08-30T22:38:19Z","type":"stable","version":"24.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/24.2","date":"2024-07-03T15:35:00Z","type":"stable","version":"24.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/24.1.7","date":"2024-06-05T16:36:32Z","type":"stable","version":"24.1.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/24.1.6","date":"2024-05-24T17:01:37Z","type":"stable","version":"24.1.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/24.1.4","date":"2024-04-05T21:48:54Z","type":"stable","version":"24.1.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/24.1.3","date":"2024-03-27T13:17:42Z","type":"stable","version":"24.1.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/24.1.2","date":"2024-03-21T15:55:41Z","type":"stable","version":"24.1.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/releases/tag/24.1.1","date":"2024-03-12T02:40:29Z","type":"stable","version":"24.1.1"}]` | `[{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.10.0","date":"2026-07-27T19:51:14Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.10.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.9.2","date":"2026-06-07T21:05:58Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.9.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.9.1","date":"2026-06-07T20:33:25Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.9.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.9.0","date":"2026-06-07T20:24:16Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.9.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.8.0","date":"2026-05-04T12:28:22Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.8.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.7","date":"2026-03-12T10:55:41Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.6.1","date":"2026-02-02T13:47:28Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.6.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.6","date":"2026-01-05T09:58:18Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.5.1","date":"2025-10-01T16:11:23Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.5.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.5","date":"2025-09-03T10:26:55Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.4.1","date":"2025-07-14T20:32:01Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.4.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.4","date":"2025-07-09T14:17:56Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.3.1","date":"2025-04-29T10:58:25Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.3.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.3","date":"2025-04-28T10:55:47Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.2","date":"2025-01-09T21:33:50Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.1.1","date":"2024-09-25T21:41:26Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.1.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.1","date":"2024-08-18T12:55:59Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.0.2","date":"2024-07-24T19:43:03Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.0.1","date":"2024-07-21T18:34:46Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/pyinfra-dev/pyinfra/releases/tag/v3.0","date":"2024-07-15T06:16:50Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | - | yes |
| security.scorecard | 5.9 | - |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=nixpkgs&package_name=cloud-init&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=pypi&package_name=pyinfra&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (Configuration Management Tools)

| Capability | cloud-init | pyinfra |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Architecture | Agentless / SSH-push | Agentless / SSH-push |
| Push / pull model | Push | Push |
| Config language | - | Python |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Masterless mode | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hosting | Self-hosted only | 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: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T16:44:40.001Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*