3 Patterns for infrastructure modules
This chapter covers
- Grouping infrastructure resources into composable modules based on function
- Building infrastructure modules with software development design patterns
- Applying module patterns to common infrastructure use cases
In the last chapter, I covered the fundamental practices for infrastructure as code (IaC). Even though I knew the fundamental practices, my first Python automation script grouped code into one file with messy functions. Years later, I learned software design patterns. They provided a standard set of patterns that made it easier for me to change the script and hand it over to another teammate for maintenance.
In the following two chapters, I will show how to apply design patterns to infrastructure as code configuration and dependencies. Software design patterns help you identify common problems and build reusable, object-oriented solutions.
Definition
A design pattern is a repeatable solution to a common problem in software.
Applying software design patterns to IaC has its pitfalls. Infrastructure as code has reusable objects (as infrastructure resources). However, its opinionated behaviors and domain-specific languages do not map directly to software design patterns.