Introduction to Formae

Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) tools have revolutionized how organizations manage their cloud infrastructure, allowing for automation, version control, and improved collaboration between teams. Formae, introduced by Platform Engineering Labs on October 22, 2025, aims to redefine the IaC landscape by addressing fundamental shortcomings found in existing tools, such as Terraform and OpenTofu.

What is Formae?

Formae is an open-source IaC tool that offers a 100% code-based, agentic approach to infrastructure management. It is designed to help platform engineers eliminate complications associated with operational environments, such as infrastructure drift and fragmented tooling. As co-founder Pavlo Baron notes, "We built formae out of our own pain," emphasizing that the tool is born from the practical challenges faced by engineers in today’s complex cloud environments.

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Key Features of Formae

Formae distinguishes itself from traditional IaC tools through several innovative features:

1. **Automatic Discovery and Codification**

Formae excels at continuously mapping every running resource across a cloud estate, even if the resources were originally deployed using various tools or methods. This means that no matter how messy the environment looks, formae can codify it into a unified and versioned system.

2. **Dual Operational Modes**

Formae operates in two primary modes:

• Reconcile Mode: Aligns the desired state of environments with actual production states by validating and updating configurations.
• Patch Mode: Applies incremental changes while minimizing disruptions, ensuring safer modifications to the infrastructure without extensive downtime.

3. **Directly Code-Based**

With formae, all operations are conducted exclusively through code, allowing engineers to declare infrastructure resources or changes with precision. This minimizes human error and ensures consistent deployments.

4. **Elimination of Explicit State Management**

Unlike traditional IaC tools, formae treats the current reality as the primary state, which is dynamically versioned in code. This approach alleviates common hurdles developers face with explicit state files, leading to increased agility and reliability.

5. **Utilization of PKL Configuration Language**

Formae employs PKL (a language originally developed by Apple) instead of Terraform's Domain-Specific Language (HCL). This choice is aimed at creating a more intuitive experience for engineers, supporting complex configurations without unnecessary overhead.

Reactions From the Community

The response to formae's launch has been mixed, yet largely positive. Industry leaders praise its “smart” separation of inventory and resource declarations, which improves data management and minimizes cognitive load for both developers and operations teams.

However, some community members express concern about the potential learning curve associated with the new PKL language, which could deter teams used to HCL.

Market Position and Future Prospects

Entering a highly competitive market, formae seeks to differentiate itself from established players like Terraform and OpenTofu, which have vast ecosystems and support. Formae’s automatic discovery and codification strategies present a significant innovation proposition that may attract early adopters looking to streamline their infrastructure management processes.

Future Enhancements

Plans for enhancing formae include expanding support for additional cloud providers based on user demand and deepening integrations with technologies such as Kubernetes.

Conclusion

As infrastructure management continues to evolve, tools like formae represent a significant leap forward. By embracing automation, focusing on code, and prioritizing user experience, formae is not just another IaC tool but a robust framework aimed at modernizing infrastructure management practices.

For more information or to get started, visit the official GitHub repository or check out the documentation.

Disclaimer: While formae promises significant advancements, its adoption may depend on user feedback and community growth. The project's future success will hinge on its ability to balance innovation with usability.