Terrateam vs. Build-Your-Own

You can wire together bash scripts, plan file hacks, and PR comments to manage Terraform. Or you can use Terrateam, a GitHub-native stateful engine that handles the hard stuff.

At a Glance

Plan File Storage

Terrateam

Encrypted, access-controlled

Build-Your-Own

Manual S3 or custom storage logic

Plan File Cleanup

Terrateam

Lifecycle-managed automatically

Build-Your-Own

Must script cleanup and retention

Approvals

Terrateam

Declarative with granular rules

Build-Your-Own

Manual or branch protection hacks

FeatureTerrateamBuild-Your-Own
Apply After Merge
Supported with locking + invalidation
Requires fragile GitHub logic
Concurrent PR Safety
Auto-invalidates overlapping PRs
No plan invalidation, leads to risk
Drift Detection
Built-in, scheduled or ad hoc
Not feasible without polling glue
Access Control
Directory/workspace scoped
No built-in support
OIDC & Short-Lived Credentials
Native AWS/GCP support
Must build own role/session handling
Large Plan Handling
Auto-truncates + links to logs
Needs splitting and comment throttling
Statefulness
Full backend with locks and audit logs
Stateless unless you build a service

Developer Pain → Terrateam Fix

"Where do I store my plan files?"

The Problem

Plan files contain sensitive data and can't be stored in GitHub comments. You need secure storage with proper access controls.

Terrateam Solution

Encrypted backend storage with automatic lifecycle management. Plans are securely stored and only accessible to authorized users.

"How do I ensure PR #2 doesn't overwrite PR #1?"

The Problem

Multiple PRs can target the same infrastructure, leading to race conditions and unexpected changes when merged.

Terrateam Solution

Automatic plan invalidation and re-plan logic. When overlapping PRs are detected, Terrateam automatically invalidates and re-runs plans to ensure safety.

"How do I do approvals without leaking secrets?"

The Problem

Terraform plans can contain sensitive data. Posting them in PR comments risks exposing secrets to anyone with PR access.

Terrateam Solution

Masked comments + access-controlled apply permissions. Sensitive data is automatically masked, and only authorized users can view full plans.

"How do I lock production from changes?"

The Problem

Production environments need extra protection. GitHub branch protection isn't granular enough for complex infrastructure.

Terrateam Solution

Config-as-code apply blockers via workflows + tagging. Define exactly who can apply to production and under what conditions.

"How do I handle large Terraform output?"

The Problem

GitHub has comment size limits. Large Terraform plans exceed these limits and can't be posted directly.

Terrateam Solution

Smart truncation + log file linking. Large plans are automatically truncated with links to full logs, ensuring visibility without hitting limits.

"How do I restrict access per environment?"

The Problem

Different environments need different access controls. GitHub permissions are too coarse-grained for this.

Terrateam Solution

Tag-based access policies with workspace and directory granularity. Define exactly who can access what, with fine-grained control.

Architecture Comparison

Terrateam

Complete Architecture

GitHub-native frontend

Built for the GitHub UI and workflow

Stateful backend

Stores plan files, tracks locks, enforces workflows

Scalable runners

Isolated execution environments for security

Drift detection engine

Proactively identifies infrastructure drift

Fully auditable

Complete audit trail of all operations

Build-Your-Own

DIY Architecture

GitHub Actions only

Limited to what Actions can provide

No persistent state

Each workflow run is isolated and stateless

Custom glue code required

Must build everything yourself: storage, locking, approvals

Maintenance burden

Constant updates and fixes required

Security gaps

Hard to implement proper security controls

"Running Terraform plan and apply from our local workstations was no longer acceptable."

Integrated Marine Observing System Case Study

Read the Case Study

Stop gluing it together

Terrateam gives you the Terraform delivery engine you wish you had built, with zero scripts, zero drift, and full auditability.