IaC on Quake AI: OpenTofu and Terraform

OpenTofu is the default Infrastructure as Code tool for Quake AI. It is fully open source (MPL-2.0), backed by the Linux Foundation, and compatible with Terraform providers, modules, and state files. Quake AI templates and IaC how-to guides use OpenTofu.

If your team already uses Terraform, Quake AI templates work without modification: replace tofu with terraform in commands and you are set.

For rules when you author or extend templates, see Authoring IaC templates for Quake AI.

OpenTofu vs. Terraform#

The diagram places Ansible in the imperative + stateless quadrant, but only for ad-hoc provisioning. That placement reflects how the openstack.cloud modules execute: each task issues an API call and reports changed: true based on the response, with no state file kept between runs. For provisioning workloads, OpenTofu's stateful, declarative model is a better fit; reach for OpenTofu first.

Ansible's primary role on Quake AI is configuration management, not provisioning. For Day 1 and Day 2 work, configuring an OS, deploying applications, rotating credentials, the same imperative + stateless properties become a feature: Ansible is idempotent at the task level (file present, package installed, service running), so reruns converge a host without needing a global state file. The full split is documented in Ansible on Quake AI and the getting-started how-to.

In practice, there are no functional differences for Quake AI usage. The providers, state format, and HCL syntax are identical. The difference is licensing and governance.

Why OpenTofu#

• License clarity. MPL-2.0 is a well-understood open-source license with no usage restrictions. BSL 1.1 restricts competitive use, which creates ambiguity for some organizations.
• Community governance. The Linux Foundation provides neutral stewardship. No single vendor controls the roadmap.
• Feature parity. OpenTofu tracks Terraform provider compatibility. The OpenStack provider works identically in both tools.

OpenTofu on Quake AI#

OpenTofu uses the OpenStack provider to manage compute instances, networks, security groups, block storage, and floating IPs. For S3-compatible object storage, it uses the AWS provider with a custom endpoint.

OpenTofu authenticates to Quake AI via environment variables, with no credentials in template files. Use the application credential file produced by Generate app credentials:

export OS_AUTH_URL="https://keystone.rumble.cloud"
export OS_AUTH_TYPE="v3applicationcredential"
export OS_APPLICATION_CREDENTIAL_ID="YOUR_APP_CREDENTIAL_ID"
export OS_APPLICATION_CREDENTIAL_SECRET="YOUR_APP_CREDENTIAL_SECRET"
export OS_REGION_NAME="us-east-1"

Terraform on Quake AI#

Terraform remains fully supported. The same OpenStack and AWS providers, the same HCL syntax, and the same state format work on Quake AI. OpenTofu templates in the Quake AI library run with terraform instead of tofu.

If your team uses Terraform Cloud, Terraform Enterprise, or Spacelift for remote state and runs. Those workflows are compatible with Quake AI resources through the OpenStack provider.

Choosing the right tool#

For a new project, start with OpenTofu. The getting started guide walks you through installation, authentication, and your first deployment.

Legacy: Heat#

Quake AI also supports Heat (OpenStack-native orchestration). Heat uses HOT YAML templates with server-side state management. You do not manage .tfstate files. However, Heat cannot manage resources outside OpenStack (no S3 buckets, DNS records, or external services), has no module ecosystem, and does not support a plan step before applying changes.

Heat is a legacy path. Existing Heat stacks on Quake AI keep running. For new infrastructure, use OpenTofu.

• Create a Heat stack
• Heat Simple Stack template

Choosing a deployment pattern#

Quake AI ships OpenTofu templates under Infrastructure templates. Each template is a deployment pattern: a composition of primitives, not a standalone service. Use the table below to pick a starting pattern; each reference page includes a When to use this pattern blurb with sibling alternatives.

After you deploy, customize any OpenTofu pattern through the shared how-tos linked from each template reference page.

See also#

• Introduction to Terraform on Quake AI
• Infrastructure templates
• Get started with IaC