github.com/ratanraj/packer@v1.3.2/website/source/intro/why.html.md (about)

     1  ---
     2  layout: intro
     3  sidebar_current: intro-why
     4  page_title: Why Packer - Introduction
     5  description: |-
     6    Pre-baked machine images have a lot of advantages, but most have been unable
     7    to benefit from them because images have been too tedious to create and
     8    manage. There were either no existing tools to automate the creation of
     9    machine images or they had too high of a learning curve. The result is that,
    10    prior to Packer, creating machine images threatened the agility of operations
    11    teams, and therefore aren't used, despite the massive benefits.
    12  ---
    13  
    14  # Why Use Packer?
    15  
    16  Pre-baked machine images have a lot of advantages, but most have been unable to
    17  benefit from them because images have been too tedious to create and manage.
    18  There were either no existing tools to automate the creation of machine images
    19  or they had too high of a learning curve. The result is that, prior to Packer,
    20  creating machine images threatened the agility of operations teams, and
    21  therefore aren't used, despite the massive benefits.
    22  
    23  Packer changes all of this. Packer is easy to use and automates the creation of
    24  any type of machine image. It embraces modern configuration management by
    25  encouraging you to use a framework such as Chef or Puppet to install and
    26  configure the software within your Packer-made images.
    27  
    28  In other words: Packer brings pre-baked images into the modern age, unlocking
    29  untapped potential and opening new opportunities.
    30  
    31  ## Advantages of Using Packer
    32  
    33  ***Super fast infrastructure deployment***. Packer images allow you to launch
    34  completely provisioned and configured machines in seconds, rather than several
    35  minutes or hours. This benefits not only production, but development as well,
    36  since development virtual machines can also be launched in seconds, without
    37  waiting for a typically much longer provisioning time.
    38  
    39  ***Multi-provider portability***. Because Packer creates identical images for
    40  multiple platforms, you can run production in AWS, staging/QA in a private cloud
    41  like OpenStack, and development in desktop virtualization solutions such as
    42  VMware or VirtualBox. Each environment is running an identical machine image,
    43  giving ultimate portability.
    44  
    45  ***Improved stability***. Packer installs and configures all the software for a
    46  machine at the time the image is built. If there are bugs in these scripts,
    47  they'll be caught early, rather than several minutes after a machine is
    48  launched.
    49  
    50  ***Greater testability***. After a machine image is built, that machine image
    51  can be quickly launched and smoke tested to verify that things appear to be
    52  working. If they are, you can be confident that any other machines launched from
    53  that image will function properly.
    54  
    55  Packer makes it extremely easy to take advantage of all these benefits.
    56  
    57  What are you waiting for? Let's get started!