Packer is a tool for creating identical machine images for multiple platforms from a single source configuration.

Rapid Infrastructure Deployment

• Use Terraform to launch completely provisioned and configured machine instances with Packer images in seconds.

Multi-provider Portability

• Identical images allow you to run dev, staging, and production environments across platforms.

Improved Stability

• By provisioning instances from stable images installed and configured by Packer, you can ensure buggy software does not get deployed.

Increased Dev / Production Parity

• Keep dev, staging, and production environments as similar as possible by generating images for multiple platforms at the same time.

Reliable Continuous Delivery

• Generate new machine images for multiple platforms, launch and test, and verify the infrastructure changes work; then, use Terraform to put your images in production.

Appliance Demo Creation

• Create software appliances and disposable product demos quickly, even with software that changes continuously.