Learn SALTSTACK with Real Code Examples

Manages configuration and state across servers, cloud instances, and containers.

Supports remote execution of commands in parallel across thousands of machines.

Uses a declarative approach with YAML-based SLS files for configuration.

Integrates with cloud providers, orchestration tools, and CI/CD pipelines.

Enables automated provisioning, monitoring, and management of infrastructure.

Salt Minions for managed nodes

Salt Master for centralized control

States (SLS) for configuration enforcement

Execution modules for tasks and commands

Reactors for event-driven workflows

Master - centralized Salt control node

Minion - agent node managed by Master

State - YAML-based configuration file

Pillar - secure variable storage per minion

Reactor - event-triggered automation system

salt/ - main configuration states directory

salt/<module>/init.sls - module state files

pillar/ - secure variable definitions

top.sls - mapping of states to nodes

roster/ - for Salt SSH node definitions

Define configuration states in SLS files

Assign states to nodes via top.sls

Apply states with salt-call or salt '*' state.apply

Use pillars for secure, environment-specific data

Monitor events and trigger reactions with reactors

Beginner: configure basic Linux packages and users

Intermediate: multi-node orchestration

Advanced: event-driven automation with reactors

Expert: large-scale cloud and container management

Enterprise: full compliance and hybrid-cloud automation

SaltStack vs Ansible: event-driven vs push-only

SaltStack vs Puppet: faster remote execution

SaltStack vs Chef: Python-based vs Ruby-based DSL

SaltStack vs Terraform: configuration vs provisioning

SaltStack vs CFEngine: modern API and cloud support

2011 - SaltStack initial release by Thomas S. Hatch

2013 - Salt Cloud and orchestration features added

2016 - Event-driven Reactor system introduced

2020 - VMware acquires SaltStack

2025 - Continued enterprise support and cloud integrations

Master - centralized Salt server

Minion - managed node

SLS - state configuration file

Pillar - secure variables per minion

Reactor - event-triggered automation