Learn SALTSTACK with Real Code Examples
Updated Nov 27, 2025
Architecture
Salt Master coordinates configuration and commands
Salt Minions receive instructions and enforce states
Communication via ZeroMQ or Salt SSH
States describe desired system configuration
Reactor system triggers actions on events
Rendering Model
Write states in YAML (SLS) files
Salt Master distributes configuration and commands
Minions enforce desired states
Reactor listens to events and triggers actions
CLI and Python modules orchestrate infrastructure
Architectural Patterns
Master-Minions architecture
Declarative state enforcement
Event-driven automation with Reactor
Cloud provisioning modules
Remote execution and orchestration
Real World Architectures
Hybrid-cloud enterprise automation
Large-scale Linux server fleet management
Cloud provisioning pipelines
Event-driven auto-remediation workflows
Container orchestration and configuration management
Design Principles
Declarative configuration and idempotency
Parallel remote execution
Event-driven automation
Scalable to thousands of nodes
Integration with cloud and container platforms
Scalability Guide
Use batching for large node deployments
Optimize state execution order
Distribute Salt Masters for large fleets
Leverage Salt Syndic for hierarchical architecture
Monitor network and ZeroMQ performance
Migration Guide
Migrate Puppet/Ansible states to Salt SLS
Translate YAML/JSON configuration to Salt states
Map roles and groups to top.sls nodes
Use pillars for secret and environment-specific data
Test in staging environments before production