Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Packer VS WSO2 App Manager

Compare Packer VS WSO2 App Manager and see what are their differences

Packer logo Packer

Packer is an open-source software for creating identical machine images from a single source configuration.

WSO2 App Manager logo WSO2 App Manager

WSO2 App Manager is a store app management solution.
  • Packer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-15
  • WSO2 App Manager Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-13

Packer features and specs

  • Multi-Provider Support
    Packer supports a wide variety of providers such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, VMware, and more. This allows for flexibility and the ability to create machine images across different environments.
  • Automation
    Packer automates the creation of machine images, eliminating the need for manual image configuration and reducing the potential for human error.
  • Script Reusability
    Packer allows for the reuse of scripts and configuration files, enabling a consistent and repeatable process for image creation.
  • Parallel Builds
    Packer can build multiple images in parallel, which can significantly speed up the provisioning process.
  • Idempotency
    Packer ensures that the output machine image is always an identical result given the same input configuration, reducing the risk of inconsistencies.

Possible disadvantages of Packer

  • Steep Learning Curve
    The variety of features and flexibility that Packer offers can make it complex and challenging to learn, especially for beginners.
  • Limited Debugging Tools
    Packer's debugging tools are not as mature or as integrated as those found in some other DevOps tools, making troubleshooting more difficult.
  • Configuration Complexity
    Complex configurations with multiple builders and provisioners can become hard to manage and maintain, leading to potential errors.
  • No State Management
    Unlike Terraform, Packer does not manage state, which means users need to handle state management separately if required.
  • Dependency on External Tools
    Packer often relies on external scripts and tools for provisioning, which can introduce additional dependencies and complexities.

WSO2 App Manager features and specs

  • Open Source
    WSO2 App Manager is open-source, allowing users to customize and extend the software to meet specific needs without the constraints of proprietary licenses.
  • Comprehensive Feature Set
    Offers a wide range of features for application lifecycle management, including versioning, governance, policy enforcement, and analytics.
  • Integration Capabilities
    Seamlessly integrates with other WSO2 products and external systems, facilitating a comprehensive enterprise application ecosystem.
  • Robust Security
    Provides robust security features, such as OAuth2 authentication, ensuring secure access to applications and APIs.
  • Community Support
    Being an open-source project, it benefits from a large community that contributes to its development and can offer support and best practices.

Possible disadvantages of WSO2 App Manager

  • Complex Setup
    The initial setup and configuration can be complex and may require considerable time and expertise, which could be a barrier for organizations without sufficient technical resources.
  • Learning Curve
    Due to its comprehensive feature set, there is a steep learning curve associated with effectively using the platform.
  • Resource Intensive
    The platform can be resource-intensive, requiring significant server resources to operate effectively, which could be a constraint for smaller enterprises.
  • Limited Third-Party Integrations
    While it integrates well within the WSO2 ecosystem, there may be limitations or additional work required to integrate with third-party tools not within the WSO2 suite.
  • Community Reliant Support
    While there is community support, official support and technical assistance from WSO2 may require additional subscription, which could be a drawback for those preferring commercial support.

Analysis of Packer

Overall verdict

  • Packer is a valuable tool for organizations looking to streamline their image building process and maintain consistency across different environments. Its flexibility and wide range of features make it a strong asset in infrastructure automation and DevOps pipelines.

Why this product is good

  • Packer is considered a good tool because it automates the creation of machine images for multiple platforms from a single source configuration. This efficiency reduces errors and speeds up the deployment process. Packer is highly versatile and integrates well with various configuration management tools, broadening its applicability across different environments. It also supports multiple cloud providers, making it a great choice for multi-cloud strategies.

Recommended for

  • DevOps teams
  • Cloud infrastructure engineers
  • Organizations using multi-cloud strategies
  • Teams seeking automated and consistent image building processes
  • Developers looking to integrate infrastructure as code practices

Packer videos

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WSO2 App Manager videos

WSO2 App Manager 1.1.0

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Packer and WSO2 App Manager)
DevOps Tools
73 73%
27% 27
Continuous Integration And Delivery
Other Infrastructure Tools
Developer Tools
89 89%
11% 11

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Packer and WSO2 App Manager

Packer Reviews

Introduction to Top Open Source Virtualization Tools
Packer is notably light, high performing, and operates on every major operating system. It assembles and configures all the necessary components for a virtual machine then creates images that run on multiple platforms. Packer doesn’t replace configuration management tools like Puppet or Chef; as a matter of fact, when creating images, Packer can utilize tools like Puppet or...

WSO2 App Manager Reviews

We have no reviews of WSO2 App Manager yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Packer seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 9 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Packer mentions (9)

  • Failed to connect to the host via SSH on Ubuntu 22.04
    If you have just upgraded to Ubuntu 22.04, and you suddenly experience either errors when trying to ssh into hosts, or when running ansible or again when running the ansible provisioner building a packer image, this is probably going to be useful for you. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Create a minimalist OS using Docker Containers and Hashicorp Packer
    I am already using Hashicorp Packer at work and for personal projects and I wanted to test This idea out by wrapping it a single Packer Template file. This reduces the level of maintaining a lot of small scripts, Dockerfiles and configurations and the user can simply trigger a couple of Commands to get a minimalist OS at the end of the process. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • After self-hosting my email for twenty-three years I have thrown in the towel. The oligopoly has won.
    And while it is a slight increase in complexity, it can be an overall net gain in functionality, configurability and reliability. Much like Packer is far more reliable and practical than manually making VM images sitting in front of a terminal, even though making the initial configuration takes some time. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Customized Ubuntu Images using Packer + QEMU + Cloud-Init & UEFI bootloading
    Hashicorp Packer provides a nice wrapper / abstraction over the QEMU in order to boot the image and use it to set it up on first-boot. Instead of writing really long commands in order to boot up the image using QEMU, Packer provided a nice Configuration Template in a more Readable fashion. - Source: dev.to / almost 3 years ago
  • The journey of sharing a wired USB printer over the network
    Packer seemed like the perfect tool for the job. I have never used it before and wanted to get familiar with the tool. It doesn't come with ARM support out of the box, but there are two community projects to fill that niche. - Source: dev.to / about 3 years ago
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WSO2 App Manager mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of WSO2 App Manager yet. Tracking of WSO2 App Manager recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Packer and WSO2 App Manager, you can also consider the following products

Terraform - Tool for building, changing, and versioning infrastructure safely and efficiently.

Puppet Enterprise - Get started with Puppet Enterprise, or upgrade or expand.

Rancher - Open Source Platform for Running a Private Container Service

HHVM - HHVM is an open-source virtual machine designed for executing programs written in Hack and PHP.

Red Hat OpenShift - Application and Data, Application Hosting, and Platform as a Service

RunDeck - RunDeck is an open source automation service with a web console, command line tools and a WebAPI.