As Code

TLDR

• Mitchell Hashimoto, Terraform’s creator, argues “as code” means codified knowledge and rules, not programming.

Key Takeaways

• Hashimoto defines “X as Code” as getting knowledge out of people’s heads into an inscribed, shareable, versioned system.
• The programming connection is incidental: codified knowledge happens to be computer-readable, enabling automation and validation.
• He does not claim all modern programming requirements should apply to “as code” systems.
• This intent predates Terraform: the same mindset appears in the Tao of HashiCorp, written before Terraform launched.
• Hashimoto did not coin “Infrastructure as Code” or “X as Code”; both predate Terraform and his career.

Why It Matters

• Misreading “as code” as “as programming” loads unnecessary complexity onto tools designed primarily for knowledge codification.
• For builders choosing or designing config systems, the distinction shapes how strict, expressive, or Turing-complete those systems need to be.
• Hashimoto’s framing separates the value of inscribed knowledge from the implementation detail of it being machine-executable.

Mitchell Hashimoto · 2025-03-04 · Read the original