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OpenStack Heat
What it is
OpenStack Heat orchestrates composite applications in OpenStack using declarative templates and an OpenStack-native REST API. Human-readable template files describe infrastructure and relationships between resources, making them suitable for version control. Templates can create instances, floating IPs, volumes, security groups, and users. Heat runs HOT templates written in YAML and also supports AWS CloudFormation templates. It provides a CloudFormation-compatible Query API in addition to its native REST API. Users can access it through a command-line interface, RESTful queries, or the OpenStack dashboard. Orchestration features include instance high availability, autoscaling, and nested stacks. Templates can integrate with Puppet and Ansible, and operators can extend capabilities with plugins. Heat is free, open source, and licensed under Apache 2.0. It runs on Linux in a self-hosted OpenStack environment. Installation assumes Compute, Image Service, and Identity are already available, with guidance varying across supported distributions.
For and against
For
- Defines infrastructure in versionable text templates
- Supports YAML HOT and CloudFormation templates
- Includes autoscaling and nested stacks
- Offers CLI, REST, and dashboard access
- Works with Puppet and Ansible
Against
- Requires an existing OpenStack environment
- Installation varies by Linux distribution
- Self-hosted deployment requires operator management
The verdict
Heat is a free Apache-licensed orchestration service for OpenStack resource management. Its template formats, APIs, and plugin model suit teams already operating OpenStack infrastructure.
Who it suits
It is intended for OpenStack end users, operators, and developers managing cloud infrastructure as code. Teams comfortable with self-hosted Linux environments and declarative templates are the clearest fit.
Plans and prices
OpenStack Heat
Requires a working OpenStack environment with Compute, Image Service and Identity · Installation and configuration vary by distribution
Read 9 Oct 2026 · docs.openstack.org
On the record
- Access
- Heat can be accessed through a CLI, RESTful queries and the OpenStack dashboard web interface.docs.openstack.org · read 9 Oct 2026
- Advanced orchestration
- Heat supports instance high availability, instance autoscaling and nested stacks.docs.openstack.org · read 9 Oct 2026
- APIs
- The service provides an OpenStack-native REST API and a CloudFormation-compatible Query API.docs.openstack.org · read 9 Oct 2026
- Audience
- The documentation is aimed at end users, operators and developers of Heat.docs.openstack.org · read 9 Oct 2026
- Deployment requirement
- Installation assumes a working OpenStack environment with Compute, Image Service and Identity already installed.docs.openstack.org · read 9 Oct 2026
- Extensibility
- Operators can customize Heat capabilities by installing plugins.docs.openstack.org · read 9 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Heat templates integrate with configuration management tools such as Puppet and Ansible.docs.openstack.org · read 9 Oct 2026
- License
- The OpenStack project is provided under the Apache 2.0 license.docs.openstack.org · read 9 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Heat orchestrates composite cloud applications from declarative templates through an OpenStack-native REST API.docs.openstack.org · read 9 Oct 2026
- Resource types
- Templates can create OpenStack resources including instances, floating IPs, volumes, security groups and users.docs.openstack.org · read 9 Oct 2026
- Supported install guidance
- The installation documentation links instructions for Red Hat Enterprise Linux and CentOS, Ubuntu and Debian, and says installation varies by distribution.docs.openstack.org · read 9 Oct 2026
- Template formats
- Heat runs HOT templates written in YAML and also supports AWS CloudFormation templates.docs.openstack.org · read 9 Oct 2026
- Templates
- Heat templates describe infrastructure and resource relationships in human-readable text files that can be managed with version control.docs.openstack.org · read 9 Oct 2026
