> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.pragmatiks.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How we compare

> Understand where Pragmatiks fits in the data infrastructure landscape

Pragmatiks isn't trying to replace everything. Different tools solve different problems. Here's where we fit.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="vs Terraform">
    ## vs Infrastructure as Code

    Infrastructure as Code tools excel at **provisioning**. You declare what you want, they create it. But what happens after?

    <CardGroup cols={2}>
      <Card title="Terraform / Pulumi" icon="hashtag">
        * Provisions infrastructure
        * Changes require manual cascade
        * Dependencies resolved at build-time
        * Best for static infrastructure
      </Card>

      <Card title="Pragmatiks" icon="p">
        * Provisions **and maintains**
        * Changes propagate automatically
        * Dependencies are runtime reactive
        * Best for dynamic data infrastructure
      </Card>
    </CardGroup>

    <Info>
      **The key difference**: IaC provisions once. When your warehouse changes, you manually update dependent projects and run `terraform apply` again. Pragmatiks maintains continuously—changes propagate automatically through your dependency graph.
    </Info>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="vs Airflow">
    ## vs Orchestration

    Orchestrators are fantastic at **scheduling and running tasks**. They're the backbone of data pipelines everywhere.

    <CardGroup cols={2}>
      <Card title="Airflow / Prefect / Dagster" icon="clock">
        * Schedules and runs tasks
        * Manages task-level dependencies
        * Runs workflows on infrastructure
        * Best for data pipelines
      </Card>

      <Card title="Pragmatiks" icon="p">
        * Provisions and maintains infrastructure
        * Manages infrastructure-level dependencies
        * Provides the platform layer
        * Best for platform infrastructure
      </Card>
    </CardGroup>

    <Info>
      **The key difference**: Orchestrators schedule tasks that run *on* infrastructure. Pragmatiks manages *that infrastructure*. Your Airflow DAG transforms data in BigQuery—Pragmatiks ensures BigQuery exists, is configured correctly, and stays in sync.
    </Info>

    <Tip>
      These tools **complement each other**. Pragmatiks handles the platform layer so your orchestrator can focus on running pipelines.
    </Tip>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="vs Databricks">
    ## vs Platform-as-a-Service

    Managed platforms are powerful. They handle operations so you can focus on workloads.

    <CardGroup cols={2}>
      <Card title="Databricks / Snowflake" icon="database">
        * Vertical integration
        * Opinionated stack
        * Vendor-specific ecosystem
        * Best for specific workloads
      </Card>

      <Card title="Pragmatiks" icon="p">
        * Horizontal platform
        * Any tool combination
        * Open ecosystem
        * Best for custom platforms
      </Card>
    </CardGroup>

    <Info>
      **The key difference**: PaaS platforms optimize for specific workloads within their ecosystem. Pragmatiks lets you build custom platforms from any combination of tools.
    </Info>

    This isn't about replacing these platforms—it's about orchestrating them as part of a larger, cohesive system.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***

## When to Use Pragmatiks

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Multiple Tools" icon="layer-group">
    Your stack includes BigQuery, dbt, vector databases, and more. You need them to work together.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Dynamic Dependencies" icon="arrows-rotate">
    When your warehouse changes, your transformations should adapt. When your source evolves, your pipelines should respond.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Product Focus" icon="bullseye">
    You'd rather ship features than chase cascading configuration changes.
  </Card>

  <Card title="No Platform Team" icon="users">
    You need platform-team capabilities without hiring a platform team.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## When Pragmatiks Might Not Be Right

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="You only need one tool">
    If you're just using BigQuery, use BigQuery directly. Pragmatiks adds value when you're coordinating multiple systems.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Your infrastructure is completely static">
    If nothing changes after initial setup, Terraform works fine. Pragmatiks shines when infrastructure is dynamic.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="You have a mature platform team">
    If you've built internal tooling that handles dependency propagation, you might not need to adopt something new.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Summary

<Card title="Pragmatiks solves maintenance" icon="wrench">
  It's not a replacement for Terraform, Airflow, or Snowflake—it's what **ties them together** and keeps them in sync as your infrastructure evolves.
</Card>