70+ Spacelift Interview Questions and Answers [Infrastructure as Code – 2025]

Spacelift is a leading IaC platform enhancing Terraform with automation, policy enforcement, and collaboration. This guide offers 73 questions to prepare for DevOps and IaC roles, focusing on features, integrations, and practices for secure, scalable infrastructure in cloud environments.

1. What is Spacelift’s role in IaC?

Spacelift orchestrates IaC workflows, primarily for Terraform, enabling automated provisioning, compliance, and drift detection. It integrates with Git for collaborative reviews and supports multi-cloud setups. By centralizing operations, Spacelift reduces errors, enhances security, and aids DevOps teams in managing complex deployments, a key topic in interviews. Terraform certification often emphasizes it.

2. Why choose Spacelift for IaC?

• Automates Terraform efficiently.
• Enforces compliance policies.
• Facilitates code reviews.
• Handles drift detection.
• Links with VCS smoothly.
• Manages modules and stacks.
• Strengthens workflow security.

3. When is Spacelift ideal for projects?

Spacelift is ideal for projects needing centralized IaC control, compliance, and team collaboration. It excels in enterprises with complex Terraform setups, automating deployments and reducing manual errors in CI/CD pipelines. Its policy and drift detection tools ensure secure, consistent infrastructure across AWS, Azure, and GCP.

4. Where does Spacelift fit in IaC?

Spacelift fits in the plan, apply, and destroy phases of IaC, orchestrating runs and enforcing policies. Integrated with Git and CI/CD tools, it manages state and monitors changes, ensuring secure provisioning in multi-cloud environments. Its dashboard provides visibility for collaborative infrastructure control.

5. Who benefits from Spacelift?

DevOps engineers, IaC specialists, and cloud architects benefit from Spacelift’s automation and governance. It enables secure collaboration, simplifies Terraform tasks, and ensures compliance in large organizations. By integrating with GitHub, it supports teams scaling infrastructure, reducing complexity in cloud-native DevOps.

6. Which Spacelift features stand out?

• Custom workflows for flexibility.
• OPA policy enforcement.
• Drift detection and remediation.
• Private module registry.
• Stack management for modularity.
• Git VCS integration.
• Audit logs for compliance.

7. How does Spacelift enhance Terraform?

Spacelift enhances Terraform by automating plan and apply phases on Git events. It supports custom providers, modules, and secure state in isolated environments. Policies ensure compliance, while integrations with tools like GitLab enable collaborative IaC, yielding reliable, secure deployments.

Core Spacelift Concepts

8. What is a Spacelift workspace?

A Spacelift workspace configures IaC code linked to a Git directory, managing Terraform runs, state, and variables. It supports isolated execution for environments, ensuring secure collaboration and compliance. Workspaces allow custom settings, helping DevOps streamline IaC and maintain consistent infrastructure on platforms like AWS.

9. Why are workspaces critical?

• Isolates environments securely.
• Enables parallel IaC runs.
• Manages state files safely.
• Allows environment-specific settings.
• Integrates with policy engines.
• Facilitates drift detection.
• Scales for enterprise projects.

10. When do you create workspaces?

Create workspaces for distinct IaC configurations in environments like dev or prod. They prevent state conflicts, support tailored policies, and enhance collaboration. By isolating configurations, workspaces ensure secure, organized IaC management, reducing risks in complex DevOps projects across multi-cloud setups.

11. Where are workspace configs stored?

Workspace configs are stored in Spacelift’s dashboard, linked to Git repositories. Settings include run triggers, variables, and integrations, with state in remote backends like S3. This ensures secure, collaborative access and maintains consistency in IaC deployments for cloud DevOps teams.

12. Who accesses Spacelift workspaces?

Team members with roles like admins or operators access workspaces via RBAC, ensuring only authorized users trigger runs or manage configs. Spacelift’s access controls integrate with SSO, supporting secure collaboration in IaC workflows for DevOps and cloud teams.

13. Which VCS providers work with Spacelift?

• GitHub for seamless integration.
• GitLab for CI/CD workflows.
• Bitbucket for Atlassian stacks.
• Azure DevOps for Microsoft.
• Custom Git repositories.
• Self-hosted Git servers.
• Bamboo for enterprise CI.

14. How does Spacelift manage Terraform state?

Spacelift manages Terraform state in encrypted remote backends like S3 or Consul, supporting versioning and locking. This prevents concurrent modifications, ensures secure collaboration, and maintains state integrity across IaC runs, vital for reliable infrastructure in cloud DevOps workflows.

15. What defines a Spacelift run?

A Spacelift run executes Terraform commands like `plan` or `apply`, triggered by Git events or manually. It includes logs, outputs, and approval workflows, providing visibility and control. Runs ensure secure IaC changes, integrating with policies for compliance. Compliance is key.

Spacelift Workflows and Policies

16. What are custom workflows in Spacelift?

Custom workflows in Spacelift define task sequences for IaC, like pre-plan scripts or post-apply hooks. They integrate third-party tools, enhancing flexibility for project needs. Workflows ensure secure, automated IaC processes, supporting compliance and efficiency in DevOps pipelines across cloud platforms.

17. Why use custom workflows?

• Meets unique project needs.
• Integrates third-party tools.
• Automates complex IaC tasks.
• Enforces custom validations.
• Supports multi-tool workflows.
• Improves pipeline efficiency.
• Reduces manual steps.

18. When are custom workflows needed?

Custom workflows are needed when standard Terraform runs require extra steps, like security scans or notifications. They ensure compliance and integration in enterprise IaC, reducing manual effort and enabling tailored automation for complex DevOps projects on cloud environments.

19. Where do policies apply in Spacelift?

Policies apply during Spacelift runs, enforcing rules on plan and apply phases. Using OPA or Sentinel, they validate configurations, ensuring compliance before changes. Policies integrate with workspaces, providing audit trails for secure IaC management in DevOps pipelines.

20. Who configures Spacelift policies?

Security admins and IaC leads configure policies, defining compliance rules via Spacelift’s engine. They attach policies to workspaces, ensuring governance across teams. Collaboration with DevOps aligns policies with project goals, maintaining secure IaC on cloud platforms.

21. Which policy engines does Spacelift support?

• OPA for Rego policies.
• Sentinel for HashiCorp compliance.
• Custom scripts for flexibility.
• Conftest for Kubernetes policies.
• OPA Gatekeeper integration.
• JSON-based custom rules.
• Terraform Sentinel modules.

22. How do you enforce policies in Spacelift?

Policies are enforced by attaching to workspaces or runs, using OPA or Sentinel to validate IaC changes. Spacelift blocks non-compliant actions, providing reports for remediation. This ensures secure, compliant infrastructure deployments in DevOps pipelines. Blue-green strategies complement.

CI/CD and Integration with Spacelift

23. What is drift detection in Spacelift?

Drift detection compares Terraform code with infrastructure state, identifying discrepancies. Spacelift triggers alerts or remediation, ensuring consistency and compliance. It’s critical for maintaining secure IaC in production, reducing risks of unauthorized changes in cloud DevOps environments.

24. Why enable drift detection?

• Ensures infrastructure consistency.
• Prevents unauthorized changes.
• Supports compliance audits.
• Automates remediation tasks.
• Reduces manual checks.
• Integrates with alerts.
• Enhances reliability.

25. When does drift detection run?

Drift detection runs on schedules or event triggers, checking state against code. Configured in workspaces, it monitors production environments, alerting on mismatches. This ensures proactive maintenance of secure IaC in cloud DevOps pipelines.

26. Where does Spacelift integrate with CI/CD?

Spacelift integrates with CI/CD tools like Jenkins or GitHub Actions, triggering IaC runs on commits. It orchestrates secure applies post-CI validation, ensuring seamless infrastructure deployment in DevOps pipelines across cloud platforms like AWS.

27. Who sets up CI/CD integrations?

DevOps engineers and platform teams set up CI/CD integrations, configuring webhooks and triggers. They test connections to ensure secure, automated IaC workflows, aligning Spacelift with tools like GitLab CI for reliable deployment.

28. Which CI/CD tools integrate with Spacelift?

• Jenkins for pipeline automation.
• GitHub Actions for repos.
• GitLab CI for workflows.
• CircleCI for cloud CI.
• Azure DevOps for Microsoft.
• Bamboo for enterprise CI.
• Travis CI for open-source.

29. How does Spacelift support module management?

Spacelift supports module management via a private registry, enabling versioning, pinning, and sharing. It integrates with Terraform modules, promoting reuse and reducing duplication for consistent IaC across projects in cloud DevOps environments.

30. What are stacks in Spacelift?

Stacks group related workspaces for modular IaC, managing dependencies and shared variables. They facilitate large-scale infrastructure, ensuring coordinated deployments and policy application in cloud setups for DevOps teams.

31. Why use stacks for IaC?

• Manages dependencies efficiently.
• Supports modular architectures.
• Enables shared configurations.
• Simplifies large projects.
• Ensures policy consistency.
• Facilitates team collaboration.
• Reduces duplication.

32. When to use stacks over workspaces?

Use stacks for interdependent IaC components like networking and apps. They provide higher-level orchestration for ordered execution, ideal for multi-environment IaC in enterprise cloud DevOps setups.

33. Where do stacks fit in enterprise IaC?

Stacks fit in enterprise IaC for organizing multi-team projects, integrating with VCS and CI/CD. They enable governance at scale, supporting compliance and automation in cloud infrastructures for DevOps.

34. Who manages stacks in Spacelift?

IaC architects and DevOps leads manage stacks, defining dependencies and policies. They collaborate with teams to ensure alignment, maintaining secure and efficient infrastructure provisioning in cloud environments.

35. Which practices apply to stacks?

• Define clear dependencies.
• Use shared variables wisely.
• Implement policy enforcement.
• Monitor drift regularly.
• Version stacks for traceability.
• Test in non-prod environments.
• Integrate with notifications.

Security and Compliance in Spacelift

36. What is policy as code in Spacelift?

Policy as code in Spacelift uses languages like Rego to define enforceable IaC rules. It automates compliance checks during runs, blocking non-conforming changes and providing audit trails for secure infrastructure management in DevOps.

37. Why is security crucial in Spacelift?

• Protects infrastructure configurations.
• Enforces least privilege access.
• Prevents misconfigurations.
• Supports regulatory compliance.
• Integrates with secret management.
• Enables audit logging.
• Reduces breach risks.

38. When to enforce security policies?

Enforce security policies during plan and apply phases to catch issues early. Configured in workspaces, they ensure all IaC changes meet standards before deployment in cloud DevOps environments.

39. Where does compliance fit in Spacelift?

Compliance fits in policy enforcement and reporting, validating against frameworks like SOC 2. Spacelift provides dashboards for audits, ensuring IaC aligns with regulations in DevOps workflows.

40. Who handles security in Spacelift?

Security teams and IaC admins handle security, configuring policies and RBAC. They monitor runs and integrate with Vault for secrets, maintaining secure workflows in cloud IaC environments.

41. Which security features does Spacelift offer?

• RBAC for access control.
• Policy as code enforcement.
• Encrypted state storage.
• Run isolation in sandboxes.
• Secure secret injection.
• Audit logs for traceability.
• SSO integration.

42. How does Spacelift ensure compliance?

Spacelift ensures compliance by integrating policy engines like OPA, automating checks on IaC code. It generates reports and blocks non-compliant runs, supporting frameworks like PCI-DSS in DevOps. Observability enhances this.

Advanced Spacelift Features

43. What is the module registry in Spacelift?

The module registry in Spacelift is a private repository for Terraform modules, supporting versioning and discovery. It promotes reusability, reduces duplication, and ensures secure sharing across teams in IaC projects for cloud DevOps.

44. Why use the module registry?

• Centralizes module management.
• Supports versioning for stability.
• Enables secure sharing.
• Integrates with policies.
• Reduces code duplication.
• Facilitates updates.
• Improves collaboration.

45. When to publish modules to the registry?

Publish modules to the registry after testing and validation for reuse. This occurs post-development, ensuring reliability for enterprise IaC deployments in cloud DevOps environments.

46. Where do modules integrate in workflows?

Modules integrate in workspaces and stacks, referenced in Terraform code. Spacelift fetches versions during runs, ensuring consistent and secure IaC execution in DevOps pipelines.

47. Who publishes modules in Spacelift?

IaC developers and module owners publish modules, following versioning and testing protocols. They ensure documentation and compliance before making them available to teams in cloud IaC.

48. Which formats are supported for modules?

• Terraform HCL modules.
• Private Git repositories.
• Public Terraform Registry.
• Custom source paths.
• Version-constrained references.
• Custom metadata tags.
• Dependency graphs.

49. How does Spacelift handle dependencies?

Spacelift handles dependencies by resolving module and provider versions during runs. It uses locks and caches to ensure reproducible IaC executions in cloud DevOps environments, maintaining consistency.

50. What is custom reporting in Spacelift?

Custom reporting in Spacelift generates tailored dashboards and alerts for IaC metrics. It integrates with Slack for notifications, providing insights into runs and compliance for DevOps workflows. DORA metrics align.

Best Practices and Troubleshooting

51. What best practices apply to workspaces?

Best practices include linking to specific Git branches, using remote state backends, and configuring policies. Regularly review variables and integrate with CI/CD for efficient, secure IaC management in cloud DevOps environments.

52. Why follow best practices in Spacelift?

• Ensures consistent deployments.
• Reduces errors and downtime.
• Supports team collaboration.
• Enhances compliance.
• Optimizes resource usage.
• Facilitates scalability.
• Improves maintainability.

53. When to review Spacelift configurations?

Review configurations periodically or after major changes to align with best practices. Audit policies and test runs in non-production environments to ensure secure IaC in cloud DevOps workflows.

54. Where to troubleshoot Spacelift issues?

Troubleshoot issues in dashboard logs, run histories, and integrated monitoring. Common areas include Git webhooks, policy failures, and state backend connections for IaC in cloud DevOps setups.

55. Who troubleshoots Spacelift problems?

DevOps teams and Spacelift admins troubleshoot problems using logs and support resources. They collaborate with developers to resolve IaC-specific issues like module errors in cloud environments.

56. Which common errors occur in Spacelift?

• Git webhook failures.
• Policy evaluation errors.
• State lock conflicts.
• Provider authentication issues.
• Variable misconfigurations.
• Run timeout problems.
• Drift detection false positives.

57. How do you resolve policy failures?

Resolve policy failures by reviewing Rego or Sentinel code, updating IaC to comply, and re-running. Test policies in sandbox mode to validate before applying to production IaC workflows. Multi-cloud strategies apply.

Integrations and Advanced Tools

58. What is Spacelift’s GitHub integration?

Spacelift’s GitHub integration uses webhooks to trigger runs on PRs or pushes. It supports approvals and comments, enabling collaborative IaC reviews in GitHub workflows for DevOps teams.

59. Why integrate Spacelift with Git providers?

• Automates on code changes.
• Supports PR-based reviews.
• Ensures version control.
• Facilitates collaboration.
• Integrates with CI/CD.
• Provides audit trails.
• Enhances security.

60. When to use Spacelift with Jenkins?

Use Spacelift with Jenkins for advanced CI/CD, where Jenkins handles builds and Spacelift manages IaC applies. This combines testing with secure infrastructure deployment in DevOps pipelines.

61. Where does Spacelift complement Terraform Cloud?

Spacelift complements Terraform Cloud with advanced orchestration and policies. It can migrate workspaces or act as a frontend for enhanced control in IaC operations on cloud platforms.

62. Who configures tool integrations?

Platform engineers and DevOps teams configure integrations, setting up API keys and webhooks. They ensure secure connections and test triggers for seamless IaC workflows in cloud environments.

63. Which secret management tools integrate?

• HashiCorp Vault for secrets.
• AWS Secrets Manager.
• Azure Key Vault.
• Google Secret Manager.
• Custom environment variables.
• 1Password for teams.
• Custom scripts.

64. How does Spacelift integrate with monitoring?

Spacelift integrates with monitoring tools like Datadog or Prometheus, sending run metrics and drift alerts. This provides visibility into IaC health and performance in DevOps workflows. Zero-day handling benefits.

Variables and Triggers in Spacelift

65. What is the role of variables in Spacelift?

Variables in Spacelift store sensitive and non-sensitive data for IaC, supporting inheritance and scoping. They enable environment-specific configurations without code changes, ensuring secure, flexible deployments in cloud DevOps. Container practices align with this approach.

66. Why manage variables carefully?

• Prevents secret exposure.
• Supports environment isolation.
• Enables reusability.
• Integrates with secret managers.
• Reduces code clutter.
• Facilitates testing.
• Ensures compliance.

67. When to use sensitive variables?

Use sensitive variables for API keys or passwords, marking them as protected. Spacelift masks them in logs, ensuring security in collaborative IaC environments for DevOps teams. OPA tools enhance this.

68. Where are variables scoped in Spacelift?

Variables are scoped to workspaces, stacks, or globally, allowing inheritance. This supports hierarchical configurations for consistent IaC across projects in cloud DevOps environments.

69. Who configures variables?

IaC admins and developers configure variables, ensuring secure storage and access. They integrate with Vault for dynamic injection in runs, maintaining secure IaC in cloud workflows.

70. Which variable types does Spacelift support?

• Environment variables.
• Terraform variables.
• Sensitive strings.
• Maps and lists.
• Inherited variables.
• Custom types.
• Generated values.

71. How do you handle variable inheritance?

Handle inheritance by defining base variables in stacks and overriding in workspaces. This promotes DRY principles, ensuring consistent yet flexible IaC configurations in cloud DevOps. Jenkins vs GitHub insights apply.

72. What is run triggering in Spacelift?

Run triggering starts IaC executions on events like Git pushes or schedules. It supports manual triggers and webhooks, enabling integrated automation for DevOps in cloud IaC workflows.

73. Why customize run triggers?

Customize run triggers to align with workflow needs, supporting event-driven automation. They integrate with CI/CD, reduce unnecessary runs, and enable conditional triggers for efficient IaC in cloud DevOps. Runbooks complement this.