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Application-oriented infrastructure

SST

An application infrastructure framework with higher-level components, resource linking, provider support, local workflows, and an optional Console.

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Editorial verdict

Choose SST when application components, resource linking, and local workflow remove more work than framework/provider coupling and version migration create.15912131415

Best for

  • TypeScript application infrastructure
  • Resource linking and local development
  • AWS or Cloudflare-centered applications using supported components
15912131415

Not ideal for

  • Organization-wide provider-neutral standards
  • Unsupported clouds or components
  • Teams avoiding high-level framework lifecycle
15912131415
Main trade-off

Productive application abstractions trade against SST/component/provider coupling, major-version migration, and multiple underlying cost layers.15912131415

Product boundary

Whether application-oriented components and local workflow fit better than a general IaC layer.

SST composes provider resources. The optional Console, Pulumi/Terraform engine, provider cloud, CI runner, and deployed services retain separate behavior and pricing.12131415

For: TypeScript application teams willing to adopt SST component, provider, state, and major-version lifecycle

  • A required provider or component is unsupported or immature.
  • The organization needs a general IaC standard rather than application workflow.
  • Console scope, active-resource price, major-version migration, or provider cost changes the fit.

Why teams consider SST

  • Application componentsHigher-level components compose common application infrastructure.1213
  • Resource linkingApplications can consume linked infrastructure without hardcoded identifiers.1213
  • Local and staged workflowThe CLI supports development, diff, deploy, and stage-oriented operation.121314

Pricing

CLI-deployed provider resources are billed by their providers; the optional SST Console uses active-resource pricing and autodeploy can add AWS CodeBuild cost.14

Small workspace

Console Free — 350 or fewer active resources

Verified 2026-07-25; active-resource definitions and personal-stage behavior apply.14

Larger workspace

$0.086 per active resource for the first 2,000; $0.032 above 2,000

Verified 2026-07-25; after crossing the free tier, the documented workspace rule applies to active resources. Provider and CodeBuild charges are separate.14

Framework boundary
Provider resources are billed in the user's cloud account14
Console boundary
Optional active-resource pricing; currently AWS-deployed apps only14
Pricing checked View official pricing

SST vs alternatives

Terraform

Choose when
Choose it for broad organization-wide declarative infrastructure.
Compared with SST
Less application-oriented workflow with HCL/state/licensing boundaries.13

Pulumi

Choose when
Choose it for a general code-first multi-provider engine.
Compared with SST
More general control with less SST-specific component workflow.57

AWS CDK

Choose when
Choose it for AWS-native CloudFormation constructs.
Compared with SST
CloudFormation-native breadth with less SST local/application workflow.911

Resources and sources

Official product, policy, and pricing

  • SST documentation
    Open
  • SST providers
    Open
  • SST Console and pricing
    Open
  • SST current major-version migration
    Open
  1. 1
    What is Terraform

    IBM HashiCorp · Accessed Official

  2. 2
    Core Terraform workflow

    IBM HashiCorp · Accessed Official

  3. 3
    IBM HashiCorp product pricing

    IBM HashiCorp · Accessed Official

  4. 4
    Terraform core source and license

    IBM HashiCorp · Accessed Official

  5. 5
    Pulumi Infrastructure as Code

    Pulumi · Accessed Official

  6. 6
    Pulumi state and backends

    Pulumi · Accessed Official

  7. 7
    Pulumi pricing

    Pulumi · Accessed Official

  8. 8
    Pulumi core source and license

    Pulumi · Accessed Official

  9. 9
    AWS CDK core concepts

    Amazon Web Services · Accessed Official

  10. 10
    AWS CDK bootstrapping

    Amazon Web Services · Accessed Official

  11. 11
    AWS CDK cost FAQ

    Amazon Web Services · Accessed Official

  12. 12
    SST documentation

    SST · Accessed Official

  13. 13
    SST providers

    SST · Accessed Official

  14. 14
    SST Console and pricing

    SST · Accessed Official

  15. 15
    SST current major-version migration

    SST · Accessed Official