Catch AWS Cost Issues Before They Ever Hit Your Pipeline

CloudBurn is an open-source AWS cost policy engine designed to provide developers greater visibility into cloud deployment costs by performing static analysis on infrastructure-as-code (IaC) files and live AWS resources to identify cost-related issues. It operates in two modes: "scan," which evaluates Terraform and CloudFormation files without requiring AWS credentials, and "discover," which scans live AWS resources to identify waste in already deployed infrastructure. CloudBurn integrates into CI pipelines to prevent costly infrastructure from being merged without acknowledgment and can be used locally with LocalStack to test IaC changes in a simulated AWS environment. The tool features a library of 80 rules across 22 AWS services, each highlighting specific cost anti-patterns and providing actionable insights. Developers can incorporate CloudBurn scans into their workflows to catch potential cost issues before code reaches the pipeline, and a bash script can be used to enforce checks via pre-commit hooks, identifying new cost violations introduced by IaC changes. While CloudBurn and LocalStack offer valuable insights, effective cloud cost management still requires a holistic approach beyond just technical tools.