Before the rise of DevOps, development and operations were distinct, and server provisioning was manual, but with automation becoming vital, tools like Chef and Puppet emerged to manage configuration more effectively. These configuration managers abstract the complex details of system setup, allowing high-level goals to be defined and achieved efficiently. Chef, which uses an imperative approach with Ruby, offers flexibility but may lead to complex code, whereas Puppet uses a declarative style, focusing on desired end states and offering more stability due to its longer presence in the market. Both tools integrate well with other DevOps software and have vibrant communities, extensive documentation, and commercial support options, although they require initial investment in learning and setup. Chef and Puppet's unique terminologies and methodologies cater to different user backgrounds, with Chef appealing more to developers and Puppet to system administrators, reflecting their respective strengths in flexibility and stability.