Packer vs Rancher: What are the differences?

# Introduction
Packer and Rancher are both tools used in the field of DevOps for infrastructure provisioning and management, but they have key differences that set them apart.

# 1. **Functionality**:
Packer is a tool used for creating identical machine images for multiple platforms from a single source configuration. It is primarily used for building machine images. On the other hand, Rancher is a complete infrastructure management platform that supports multiple orchestration engines such as Kubernetes and Docker Swarm, enabling the management of containerized workloads across various environments.

# 2. **Focus**:
Packer focuses on building machine images or container images by automating the image creation process. It is more oriented towards the initial setup and configuration of infrastructure. Rancher, however, focuses on the ongoing management, orchestration, and monitoring of containers and clusters in production environments.

# 3. **Integration**:
Packer integrates well with various build tools, configuration management tools, and cloud providers to automate the image creation process. It also has plugins for different providers and provisioners. On the other hand, Rancher integrates with various container orchestration tools, monitoring tools, and cloud providers to manage containerized workloads effectively.

# 4. **Deployment Scope**:
Packer is more geared towards managing the deployment process at the image level, ensuring consistency across different environments. It is ideal for building images that can be replicated across multiple platforms. Rancher, on the other hand, is more focused on managing the deployment of containerized applications at the container level, providing tools for orchestration, scaling, and monitoring.

# 5. **Community Support**:
Packer has a strong community base and active development, with regular updates and contributions from the community. It is widely used in the industry for creating machine images. Rancher also has a growing community, but it is more specific to container orchestration and management, with a focus on Kubernetes and container-related technologies.

Summary, Packer is a tool primarily used for building machine images, while Rancher is an infrastructure management platform specializing in container orchestration and management.