[AWS] Parameter Store vs. Secrets Manager

AWS offers two powerful services for managing secrets and configuration data: AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store and AWS Secrets Manager. Understanding the differences between these services, their use cases, and how to integrate them can help you manage sensitive data securely and efficiently. In this blog, we’ll explore these services, highlight their differences, and provide Terraform code examples to help you get started.

1. Introduction to AWS Parameter Store and Secrets Manager

AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store

AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store provides secure, hierarchical storage for configuration data management and secrets management. It supports three types of parameters:

• String: Plaintext data.
• StringList: A comma-separated list of strings.
• SecureString: Encrypted data using AWS Key Management Service (KMS).

AWS Secrets Manager

AWS Secrets Manager helps you protect access to your applications, services, and IT resources without the upfront complexity of managing secrets. It enables you to rotate, manage, and retrieve database credentials, API keys, and other secrets.