Configuration management tools automate how you define, deploy, and maintain device configurations. They replace ad-hoc scripts with structured frameworks.
Desired state. You declare what configuration should exist. The tool makes it so. You don't write step-by-step procedures.
Idempotency. Running the same automation twice produces the same result. If config already matches desired state, nothing changes.
Inventory. A list of devices organized into groups. Apply configurations to groups instead of individual hosts.
Modules. Pre-built functions that handle specific tasks like managing VLANs or interfaces.