Which of the following is not considered a key principle of infrastructure as code?

Infrastructure as code (IaC) emphasizes managing and provisioning infrastructure through machine-readable definition files, rather than physical hardware configuration or interactive configuration tools. A key principle of IaC is the use of version control, which allows teams to track and manage changes to infrastructure configurations, just as they would with application code. This fosters collaboration and enhances the ability to roll back changes if necessary.

Another important principle is documentation, as it provides clarity and understanding of configurations and infrastructure setups among team members. Automated testing is also a crucial aspect, as it ensures that configurations are tested for correctness and functionality before deployment, reducing the chances of errors in production.

In contrast, golden images refer to pre-configured templates of virtual machines or containers that include the operating system and applications. While they can be a part of an automated deployment strategy, they are not considered a fundamental principle of infrastructure as code. They are more related to traditional configuration management rather than the core tenets of IaC, which focus on code-centric and dynamic provisioning of infrastructure.