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CDviz vs Powerpipe ​

Looking for Powerpipe alternatives for pipeline observability? This page compares CDviz and Powerpipe across data model, deployment, and integration approach.

Both are open-source, self-hosted tools for engineering visibility — but they solve different problems with different data models.

Last updated February 2026. Corrections welcome.

At a glance ​

CDvizPowerpipe
LicenseApache 2.0AGPL v3
Self-hosted✅✅
SaaS option⏳ waitlist❌
Commercial support✅❌
CDEvents standard✅❌
Data modelEvent-driven (push, historical)Query-driven (SQL, current state)
DORA metrics✅community mods
SDLC pipeline visibility✅❌ (not primary focus)
Beyond monitoring: trigger workflows✅❌
Cloud config / security posture❌✅
VisualizationGrafana, BI, AI agents, MCP, IDPbuilt-in (HCL dashboards)
StoragePostgreSQL + TimescaleDB (+ ClickHouse…)Steampipe (in-memory + cache)

Key differences ​

  • Focus area: CDviz is purpose-built for SDLC event observability — deployments, pipelines, incidents. Powerpipe is built for cloud infrastructure dashboards — resource inventories, compliance benchmarks, security posture.
  • Observe and act: CDviz events are not read-only. The same event stream drives both observability and workflow triggers — an event-driven SDLC backbone. Powerpipe is purely for visualization of current state.
  • Push vs pull: CDviz ingests events as they happen, storing them in a timeseries database. Powerpipe queries live APIs on demand via Steampipe — great for current state, not for historical trend analysis.
  • Customization: CDviz lets you enrich events at ingestion, route to different backends (PostgreSQL, ClickHouse…), and connect to any analytics or reporting tool — Grafana, BI platforms, AI agents, MCP-connected tools, Internal Developer Platforms. Powerpipe dashboards are HCL-defined and self-contained.
  • Data retention: CDviz stores historical event timeseries. Powerpipe reflects current state; historical trends require additional tooling (Tailpipe).
  • Commercial support: CDviz offers commercial support. Powerpipe is community-supported only.

When to choose CDviz ​

  • You want to track what happened in your pipelines and deployments over time.
  • You need DORA metrics, deployment frequency, lead time, change failure rate.
  • You want events to trigger downstream workflows, not just be observed.
  • You need flexible reporting — Grafana, BI tools, AI agents, MCP, IDP integrations.
  • You are adopting the CDEvents open standard.
  • You want commercial support or a managed SaaS option (waitlist).

When to choose Powerpipe ​

  • You need dashboards over current cloud state — resource counts, IAM policies, compliance benchmarks.
  • You already use Steampipe and want to add visual dashboards on top.
  • Your use case is security posture or infrastructure inventory, not delivery pipelines.

Summary ​

These tools solve different problems. Powerpipe visualizes current cloud state (resource inventories, compliance benchmarks); CDviz tracks what happened in your delivery pipeline over time and routes events to trigger downstream automation. If your primary need is SDLC observability, CDviz is purpose-built for it — Powerpipe fills a separate cloud infrastructure gap.

Get started with CDviz

Self-host CDviz — free, Apache 2.0. Or join the SaaS waitlist.

FAQ ​

Is Powerpipe free? Powerpipe is open-source under AGPL v3. Note: AGPL requires source disclosure for networked deployments, which may affect enterprise use. CDviz uses the more permissive Apache 2.0 license.

Can CDviz query cloud APIs like Powerpipe? No. CDviz receives push events from your SDLC toolchain. Powerpipe queries cloud APIs on demand via Steampipe.

Is CDviz free? Yes — Apache 2.0. Infrastructure costs only when self-hosted; optional commercial support.