# Policy As Code

> Encode organizational, security, and operational policies as code so they can be versioned, tested, and automatically enforced. Use when implementing automated guardrails for infrastructure, deployments, or configuration.

- Skill: `itsual/policy-as-code` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add itsual/policy-as-code`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/itsual/policy-as-code/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Security
- Author: itsual (https://skillmd.com/u/itsual)
- Updated: 2026-09-21
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/itsual/policy-as-code

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# Policy as Code

## Overview

Policy as Code turns rules that used to live in wikis or people’s heads into executable, reviewable, testable artifacts.

## When to Use

- Enforcing security or compliance rules on infrastructure or deployments
- Creating guardrails for self-service platforms
- Replacing manual review checklists with automation

## Common Tools & Approaches

- OPA / Gatekeeper / Kyverno for Kubernetes
- Sentinel, Checkov, tfsec, etc. for IaC
- Custom policies in CI for application and config rules

## Practices

- Keep policies clear, documented, and versioned
- Test policies (including allowing expected valid cases)
- Provide good error messages so developers can self-correct
- Start with audit/warn mode before hard enforcement when rolling out
- Treat policy changes with the same care as application code

## Verification

- Policies correctly allow good configurations and block bad ones
- Developers understand how to satisfy the policies
- Policy coverage matches the highest-risk rules