DeepFlow

DeepFlow is an observability product for complex cloud infrastructure and cloud-native applications. It uses eBPF to collect application performance metrics, distributed traces, and continuous profiling data, with a universal service map, distributed tracing, and profiling among its core capabilities. Built-in protocol parsing covers HTTP, HTTPS, Dubbo, gRPC, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Redis, MongoDB, Kafka, MQTT, and DNS. DeepFlow can serve as a storage backend for Prometheus, OpenTelemetry, SkyWalking, and Pyroscope, and provides SQL, PromQL, and OTLP interfaces. AutoTagging associates observability data with cloud and Kubernetes resources, tags, and CMDB business tags. The Community Edition is open source under the Apache 2.0 License and costs nothing. Deployment documentation covers Kubernetes and Docker Compose. The Enterprise Edition adds encrypted data transmission between agent and server, multi-tenancy, data permission isolation, and after-sales support. Community Edition users do not get alert management, report management, or custom dashboard management. Listed platforms include Linux, Windows, Android, API, self-hosted, and web.

DeepFlow offers a free open-source core with collection, tracing, profiling, and integrations for observability workflows. Alert, report, and custom dashboard management are Enterprise Edition features rather than Community Edition capabilities.

DeepFlow may suit teams monitoring cloud infrastructure and cloud-native applications that need tracing, profiling, and protocol parsing. Teams requiring alert, report, or custom dashboard management should note those features are not included in the Community Edition.

DeepFlow is an observability platform for complex cloud infrastructure and cloud-native applications. It is best suited to teams that want to correlate service relationships, traces, and performance data across cloud-native environments. Its free Apache 2.0 core is a strong starting point, but teams needing managed alerting, reporting, or custom dashboards will need Enterprise Edition.

Overview

DeepFlow combines infrastructure and application observability rather than centering on a single signal. Its universal service map, distributed tracing, and continuous profiling can help teams connect service relationships with request paths and performance behavior. eBPF-based collection gathers application performance metrics, traces, and profiling data without requiring application instrumentation, which is useful when broad visibility matters across varied services.

The core modules are open source under Apache 2.0, and hybrid deployment is supported. Kubernetes and Docker Compose are documented choices for an all-in-one installation. Yunshan Networks, also known as Beijing Yunshan Century Network Technology Co., Ltd., makes DeepFlow and was founded in December 2011. For more tools in this category, browse eBPF Observability Tools.

Key features

Service map, tracing, and profiling

The universal service map gives teams a view of service relationships, while distributed tracing follows requests and continuous profiling tracks performance data over time. Together, these capabilities suit teams that need to investigate issues across service boundaries and examine both application and infrastructure behavior. The breadth may be unnecessary for groups looking only for a focused tracing utility.

Protocol parsing and data interfaces

Built-in parsing covers HTTP, HTTPS, Dubbo, gRPC, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Redis, MongoDB, Kafka, MQTT, and DNS. That range is relevant to teams running mixed service stacks: common protocols can be observed without limiting the product to one application framework. DeepFlow also offers SQL, PromQL, and OTLP interfaces.

Integrations and tagging

DeepFlow can act as a storage backend for Prometheus, OpenTelemetry, SkyWalking, and Pyroscope, making it a potential fit for teams that want to connect existing observability workflows to a shared backend. AutoTagging can associate data with cloud and Kubernetes resources, Kubernetes tags, and CMDB business tags, helping teams retain operational context when examining signals.

Enterprise controls and support

Enterprise Edition adds encrypted transmission between agent and server, multi-tenancy, and data permission isolation. Enterprise after-sales support covers troubleshooting, performance tuning, version upgrades, and implementation best practices. These are meaningful additions for organizations with security, isolation, or deployment-support requirements, but they are not part of the Community Edition.

Pricing

Community Edition — free

The Community Edition is the open-source option for Linux servers and selected Kubernetes, cloud, and container environments. Its Apache 2.0 core makes it a practical choice for teams able to deploy and operate observability software themselves. It does not include alert management, report management, or custom dashboard management, so teams requiring those capabilities should not treat the free edition as a complete substitute for Enterprise.

Cloud Edition — custom pricing

Cloud Edition is described as a fully managed platform and is in a testing trial phase. A managed offering may suit teams that prefer not to run the platform themselves, while its testing status makes the Community Edition the clearer choice for teams seeking an established self-managed deployment.

Enterprise Edition — custom pricing

Enterprise Edition adds enterprise features and services, including security controls and after-sales support.

Platforms

DeepFlow supports Linux, Windows, and Android, with API, web, and self-hosted availability. Kubernetes support, network visibility, application tracing, and kernel profiling are supported. Its documented all-in-one deployment paths use Kubernetes or Docker Compose.

Who it's for

DeepFlow is best suited to infrastructure and platform teams working across cloud-native applications that want a combination of service mapping, tracing, profiling, protocol parsing, and integrations. It is less suitable for teams that only need a narrow tracing tool, or those that require alerting, reports, or custom dashboards but cannot choose a paid Enterprise plan.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Broad observability coverage: Service mapping, tracing, profiling, and performance metrics address connected infrastructure and application questions in one platform.
• Wide protocol and ecosystem support: Parsing for common protocols plus Prometheus, OpenTelemetry, SkyWalking, and Pyroscope backend integrations can accommodate varied environments.
• Open-source core: Apache 2.0 licensing and documented Kubernetes and Docker Compose deployments give teams self-managed options without a license charge for Community Edition.

Cons

• Community Edition omits management features: Alert, report, and custom dashboard management require Enterprise Edition, which limits the free edition for teams relying on those workflows.
• Enterprise capabilities require a custom-priced plan: Organizations needing encryption, multi-tenancy, data isolation, or support must evaluate a plan without a published fixed price.
• Cloud Edition is in a testing trial phase: Teams seeking a fully managed platform may find the Community Edition's self-managed deployment paths more immediately actionable.

Alternatives

Choose bpftrace if you want a free, open-source Linux tracing tool and have a compatible kernel with BPF support; it is a narrower option than DeepFlow's observability platform. Caretta is another free, open-source alternative for readers comparing Kubernetes-focused tools.

Grafana k6 may suit readers looking for a freemium Linux tool with a free plan capped at 500 virtual user hours per month and a Pro plan at $19 a month. groundcover is worth comparing for a freemium alternative with a free-forever plan, 12-hour data retention, Slack Community support, and BYOC.

Kubeshark offers a free Community plan capped at 3 nodes or 60 pods, with unlimited API call capacity and community support, making it relevant to readers comparing a bounded community tier. BCC is a free, Apache-2.0 Linux option for users with kernel 4.1 or newer who want a more focused toolkit.

Coroot has a free, self-hosted Apache 2.0 Community Edition and a freemium model, which may appeal to readers comparing another self-managed observability option. Hubble is a free, Apache-licensed open-source alternative for readers considering another eBPF observability tool.

Verdict

Choose DeepFlow if your team needs broad eBPF-based visibility across cloud-native services and can operate an open-source platform, especially when mapping, tracing, profiling, protocol coverage, and integrations matter together. Look elsewhere if alerting, reporting, or custom dashboards are requirements you need in the free tier, or if you want a managed offering beyond a platform still in testing.