kOps
What it is
kOps is a free, open-source tool for creating, upgrading, maintaining, and destroying highly available Kubernetes clusters. It also provisions the cloud infrastructure those clusters require. The control plane is customer-managed. AWS and Google Cloud are officially supported; DigitalOcean, Hetzner, and OpenStack are in beta, while Azure is in alpha.
The tool uses a YAML manifest-based API with templating and dry-run modes for creating manifests. Its state synchronization supports dry runs and automatic idempotency, and it can generate Terraform. kOps offers popular CNI networking providers out of the box and supports ARM64 architectures. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, but kubectl is required for installation and use.
Security details matter for cluster configuration: SSH access to masters and nodes is allowed from any address by default, although no public key is installed by default. SSH sources can be restricted in configuration or with a command option. The security documentation also says Pods can access the underlying instance IAM role, whose permission scope is currently broad. Project maintainers hold public office hours, and the project points users to Kubernetes Slack channels for help.
For and against
For
- Automates provisioning of highly available clusters
- Supports state-sync dry runs and automatic idempotency
- Can generate Terraform
- Offers popular CNI providers out of the box
- Supports ARM64 architectures
Against
- kubectl is required for installation and use
- Azure support is in alpha
- SSH access defaults to any address
- Pods can access a broadly scoped instance IAM role
The verdict
kOps provides cluster and infrastructure management with configuration and Terraform options. Teams should account for the customer-managed control plane and review the documented SSH and IAM defaults when planning deployment.
Who it suits
kOps suits teams that want to provision and maintain customer-managed Kubernetes clusters across its supported cloud environments. It may fit teams comfortable configuring cluster access and IAM permissions themselves.
Plans and prices
kOps
No paid plans or price listed on the official pages reviewed
Read 8 Oct 2026 · kops.sigs.k8s.io
On the record
- Architecture
- kOps supports ARM64 architectures.kops.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Cloud providers
- AWS and Google Cloud are officially supported; DigitalOcean, Hetzner, and OpenStack are in beta, and Azure is in alpha.kops.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Cluster provisioning
- kOps automates provisioning of highly available Kubernetes clusters.kops.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Configuration
- It provides a YAML manifest based API, templating, and dry run modes for creating manifests.kops.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Infrastructure output
- kOps can generate Terraform.kops.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Installation requirement
- kubectl is required to install and use kOps.kops.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- License
- The kubernetes/kops repository lists the Apache-2.0 license.github.com · read 8 Oct 2026
- Networking
- It offers popular CNI networking providers out of the box.kops.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- kOps creates, destroys, upgrades, and maintains production grade, highly available Kubernetes clusters and provisions the required cloud infrastructure.kops.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Security: IAM
- The security documentation says all Pods running on a cluster have access to the underlying instance IAM role and that the permission scope is currently quite broad.kops.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Security: SSH
- SSH access to masters and nodes is allowed from any address by default, though no public key is installed by default; SSH sources can be restricted in cluster configuration or with a command option.kops.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- State management
- Its state sync model supports dry runs and automatic idempotency.kops.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Support
- kOps maintainers hold public office hours for developers and users, and the project points users to Kubernetes Slack channels for help.kops.sigs.k8s.io · read 8 Oct 2026
