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Kubernetes
What it is
Kubernetes is an open-source system for automating deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. It supports stateless, stateful, and data-processing workloads, and can run on a local machine, in the cloud, or in a datacenter. Users can operate a cluster themselves or choose a managed service. Kubernetes rolls out application changes gradually while checking health, with the ability to roll back a change if something goes wrong. It provides Pods with IP addresses and a shared DNS name for groups of Pods, and can load-balance traffic among them. Storage can be mounted from local systems, public cloud providers, or network storage such as iSCSI and NFS. Secrets and configuration can be updated without rebuilding an image. Applications can be scaled manually or automatically based on CPU use, and resource requests and limits can be adjusted to usage patterns. Logging, monitoring, and alerting integrations are pluggable. Security mechanisms include Secrets, Pod security standards, RuntimeClasses, network policies, admission controllers, and audit logging. Kubernetes is free and self-hosted, but it does not include application-level services such as databases, message buses, caches, or cluster storage systems.
For and against
For
- Automates deployment, scaling, and management.
- Supports gradual rollouts and rollback.
- Can scale workloads based on CPU use.
- Integrates with pluggable logging and monitoring tools.
- Free, open-source, and available for self-hosting.
Against
- Does not include databases or message buses.
- Does not provide caches or cluster storage systems.
- Self-hosted deployment requires operating a cluster.
The verdict
Kubernetes coordinates container workloads, updates, networking, storage mounts, and scaling. Its scope does not include application-level services such as databases, caches, or message buses, so those are not built in.
Who it suits
Kubernetes suits teams deploying and managing containerized workloads across local machines, cloud environments, or datacenters. Teams that do not want to operate a cluster can choose a managed service.
Plans and prices
Kubernetes
Open source platform; no price stated
Read 29 Sep 2026 · kubernetes.io
On the record
- Deployment options
- Kubernetes can be deployed on a local machine, in the cloud, or in a datacenter, and users can choose a managed service if they do not want to operate a cluster themselves.kubernetes.io · read 29 Sep 2026
- Downloads
- Kubernetes publishes component binaries and container images; kubectl is installable on Linux, macOS, and Windows.kubernetes.io · read 29 Sep 2026
- Integrations
- Kubernetes lets users integrate logging, monitoring, and alerting solutions, and its defaults are optional and pluggable.kubernetes.io · read 29 Sep 2026
- Limitations
- Kubernetes does not provide application-level services such as databases, message buses, caches, or cluster storage systems as built-in services.kubernetes.io · read 29 Sep 2026
- Networking
- It gives Pods IP addresses and a shared DNS name for a set of Pods, and can load-balance across them.kubernetes.io · read 29 Sep 2026
- Project status
- Kubernetes is a CNCF graduated project.kubernetes.io · read 29 Sep 2026
- Purpose
- Kubernetes is an open source system for automating deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications.kubernetes.io · read 29 Sep 2026
- Rollouts
- Kubernetes progressively rolls out changes while monitoring application health and can roll back a change if something goes wrong.kubernetes.io · read 29 Sep 2026
- Scaling
- Applications can be scaled manually or automatically based on CPU usage, and resource requests and limits can be adjusted based on usage patterns.kubernetes.io · read 29 Sep 2026
- Secrets
- Secrets and application configuration can be deployed and updated without rebuilding the image.kubernetes.io · read 29 Sep 2026
- Security
- Kubernetes expects TLS for control-plane traffic and supports encryption at rest for data stored in the control plane.kubernetes.io · read 29 Sep 2026
- Security controls
- Security mechanisms include Secrets, Pod security standards, RuntimeClasses, network policies, admission controllers, and audit logging.kubernetes.io · read 29 Sep 2026
- Storage
- Kubernetes can automatically mount storage from local systems, public cloud providers, or network storage systems such as iSCSI or NFS.kubernetes.io · read 29 Sep 2026
- Support
- The Kubernetes project says Kubernetes services, support, and tools are widely available.kubernetes.io · read 29 Sep 2026
- Workloads
- It supports stateless, stateful, and data-processing workloads that can run in containers.kubernetes.io · read 29 Sep 2026
