Kubernetes and OpenShift Comparison: 15 Key Differences You Should Know

OpenShift and Kubernetes are two leading platforms in the container orchestration world, playing important roles in deploying, managing, and scaling containerized applications. Kubernetes is an open-source project first developed by Google, designed to automate the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. On the other hand, OpenShift is an enterprise-grade open-source product developed by Red Hat, built on top of Kubernetes. While Kubernetes provides a robust platform for container orchestration, OpenShift adds enterprise-ready features, simplifying the deployment process.

Given the complexity and scalability needs of modern applications, using these platforms efficiently and securely has become crucial. Ensuring proper configuration is essential, as it affects performance, security, and the smooth operation of applications across diverse environments. Both platforms require careful setup to maximize benefits, especially regarding security and ease of management, making them popular choices for organizations looking to optimize their IT infrastructure.?

15 Key Differences Between Kubernetes and OpenShift

1.??? Project vs Product: Kubernetes is an open-source project, while OpenShift is an enterprise open-source product built on Kubernetes. OpenShift adds features that make it easier to use and manage Kubernetes.

2.??? CaaS vs PaaS: Kubernetes operates as a Container as a Service (CaaS), meaning users need to manage container creation and registries themselves. OpenShift, on the other hand, is a Platform as a Service (PaaS) that includes built-in tools for container building, image storage, and cloud-native CI/CD operations.

3.??? Web Console: Kubernetes’ dashboard is not installed by default and requires additional setup, whereas OpenShift offers a user-friendly web console out of the box. The OpenShift console supports comprehensive operations, including pipeline monitoring and image management.

4.??? Command Line Tools: Both platforms have strong command-line utilities. Kubernetes uses kubectl, while OpenShift enhances it with oc, offering extra features that simplify commands.

5.??? Workflow Automation: Kubernetes requires additional tools for full workflow automation, whereas OpenShift provides built-in features for end-to-end application deployment and lifecycle management, using tools like Source to Image (S2I) for rapid deployment.

6.??? Application Deployment and CI/CD: Kubernetes makes deploying complex, multi-tier applications more manual and tool-dependent, whereas OpenShift streamlines this process with templates, integrated CI/CD pipelines, and catalogues.

7.??? Cloud Agnosticism: Kubernetes can be deployed across various cloud platforms (e.g., Amazon EKS, Azure AKS). While OpenShift also supports multi-cloud environments, its feature set and user experience remain consistent across all platforms.

8.??? Supported Operating Systems: Kubernetes can be deployed on multiple Linux distributions like CentOS, Ubuntu, and Fedora. However, OpenShift requires Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) or CoreOS for its control plane and compute nodes.

9.??? Cluster Installation: Kubernetes can be installed on a wide range of platforms, including bare metal, public clouds, and even small devices like Raspberry Pi. OpenShift has stricter hardware requirements and is typically easier to install using its Installer Provisioned Infrastructure (IPI) method.

10. Development Environment: Kubernetes offers Minikube for easy local development. OpenShift provides CodeReady Containers (CRC) for a similar purpose, replacing Minishift in OpenShift 4 and beyond.

11. Namespace vs Projects: Kubernetes uses namespaces to isolate cluster resources. OpenShift enhances this by adding features to these namespaces, referring to them as "projects."

12. Managing Container Images: Kubernetes relies on external registries for container images. OpenShift includes an internal registry and features like image streams to manage container images efficiently.

13. Security: Kubernetes has flexible but robust security policies, while OpenShift’s security policies are stricter, ensuring enhanced security. However, this makes OpenShift slightly more challenging to configure correctly.

14. Networking: Kubernetes uses CNI plugins for networking, relying on third-party solutions. OpenShift uses OpenShift SDN with additional capabilities like Open vSwitch (OVS) for configuring its network.

15. Ingress and Routes: Kubernetes uses Ingress controllers to manage external access to services. OpenShift uses "routes" for similar purposes, with added functionalities like traffic splitting and sticky sessions.

While Kubernetes is a powerful and flexible platform for container orchestration, OpenShift enhances it by simplifying deployment, adding security layers, and offering enterprise-ready tools. OpenShift’s built-in features for CI/CD, security, and application lifecycle management make it especially valuable for organizations seeking a streamlined, all-in-one platform. By leveraging Kubernetes' core strengths with OpenShift’s added functionalities, teams can optimize their workflows, ensuring both security and ease of use. For businesses looking to deploy complex applications while maintaining scalability and security, OpenShift represents a comprehensive solution, enhancing Kubernetes in critical ways.