containerd VS Kubernetes

Compare containerd VS Kubernetes and see what are their differences

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containerd

An industry-standard container runtime with an emphasis on simplicity, robustness and portability

Kubernetes

Kubernetes is an open source orchestration system for Docker containers

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2022-04-15

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2023-07-24

containerd

Website: containerd.io
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Kubernetes

Website: kubernetes.io
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containerd features and specs

Lightweight
Containerd focuses on providing core container primitives, making it lightweight and efficient compared to more comprehensive container management platforms.
CNCF Graduated
Being a CNCF (Cloud Native Computing Foundation) graduated project means containerd has undergone rigorous scrutiny and is recognized as stable and secure.
Highly Modular
Containerd provides a well-defined API with gRPC, making it highly modular and allowing for fine-grained control over container lifecycle management.
Kubernetes Integration
Containerd acts as the default container runtime for Kubernetes via the CRI (Container Runtime Interface) plugin, ensuring excellent synergy with Kubernetes-managed environments.
Vendor-Neutral
Containerd is an open-source project that is vendor-neutral, promoting community collaboration and reducing vendor lock-in.
Wide Industry Support
Spearheaded initially by Docker, containerd has received wide support from tech giants like Google and Alibaba, ensuring a broad and robust adoption across the industry.

Possible disadvantages of containerd

Limited to Container Management
Unlike platforms like Docker, containerd focuses solely on container lifecycle management and does not offer advanced networking, storage solutions, or orchestration engines.
Complex Integration
While offering a high level of control, containerd’s modularity can translate into higher complexity when it comes to integrating it with other tools, such as monitoring and logging systems.
Fewer Features Out-of-the-Box
Containerd provides fewer features out-of-the-box compared to more comprehensive container management systems, which may require additional components to achieve a similar feature set.
Steeper Learning Curve
Due to its focus on being a low-level runtime, containerd can have a steeper learning curve for users not familiar with container runtime internals.

Kubernetes features and specs

Scalability
Kubernetes excels in scaling applications horizontally by adding more containers to the deployment, ensuring that the application remains responsive even during high demand.
Portability
Kubernetes supports a variety of environments including on-premises, hybrid, and public cloud infrastructures, offering flexibility and freedom from vendor lock-in.
High Availability
Kubernetes ensures high availability through features like self-healing, automated rollouts and rollbacks, and various controller mechanisms to keep applications running reliably.
Extensibility
Kubernetes has a modular architecture with a rich ecosystem of plugins, third-party tools, and extensions that allow customization and integration with various services.
Resource Efficiency
Efficiently manages resources with features like autoscaling and resource quotas, helping to optimize usage and reduce costs.
Community and Support
Kubernetes has a large, active community and strong industry support, which means abundant resources, tutorials, and third-party integrations are available.

Possible disadvantages of Kubernetes

Complexity
The learning curve associated with Kubernetes is steep due to its numerous components, configurations, and operational paradigms.
Resource Intensive
Running a Kubernetes cluster can be resource-intensive, often requiring significant CPU, memory, and storage resources, which can be costly.
Operational Challenges
Managing a Kubernetes cluster requires expertise in areas such as networking, security, and cluster lifecycle management, making it challenging for smaller teams or organizations.
Debugging and Troubleshooting
Pinpointing issues within a Kubernetes cluster can be difficult due to its distributed and dynamic nature, which can complicate debugging and troubleshooting processes.
Configuration Overhead
Kubernetes involves numerous configurations and settings, which can be overwhelming and error-prone, especially during initial setup and deployment.
Security Management
While Kubernetes provides various security features, managing those securely requires in-depth knowledge and diligence, as misconfigurations can lead to vulnerabilities.

containerd videos

+ Add

Deep Dive: containerd - Derek McGowan, Docker & Phil Estes, IBM Cloud

Kubernetes videos

+ Add

Kubernetes in 5 mins

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to containerd and Kubernetes)

containerd

Kubernetes

Cloud Computing

32 32%

Cloud Computing

68% 68

Developer Tools

8 8%

Developer Tools

92% 92

DevOps Tools

0 0%

DevOps Tools

100% 100

Cloud Storage

100 100%

Cloud Storage

0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using containerd and Kubernetes. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare containerd and Kubernetes

containerd Reviews

5 Container Alternatives to Docker

containerd is described as “an industry-standard container runtime with an emphasis on simplicity, robustness and portability.” An incubating project of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation, containerd is available as a daemon for Linux or Windows.

Source: containerjournal.com

Kubernetes Reviews

The Top 7 Kubernetes Alternatives for Container Orchestration

Rancher RKE is an interface to the command line for Rancher Kubernetes Engine (RKE) and OpenShift. Both are software tools employed to deploy Kubernetes, an open source project that manages containers on several hosts.

Source: cloudnativenow.com

Kubernetes Alternatives 2023: Top 8 Container Orchestration Tools

Azure Kubernetes Service is a container orchestration platform that offers secure serverless Kubernetes. AKS helps to manage Kubernetes clusters and makes deploying containerized applications so much easier. In addition to that, it provides automatic configuration of all Kubernetes nodes and master.

Source: www.servertribe.com

Top 12 Kubernetes Alternatives to Choose From in 2023

Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) is a prominent choice for a Kubernetes alternative. It is provided and managed by Google Cloud, which offers fully managed Kubernetes services.

Source: humalect.com

Docker Swarm vs Kubernetes: how to choose a container orchestration tool

In this article, we explored the two primary orchestrators of the container world, Kubernetes and Docker Swarm. Docker Swarm is a lightweight, easy-to-use orchestration tool with limited offerings compared to Kubernetes. In contrast, Kubernetes is complex but powerful and provides self-healing, auto-scaling capabilities out of the box. K3s, a lightweight form of Kubernetes...

Source: circleci.com

Docker Alternatives

An open-source code, Rancher is another one among the list of Docker alternatives that is built to provide organizations with everything they need. This software combines the environments required to adopt and run containers in production. A rancher is built on Kubernetes. This tool helps the DevOps team by making it easier to testing, deploying and managing the...

Source: www.educba.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Kubernetes should be more popular than containerd. It has been mentiond 357 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

containerd mentions (55)

Kubernetes Without Docker: Why Container Runtimes Are Changing the Game in 2025
Containerd Official Site The runtime powering most cloud K8s clusters and your future mental breakdowns. - Source: dev.to / 9 days ago
Creating containers with containerd on ARM
Also, Containers are the tool when you want to speed your process of updating your software and get modularity and portability when deploying your solutions. In this post you will learn how containerd together with nerdctl can help you with this use case scenario. Check their official websites for more info https://containerd.io and https://github.com/containerd/nerdctl. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
Beyond Docker - A DevOps Engineer's Guide to Container Alternatives
Having operated large Kubernetes clusters, one learns to love the focused approach of containerd. A light-weight, high-performance container runtime, it powers a lot of container platforms, including indirectly, Kubernetes. From my experience, containerd really does one thing and does it well: it runs containers efficiently. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
Top 8 Docker Alternatives to Consider in 2025
Containerd operates as a fundamental container runtime that manages the complete container lifecycle, functioning at a lower level than Docker while providing core container operations. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
You run containers, not dockers - Discussing Docker variants, components and versioning
So once we had a single binary, then "Docker, Inc" started separating the functionalities into multiple binaries on Linux. That was the beginning the of dependencies and components we have today, except that these dependencies are now not limited to Docker. Containerd can also be the container runtime of Kubernetes. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago

Kubernetes mentions (357)

A Guide to Setting up Service Discovery for APIs
Kubernetes isn't just for container orchestration—it packs a powerful built-in service discovery system that's changing how developers think about service connectivity. It uses DNS under the hood, along with environment variables, to help services find each other. - Source: dev.to / 4 days ago
Kubernetes 1.33: A Deep Dive into the Exciting New Features of Octarine
For a comprehensive overview, explore the Kubernetes 1.33 release notes and GitHub changelog. Engage with the community at events like KubeCon or join the Kubernetes Slack to collaborate on the future of cloud-native computing. With Octarine, Kubernetes continues to shine as the backbone of modern infrastructure. - Source: dev.to / 6 days ago
A Detailed Comparison between Kubernetes Operators and Controllers
Imagine trying to keep a fleet of ships sailing smoothly across the ocean. You need to ensure each ship has enough crew, fuel, and cargo, and that they're all heading in the right direction. This is a complex task, requiring constant monitoring and adjustments. In the world of Kubernetes, Controllers and Operators play a similar role, ensuring your applications run smoothly and efficiently. This blog post delves... - Source: dev.to / 14 days ago
Kubernetes: Migrating from Ingress to Gateway API
Kubernetes has become the de facto standard for container orchestration. With the rise of microservices and cloud-native applications, managing network traffic within a Kubernetes cluster has become increasingly critical. The Ingress API has been the traditional solution for managing external access to services in Kubernetes. However, with the evolution of Kubernetes and the need for more advanced traffic... - Source: dev.to / 14 days ago
A Beginner's Journey: Deploying Applications on Amazon EKS
Kubernetes is an innovative open-source platform designed for container orchestration. It automates critical processes such as deploying, scaling, and managing containerised applications. Originally developed by Google, Kubernetes is now watched by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation. In essence, Kubernetes serves as a powerful framework for managing your applications, enabling seamless deployment and... - Source: dev.to / 16 days ago