Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Docker Swarm VS k3s

Compare Docker Swarm VS k3s and see what are their differences

Docker Swarm logo Docker Swarm

Native clustering for Docker. Turn a pool of Docker hosts into a single, virtual host.

k3s logo k3s

K3s is a lightweight Kubernetes distribution by Rancher Labs intended for IoT, Edge, and cloud deployments.
  • Docker Swarm Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-01
  • k3s Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-09

Docker Swarm features and specs

  • Simplicity
    Docker Swarm is easy to set up and use, especially for those already familiar with Docker. It integrates seamlessly into the Docker ecosystem, providing a straightforward solution for container orchestration without the need for additional tools.
  • Native Docker Integration
    Swarm is built into Docker, meaning that Docker users do not need to install or configure another orchestration tool. This provides a consistent experience from development to production.
  • Declarative Service Model
    Swarm allows users to define the desired state of their services, and the system works to maintain that state. This includes scaling services up or down, and handling load balancing.
  • Easy Scaling
    Docker Swarm makes it easy to scale applications horizontally by simply changing the number of replicas of a service. The platform manages the distribution of these replicas across the available nodes.
  • Built-in Load Balancing
    Swarm includes built-in load balancing, distributing incoming client requests to running containers based on task states and node availability.

Possible disadvantages of Docker Swarm

  • Limited Ecosystem
    Compared to Kubernetes, Docker Swarm has a more limited ecosystem of plugins, extensions, and third-party integrations. This can make it less flexible for complex or custom setups.
  • Less Feature-Rich
    Although sufficient for many use cases, Swarm lacks some advanced features that other orchestrators like Kubernetes offer, such as custom scheduling policies, complex networking configurations, and a broader range of storage options.
  • Community and Support
    The Docker Swarm community is smaller and less active compared to Kubernetes. This affects the available support, community-contributed tools, and overall development pace.
  • Scaling Limits
    While Docker Swarm can handle small to medium-sized clusters efficiently, it may not perform as well as Kubernetes in very large-scale deployments, particularly in terms of resource management and fault tolerance.
  • Future Uncertainty
    With Docker's increasing focus on Kubernetes, the long-term future of Docker Swarm is uncertain. This raises concerns about investing in a technology that might not be as actively developed or supported in the future.

k3s features and specs

  • Lightweight
    K3s is designed to be lightweight and less resource-intensive compared to full Kubernetes distributions, making it ideal for edge and IoT devices, as well as development environments.
  • Easy Installation
    K3s provides a simple installation process, requiring only a single binary for installation, which simplifies the setup procedure for users.
  • Low Resource Usage
    By stripping away non-essential features, K3s consumes significantly fewer resources, lowering the barrier to entry for running Kubernetes on resource-constrained environments.
  • Fully CNCF Conformant
    K3s is certified by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) as conformant with standard Kubernetes, meaning it follows the same API and operational model.
  • Built-In Database
    K3s includes an embedded SQLite database by default, which simplifies deployment and reduces the complexity associated with managing an external etcd cluster.
  • Automated TLS Management
    K3s has integrated support for TLS certificates management, which helps in ensuring secure communications between components without additional configuration.
  • Ecosystem Compatibility
    K3s supports popular Kubernetes add-ons and CI/CD tools, so it can be seamlessly integrated into existing Kubernetes-based workflows.

Possible disadvantages of k3s

  • Reduced Feature Set
    To keep K3s lightweight, some non-essential Kubernetes features and components are omitted or replaced, which might limit functionality for more advanced use cases.
  • Lack of Scalability
    K3s is optimized for smaller clusters and edge environments, so it may not scale as efficiently as standard Kubernetes distributions in large, enterprise-level deployments.
  • Embedded SQLite Limitations
    While the built-in SQLite database simplifies initial setup, it may not handle high write loads or offer the same reliability and performance as an external etcd cluster for production environments.
  • Community and Enterprise Support
    Although supported by the Kubernetes community, K3s may have less enterprise-grade support and fewer educational resources compared to other full-featured Kubernetes distributions.
  • Ecosystem Integration
    Certain Kubernetes tools or cloud services optimized for full Kubernetes distributions may not work seamlessly with K3s, requiring custom configurations or workarounds.
  • Limited Networking Options
    K3s might have fewer networking configuration options compared to full-featured Kubernetes implementations, potentially restricting advanced network setup.
  • Simplified Security Model
    K3s implements a simplified security model which might lack some advanced security features and policies found in the standard Kubernetes distribution.

Docker Swarm videos

Kubernetes vs Docker Swarm | Container Orchestration War | Kubernetes Training | Edureka

More videos:

  • Review - Roberto Fuentes – NodeJS with Docker Swarm

k3s videos

Siroko K3s Sun Glasses Unboxing and Review | Big Muscle Gains

More videos:

  • Review - Elecraft K3S Transceiver Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Docker Swarm and k3s)
Developer Tools
55 55%
45% 45
Cloud Computing
29 29%
71% 71
DevOps Tools
46 46%
54% 54
Containers As A Service
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Docker Swarm and k3s

Docker Swarm Reviews

Top 12 Kubernetes Alternatives to Choose From in 2023
With Docker Swarm, you can create and manage a cluster of Docker nodes, enabling the deployment and scaling of containerized applications across a distributed environment.
Source: humalect.com
11 Best Rancher Alternatives Multi Cluster Orchestration Platform
Next, we have Docker Swarm on our alternatives to rancher list. Docker Swarm is a lightweight container orchestration tool that lets you create, deploy and manage containerized applications. It is even one of the most popular container orchestration tools after Kubernetes.
Docker Swarm vs Kubernetes: how to choose a container orchestration tool
Docker Swarm is an open-source container orchestration platform built and maintained by Docker. Under the hood, Docker Swarm converts multiple Docker instances into a single virtual host. A Docker Swarm cluster generally contains three items:
Source: circleci.com

k3s Reviews

We have no reviews of k3s yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, k3s seems to be a lot more popular than Docker Swarm. While we know about 175 links to k3s, we've tracked only 3 mentions of Docker Swarm. 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.

Docker Swarm mentions (3)

  • Ask HN: Why did K8s win against Docker Swarm?
    Docker Swarm Classic (https://github.com/docker-archive/classicswarm) is dead. Docker Swarm Mode is alive, and I know some people use it, but it's very niche compared to k8s. As someone who interacts with k8s regularly, I often feel like there is a place for a simpler k8s alternative. But looking at history I see the attempts like Swarm fail. What do you think played the decisive role in the k8s victory? Features,... - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • K8s vs Docker Swarm
    So the thing is support for Swarm was delegated to Mirantis, https://www.mirantis.com/blog/mirantis-will-continue-to-support-and-develop-docker-swarm/ since it was delegated very little was done to move forward swarm _> https://github.com/moby/swarmkit/commits/master , docker swarm itself (docker the company) is deprecated https://github.com/docker-archive/classicswarm . I think because there's no way to... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • #30DaysOfAppwrite: Docker Swarm Integration
    Docker Swarm is a container orchestration tool built right into the Docker CLI which allows us to deploy our Docker services to a cluster of hosts, instead of just the one allowed with Docker Compose. This is known as Swarm Mode, not to be confused with the classic Docker Swarm that is no longer being developed as a standalone product. Docker Swarm works great with Appwrite as it builds upon the Compose... - Source: dev.to / almost 4 years ago

k3s mentions (175)

  • Scaling Spin Apps With KEDA
    Setting up the Kubernetes cluster and the AWS SQS queue is outside the scope of this article, but you can deploy an Amazon EKS cluster by following this guide, or use k3s as a lightweight, local alternative. For setting up an SQS queue, refer to this tutorial. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • My 2024 review
    Start with small-scale experiments using k3s/k3d. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Using SpinKube on Kairos
    This will initialize K3S (a lightweight Kubernetes distribution), and will configure the Kairos SpinKube bundle we will install in a moment. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • A Very Deep Dive Into Docker Builds
    Finally the main reason for us is the choice of runtime. We have very decent container runtimes (RKE, RHOS, K3s) available to deploy applications. We are very familiar with them, and they offer us a lot of functionality. These all support containers primarily. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • Building a Kubernetes Cluster from Scratch With K3s And MetalLB
    I used K3S in my cluster because it is a lightweight, stripped-down version of Kubernetes that’s ideal for running on resource-constrained devices like Raspberry PIs I plan to use in my home lab cluster. K3S can be installed through a shell script:. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Docker Swarm and k3s, you can also consider the following products

Kubernetes - Kubernetes is an open source orchestration system for Docker containers

Rancher - Open Source Platform for Running a Private Container Service

Kind - Kind is a web-based tool that provides you the features to operate the local kubernetes clusters with the help of a docker container named nodes.

Docker Compose - Define and run multi-container applications with Docker

k3sup - from Zero to KUBECONFIG in < 1 min 🚀. Contribute to alexellis/k3sup development by creating an account on GitHub.

Helm.sh - The Kubernetes Package Manager