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k3s VS Azure DevOps

Compare k3s VS Azure DevOps and see what are their differences

k3s logo k3s

K3s is a lightweight Kubernetes distribution by Rancher Labs intended for IoT, Edge, and cloud deployments.

Azure DevOps logo Azure DevOps

Visual Studio dev tools & services make app development easy for any platform & language. Try our Mac & Windows code editor, IDE, or Azure DevOps for free.
  • k3s Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-09
  • Azure DevOps Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-05-21

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.

Azure DevOps features and specs

  • Comprehensive Suite
    Azure DevOps offers a complete suite of tools for DevOps practices including Azure Repos, Azure Pipelines, Azure Boards, Azure Test Plans, and Azure Artifacts, making it a one-stop solution.
  • Scalability
    Azure DevOps is highly scalable, catering to organizations of all sizesโ€”from small startups to large enterprises.
  • Integrations
    Seamlessly integrates with numerous third-party tools and services, as well as other Microsoft products like Azure, making it highly flexible.
  • Customization
    Offers extensive customization options such as personalized dashboards, customized pipelines, and tailor-made workflows to suit specific project needs.
  • Cloud-Agility
    Being a cloud-based service, it offers the benefits of easy access, regular updates, and reduced need for maintenance.
  • Security
    Provides robust security features including role-based access control, auditing, and compliance with various industry standards.
  • Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)
    Supports end-to-end CI/CD processes, making it easier to automate builds, tests, and deployments.
  • Community and Support
    Large community of users and strong support from Microsoft, offering plenty of resources for troubleshooting and getting help.

Possible disadvantages of Azure DevOps

  • Complexity
    The rich feature set can be overwhelming for new users, requiring a steep learning curve.
  • Cost
    Can be expensive for small teams and organizations, particularly if advanced features and higher user limits are required.
  • Azure Dependency
    While it integrates well with other cloud providers, the full potential of Azure DevOps is best realized when used in conjunction with other Azure services.
  • Performance
    Users have reported occasional performance issues, particularly with complex pipelines or large repositories.
  • Limited Offline Capabilities
    As a cloud-based service, Azure DevOps offers limited capabilities when offline access is needed.
  • Usability
    Some users find the interface to be less intuitive compared to other DevOps tools in the market, requiring additional training and adaptation.

Analysis of Azure DevOps

Overall verdict

  • Azure DevOps is a robust and versatile platform for managing software development. It is widely regarded as a strong choice for organizations seeking an integrated, end-to-end solution for DevOps practices. Its rich feature set and flexibility make it suitable for a wide array of projects and teams.

Why this product is good

  • Azure DevOps is considered good for several reasons. It provides a comprehensive suite of tools for managing the entire software development lifecycle, supporting continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD), version control, project management, and collaboration. It integrates well with other popular development tools and services, including those from Microsoft and third parties. The platform is highly scalable, secure, and reliable, making it suitable for both small teams and large enterprises. Additionally, Azure DevOps supports multiple programming languages and frameworks, providing flexibility for diverse development needs.

Recommended for

  • Software development teams of all sizes
  • Organizations adopting DevOps practices
  • Enterprises looking for a scalable and secure platform
  • Teams requiring integration with other Microsoft services
  • Projects needing support for multiple programming languages and frameworks
  • Development environments that benefit from a comprehensive ALM solution

k3s videos

Siroko K3s Sun Glasses Unboxing and Review | Big Muscle Gains

More videos:

  • Review - Elecraft K3S Transceiver Review

Azure DevOps videos

The Top 5 BEST VSTs of 2018

More videos:

  • Review - Agile with Visual Studio Team Services
  • Review - Introduction to Azure DevOps
  • Review - Should You Buy Purity VST still ? "Top 5 BEST VSTs of 2020"
  • Review - Visual Studio Team Services vs Team Foundation Server
  • Review - Azure DevOps Project, is it Worth it?
  • Review - Pull Requests in Azure DevOps
  • Review - Git with Visual Studio Team Services

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to k3s and Azure DevOps)
Cloud Computing
100 100%
0% 0
Git
0 0%
100% 100
Developer Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Continuous Integration
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

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

k3s Reviews

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Azure DevOps Reviews

Top 7 GitHub Alternatives You Should Know (2024)
Azure DevOps is a cloud-based platform from Microsoft that offers a suite of tools and features for the entire software development lifecycle.
Source: snappify.com
Top 10 Most Popular Jenkins Alternatives for DevOps in 2024
Azure Pipelines tightly integrates with GitHub to display pipeline statuses in your PRs, run jobs automatically in response to repository events, and automatically deploy your projects. The solution is also extensible with custom tasks and integrations, making it a good fit for teams that need to retain Jenkinsโ€™ customization capabilities but want a managed service thatโ€™s...
Source: spacelift.io

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, k3s should be more popular than Azure DevOps. It has been mentiond 179 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.

k3s mentions (179)

  • OTEL Observability with Langfuse for Strands Agents
    I am using K3S for launching a single node kubernetes cluster. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Kubernetes Overview: Container Orchestration & Cloud-Native
    Yes, tools like Minikube, kind, and k3s create single-node clusters for development and testing. However, production Kubernetes is designed for distributed environments. Single-node deployments forfeit high availability, scalability, and fault tolerance benefits that justify Kubernetes complexity. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Setting up a Docker Hub pull-through cache with Tigris
    A server with Docker and Docker Compose installed Or a Kubernetes cluster with HTTP ingress set up (such as with k3s and Traefik). - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • What Would a Kubernetes 2.0 Look Like
    > I'd want k8s-lite, that was more opinionated and less flexible You seem to want something like https://skateco.github.io/ (still compatible to k8s manifests). Or maybe even something like https://uncloud.run/ Or if you still want real certified Kubernetes, but small, there is https://k3s.io/. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • 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 / 10 months ago
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Azure DevOps mentions (103)

  • Using Ansible in CI/CD Workflows
    CI/CD can take different forms. You might see it running through GitHub Actions, GitLab Pipelines, Azure DevOps, or AWS CodePipeline. In each case, the goal is to make deployments consistent, fast, and safe. - Source: dev.to / 1 day ago
  • How to Set Up a CI/CD Pipeline on Azure Cloud
    CI/CD on Azure means using Azure DevOps (or GitHub Actions, also supported by Azure) to automate the software lifecycle. - Source: dev.to / 12 days ago
  • Belitsoft: Core Azure Building Blocks for Enterprise .NET Apps in 2025
    Azure DevOps is Microsoftโ€™s integrated suite (Azure Repos for Git, Azure Boards for work tracking, Azure Pipelines for CI/CD, etc.) that many enterprises adopt to manage their software development lifecycle. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • AI Integration and the Traceability Gap: Atlassian vs. Competitors
    Azure DevOps is Microsoftโ€™s all-in-one platform for source control, build pipelines, test management, and release workflows [Azure DevOps overview: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/devops/]. Itโ€™s popular with enterprises for a reason: seamless integration with Microsoftโ€™s ecosystem, flexible processes, and robust security and permissions. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • The Pain That Is GitHub Actions
    Although, I never saw a public announcement of this discontinuation, ADO is kind of abandoned AFAICT and even their landing page hints to use GitHub Enterprise instead [1]. [1] https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/devops. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing k3s and Azure DevOps, you can also consider the following products

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

Jenkins - Jenkins is an open-source continuous integration server with 300+ plugins to support all kinds of software development

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.

CircleCI - CircleCI gives web developers powerful Continuous Integration and Deployment with easy setup and maintenance.

k3sup - from Zero to KUBECONFIG in < 1 min ๐Ÿš€. Contribute to alexellis/k3sup development by creating an account on GitHub.

Travis CI - Simple, flexible, trustworthy CI/CD tools. Join hundreds of thousands who define tests and deployments in minutes, then scale up simply with parallel or multi-environment builds using Travis CIโ€™s precision syntaxโ€”all with the developer in mind.