Finding the right Kubernetes deployment can change everything. We are going to learn K3s vs K8s. Do you consider the power of the full Kubernetes (K8s), or are consolidation and speed more important with K3s? This is a problem many developers, DevOps, and companies currently have.
K3s and K8s are both created to orchestrate container workloads, but they are not exactly the same. Each has its pros and cons and its own set of use cases. In this article, we’ll examine the differences, compare how they perform, and present real-world examples.
Without further ado, let’s jump in and see which one will be best suited for you!
K3s vs K8s: What is K3s and How Does It Compare to K8s?
K3s is a light-weight Kubernetes distribution (59 MB). That’s easy to install, half the memory, all in a binary less than half the size of kubectl and Makefile! When you’ve a small device, or are operating at the edge where resources are tight, it’s been optimized for that, too. Whereas K8s is the whole Kubernetes stack, this has been crafted to work under heavy enterprise loads on complex architecture.
K3s streamlines that with a single binary of around 40 MB in size, as opposed to K8s’ 300+ MB. It eliminates legacy functionalities and in-tree cloud providers, providing accelerated installation speed and more convenient management for edge applications.
K8s shines in big clusters and complex systems. It also has a huge collection of plugins and custom resources, providing you with more control for advanced setups.
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What Makes K3s Ideal for Edge Computing?
K3s provides the best-in-class for edge computing as it is resource-light. It’s a lean and mean piece of software that can run great on small devices such as a Raspberry Pi and ARM-based servers. K3s also starts quickly and doesn’t need a massive system to run it.
And K8s can be overkill in the edge. It has a higher consumption of RAM and CPU. Which is why K3s is well-suited for IoT solutions and remote clusters. It provides the same Kubernetes API with less overhead.
In a smart home or a factory IoT device, for example, K3s makes sure containers run well, despite having constrained hardware.
K3s vs K8s: How Do Both Compare in Performance and Speed?
K3s is better than K8s in a low-resource environment. It’s lighter on system resources because it doesn’t have the features found in the more modest setups that it’s not meant for. In K8s, there are a few extra components running as separate services, such as kube-controller-manager, kube-scheduler, and etcd. This adds overhead.
In the real world, K3s can consume 50% less RAM and CPU than K8s running the same workloads. And for developers in small labs or environments, that’s a massive difference.
For these large stacks with thousands of pods, Kubernetes (K8s) is still the king. It can also be more sophisticated in terms of networking, security, and configurations due to its richer set of features.
How Do K0s vs K3s vs K8s Compare?
When choosing between K0s, K3s, and K8s, it helps to see them side-by-side. Here’s an expanded table to make it easier to decide:
| Feature | K3s | K8s | k0s |
| Binary Size | ~40 MB | ~300 MB | ~100 MB |
| Install Complexity | Very easy (single binary) | Complex (multi-binary) | Easy (single binary) |
| System Requirements | Low | High | Moderate |
| Best Use Case | Edge, IoT, dev environments | Large clusters, enterprise | Small-medium clusters |
| Networking | Basic, simple CNI support | Advanced (network plugins) | Basic to advanced |
| Custom Resources | Yes (with limitations) | Yes (full support) | Yes (full support) |
| API Conformance | Certified Kubernetes | Certified Kubernetes | Certified Kubernetes |
| Cloud Integration | Limited | Extensive (cloud native) | Moderate |
| Typical Use Case | IoT, dev/test clusters | Enterprise workloads | Easy to manage clusters |
This comparison table helps you decide based on your resources and deployment needs.
What is The Role of K9s in K3s vs K8s vs K9s?
K9s is not a container orchestrator like K3s or K8s; it’s a command-line interface that makes it easy to manage your Kubernetes clusters. K9s to monitor your K3s or K8s cluster: All the way down to the metal!
While you run K3s or K8s, K9s is there to help you tail logs, inspect pods, and monitor resources in real-time. It gives you a bird’s-eye view of your clusters without the need to open a full GUI dashboard.
So, as K3s and K8s take care of orchestrating, K9s is your trusted cockpit to navigate and manage those workloads.
How Can CyberPanel Be Useful in Kubernetes Management?
CyberPanel is a robust web hosting control panel, but it is able to handle container-based workloads. Even if your primary workloads are on K3s or K8s clusters, you can still use CyberPanel to perform DNS, security, and backup operations.
CyberPanel speeds up a lot of tasks, such as SSL, databases, etc. It has integration with cloud providers and CI/CD pipelines for a seamless experience on your Kubernetes cluster.
For edge deployments with K3s and larger setups with K8s, CyberPanel takes as much of the grind off your hands so you can worry about scaling your apps and performance tuning.
FAQs About K3s vs K8s
Q1: Is K3s production-ready?
Yes, K3s is fully certified and production grade, in particular when it comes to edge and small clusters.
Q2: Is K3s capable of running the same workload as K8s does?
Absolutely! While K3s is compatible with typical Kubernetes APIs and tasks, it has a reduced footprint.
Q3: When to use K3s rather than K8s?
If you are working with small environments, edge environments, or testing clusters, K3s is faster and easier to manage.
Q4: What is the main advantage of K3s?
It’s light on the resource side, and it is easy to set up, which makes it suitable for low-power environments and for edge computing.
Q5: Where does k0s come into this?
K0s introduces the simple concept of K3s but takes it a step further, offering now the complete Kubernetes experience for very small (and normal) clusters.
Final Thoughts!
Ultimately, K8s vs K3s relies upon the kind of project you are working on, its magnitude, and the resources at your disposal. K3s is great where resources are limited in small installs with good performance. The whole feature set K8s brings is best deployed and used in enterprises and large-scale deployments.
Understanding what separates them and how well they align with your goals, because an informed decision is the kind you make with a clear head, rather than taking a shot-in-the-dark approach on the next orchestration solution.
Ready to take the next step? Jump into K3s or K8s and let your infrastructure loose!
