Canonical MicroK8s
The small, fast, single-package Kubernetes for developers, IoT and edge.
Overview
MicroK8s is a low-ops, minimal-footprint Kubernetes distribution from Canonical, the makers of Ubuntu. It is delivered as a single snap package that installs a single-node cluster in seconds. MicroK8s is ideal for offline development, prototyping, testing, and deploying to edge and IoT devices. It can also be configured for high-availability multi-node clusters.
✨ Key Features
- Single-package installation (snap)
- Minimal resource footprint
- Built-in addons for common services (Istio, Prometheus, Kubeflow, etc.)
- Automatic updates
- High-availability clustering
- Runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS
🎯 Key Differentiators
- Extremely simple installation and management
- Rich set of built-in addons
- Enterprise support from Canonical
Unique Value: Provides a full, conformant Kubernetes experience with zero ops, making it incredibly easy to get started and manage.
🎯 Use Cases (4)
✅ Best For
- Running a full Kubernetes environment on a developer's laptop
- Deploying containerized applications to edge gateways and devices
- Creating small, resilient Kubernetes clusters for branch offices
💡 Check With Vendor
Verify these considerations match your specific requirements:
- Large, complex data center deployments where a more feature-rich platform like OpenShift might be preferred
🏆 Alternatives
Compared to K3s, it offers a simpler addon management system. Compared to Minikube or Docker Desktop, it is more focused on production use cases for edge and IoT, not just local development.
💻 Platforms
✅ Offline Mode Available
🔌 Integrations
🛟 Support Options
- ✓ Email Support
- ✓ Phone Support
- ✓ Dedicated Support (Ubuntu Pro tier)
💰 Pricing
Free tier: MicroK8s is free and open source.
🔄 Similar Tools in Legacy Modernization
Docker
A platform for developing, shipping, and running applications in containers....
Kubernetes
An open-source system for automating deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applicatio...
Red Hat OpenShift
A hybrid cloud, enterprise Kubernetes platform to build and deliver better applications faster....
VMware Tanzu
A portfolio of products and services to build, run, and manage modern applications on any cloud....
Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
A managed, production-ready environment for deploying containerized applications....
Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS)
A managed Kubernetes service to run Kubernetes in the AWS cloud and on-premises data centers....