DeepFlow

DeepFlow suits teams responsible for complex cloud infrastructure and cloud-native applications that want service mapping, tracing and profiling in one observability product. Its free, open-source core is compelling for self-managed environments; teams needing alerting, reports or custom dashboards should consider Enterprise.

Overview

DeepFlow uses eBPF to collect application performance metrics, distributed traces and continuous profiling data without intruding on applications. Its combination of signals and a universal service map makes it a broader choice than a tool focused on one kind of observability data.

The core modules are Apache 2.0 licensed, and deployment can be hybrid. Kubernetes and Docker Compose are documented options for an all-in-one installation. Yunshan Networks, the Beijing-based maker, was founded in December 2011. For more tools in this area, browse eBPF Observability Tools.

Key features

Service map, traces and profiles

The universal service map shows service relationships, distributed tracing follows requests across services, and continuous profiling supplies performance data over time. Together they give teams a way to relate application behavior to infrastructure rather than relying on a single signal. That breadth is useful for complex environments, but may be more than teams seeking only a focused tracing tool need.

Protocol parsing and integrations

Built-in parsing covers HTTP, HTTPS, Dubbo, gRPC, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Redis, MongoDB, Kafka, MQTT and DNS. This range can help teams working across mixed service stacks inspect common traffic without limiting the product to one application protocol.

DeepFlow can act as a storage backend for Prometheus, OpenTelemetry, SkyWalking and Pyroscope, and exposes SQL, PromQL and OTLP interfaces. AutoTagging associates observability data with cloud and Kubernetes resources, Kubernetes tags and CMDB business tags. These capabilities support teams that need to connect telemetry to existing systems and business context.

Deployment and enterprise controls

Kubernetes support and documented Kubernetes and Docker Compose installation methods give self-managed teams practical deployment options. Enterprise adds encrypted transmission between agent and server, multi-tenancy and data permission isolation—relevant controls for organizations with security or tenant separation requirements.

Pricing

Community Edition: free. This open-source edition supports Linux servers and selected Kubernetes, cloud and container environments. It is the natural starting point for teams able to run the product themselves, but does not include alert management, report management or custom dashboard management.

Cloud Edition: custom pricing. It is a fully managed platform described as being in the testing trial phase, which may suit teams considering managed operation rather than an all-in-one self-managed deployment.

Enterprise Edition: custom pricing. It adds enterprise features and services, including security controls and after-sales support for troubleshooting, performance tuning, version upgrades and implementation best practices. Organizations needing those controls or operational assistance should weigh this tier against Community's management-feature limits.

A free trial is available. No trial length or renewal terms are given.

Platforms

DeepFlow supports Linux, Windows and Android, and is also available through API, web and self-hosted environments. Kubernetes support, hybrid deployment, network visibility, application tracing and kernel profiling make it relevant to teams spanning infrastructure and application monitoring.

Who it's for

DeepFlow is best suited to teams managing complex cloud or cloud-native systems that want service mapping, distributed traces, continuous profiling and broad protocol parsing together. Its open-source core and self-managed installation options suit teams prepared to operate their observability stack. Teams whose workflows depend on alerts, reports or custom dashboards should look to Enterprise; those seeking a managed service may consider Cloud Edition.

Pros and cons

• Pros: The service map, tracing and profiling bring complementary signals together for infrastructure and application observability.
• Pros: Protocol parsing spans databases, messaging systems and web protocols, while Prometheus, OpenTelemetry, SkyWalking and Pyroscope integrations broaden its place in an existing stack.
• Pros: Apache 2.0 core modules and Kubernetes or Docker Compose all-in-one deployment give self-managing teams a free entry point.
• Cons: Community lacks alert management, report management and custom dashboard management, limiting its fit for teams that need those workflows without an Enterprise plan.
• Cons: Enterprise adds important security controls and support, but can require a custom-priced commitment.

Alternatives

Kubeshark is worth considering for a smaller deployment: its free Community plan covers up to 3 nodes or 60 pods, requires internet connectivity and includes unlimited API calls plus community support.

Qpoint may suit teams focused on endpoint monitoring and attribution: its free Community plan covers up to 25 endpoints and includes agent discovery, policy plugins and source enforcement.

Coroot offers a self-hosted Apache 2.0 Community Edition with core features, making it another free, open-source option to compare.

groundcover is an alternative for teams seeking a free BYOC option with 12-hour data retention and Slack Community support.

Inspektor Gadget is a free open-source tools and framework option for Linux 5.10 or newer with BTF support for project gadgets.

Odigos offers a free, Apache 2.0 Open Source plan centered on core OpenTelemetry tracing.

Pyroscope may be a better fit for profiling-focused needs: its free plan includes 50 GB of ingestion per month and 14-day retention.

BCC is another free, Apache-2.0 licensed option for Linux kernel 4.1 or newer.

Verdict

Choose DeepFlow if your team wants an open-source foundation for service mapping, distributed tracing and profiling across complex cloud-native systems, especially where protocol breadth and integrations matter. Look elsewhere if you need alerting, reporting or custom dashboards without moving to a custom-priced Enterprise plan, or if you want a narrower tool centered on one observability task.