Side by side
kpack vs rules_docker
Both stand on container build tools. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APISelf-hosted
kpack provides declarative, daemonless image builds and automatic rebuilds within Kubernetes. Check the registry constraint and installation requirements before adopting it.
Visit kpack Free plan LinuxMac
rules_docker provides a broad set of Bazel container rules, including basic operations that do not use Docker. Consider its maintenance status and Windows exclusion, and note that some additional container operations do require Docker.
Visit rules_dockerThe facts
| kpack | rules_docker | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Self-hosted | Linux, Mac |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | github.com | github.com |
| On container build tools | #20 of 34 | #24 of 34 |
kpack: what it does well
- Automatically rebuilds images after relevant changes.
- Supports volume-based and registry-based caching.
- Kubernetes secrets can provide publishing credentials.
- Free and open source under Apache-2.0.
What to know first
- Requires Kubernetes 1.22 or later.
- Installation requires cluster-admin permissions.
- Additional image tags must use the configured registry.
- SSH host key checking is disabled by default.
rules_docker: what it does well
- Basic image operations do not require or use Docker
- container_image outputs are described as reproducible
- Language rules cover nine programming languages
- Does not require workstation root access
What to know first
- Windows is not supported
- Package installation and in-container commands require Docker
- Maintained on an as-needed basis
Alternatives to kpack Alternatives to rules_docker The whole list