head to head · open source
kubernetes vs OpenStack
kubernetes has 128,645 GitHub stars, 45,747 forks, 3,072 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. OpenStack has 6,072 stars, 1,625 forks, 1 open issues and last shipped yesterday. kubernetes leads on adoption by 2,019% (128,645 vs 6,072 stars). kubernetes is written in Go under Apache-2.0; OpenStack is written in Python under Apache-2.0. kubernetes has attracted 36% as many forks as stars, OpenStack 27%. OpenStack was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| kubernetes | OpenStack | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 129K | ★ 6.1K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Go | Python |
| Last push | 2026-11-03 | 2026-11-04 |
| Forks | ⑂ 46K | ⑂ 1.6K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick kubernetes if
- You weight community size — 129K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick OpenStack if
- You want the OpenStack feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and OpenStack fits your workflow better
About kubernetes
Kubernetes (K8s) Kubernetes, also known as K8s, is an open source system for managing [containerized applications] across multiple hosts. It provides basic mechanisms for the deployment, maintenance, and scaling of applications. Kubernetes builds upon a decade and a half of experience at Google running production workloads at scale using a system called [Borg], combined with best of breed ideas and practices from the community. Kubernetes is hosted by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation ([CNCF]). If your company wants to help shape the evolution of technologies that are container packaged, dynamically…
read the full kubernetes overview →
About OpenStack
OpenStack ========= OpenStack is a collection of interoperable components that can be deployed to provide computing, networking and storage resources. Those infrastructure resources can then be accessed by end users through programmable APIs. This repository just represents OpenStack as a collection of git submodules. You can find the repositories for individual components at: You can learn more about the various components in OpenStack at: To learn more about how to contribute to OpenStack, please head to our Contributor portal: To learn more about how OpenStack is governed, you can visit: Why this repository ?…
read the full OpenStack overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is kubernetes or OpenStack more popular?
kubernetes has 128,645 GitHub stars and OpenStack has 6,072. kubernetes has the larger community by that measure.
Are kubernetes and OpenStack free?
Both are open source. kubernetes is licensed under Apache-2.0 and OpenStack under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between kubernetes and OpenStack?
kubernetes is written in Go and OpenStack in Python. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, kubernetes or OpenStack?
Choose kubernetes if you want the larger community (128,645 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose OpenStack if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.