VDS vs Shared vs Dedicated vs Cloud. What is The Best Option for You?
Infrastructure
26.10.2021
10 min read
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There are many technologies used to deploy projects on the web. Some are cheap and simple to configure. Others are more complex but capable of many things.
Let us take a closer look at them. VDS versus Shared versus Cloud and Dedicated servers. How they are different and which is the best.
What is a hosting?
Hosting is a platform that provides developers, webmasters, and administrators with a special combination of software and hardware (this combination is also called a "server") that is used to publish applications and websites on the internet (this process is called "deploying").
What is shared hosting?
This is a very affordable solution which allows many beginners to host their websites on the Internet fairly easily. Functionally they’re restricted but essentially quite close to more powerful servers so you’ll be on par with most of the developers and webmasters out there. You will have a database, a domain name, access to a FTP-server to deploy files on your site, and everything else that is necessary to host a fully functional website.
But there are two massive caveats. First of all, you won’t have any control of the apps and services you run on your "kinda server". Moreover, you don’t get robust performance using sharing-hosting because of its technical nature.
How does shared hosting work?
Shared hosting is not real hosting (and is not even close to a fully-fledged server). That is why people sometimes call it "virtual". When you rent Shared hosting you get a certain amount of space on SSD and a piece of software running on a remote computer and emulating workspace for website deployment. And your website will be on the same hard drive as many other websites. Why is this considered a problem?
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Even on best shared web hosting the hardware power is noticeably restricted because you share it with others. Also, when one user’s site from one virtual hosting is "stress-tested" by a big chunk of an audience, your website will be affected too.
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Moreover, webmasters renting Shared hosting have no control over the used server. It is managed by an administrator provided by the host. So, there’s no real privacy.
What is shared hosting used for?
The technology itself has no specific purpose. You can deploy any type of website on Shared hosting.
In most cases, it is used for publishing static pages (portfolios, landing pages, etc.) and has limited performance and functionality. But some webmasters successfully use it to maintain large projects based on a popular (and resource-demanding) site builder called WordPress.
It can’t be used to run complex web applications because you need a lot of tools to launch them and hosts will never let you install them on shared hardware.
How to choose the best shared hosting?
Shared hosts are usually not so different from each other. When considering what is the best solution for your project you should pick a host with a good reputation. Something big in terms of the user base.
This approach guarantees the safety of files stored on the server and qualified help from the host’s support team.
Also, you should rent a server with enough space and a fast CPU, so visitors of deployed sites do not experience constant performance drops.
Best shared web hosts are:
What is a VPS hosting?
VPS stands for Virtual Private Server. You might notice that we are once again talking about virtual servers but there is a difference that lies deep inside a technological implementation of VPS.
An alternative way of configuring such servers opens many new opportunities for anyone who rents a VPS. You can deploy it on fully functional web applications, databases of any size, and even operating systems like Windows and work with it remotely. Anything you want. And in most cases without performance drops and privacy issues.
And at the same time, such hosts are not too pricey, so they become one of the most common solutions for any developer or webmaster.
How does a VPS hosting work?
Under the hood of VPS, a curious person might discover technology called virtualization. As is the case with shared hosts you have a piece of software that imitates a server. But more advanced software makes it possible to create a totally isolated workspace for every developer and it feels and works like an actual computer even though it is not.
There are different tools to virtualize PCs but the most common are OpenVZ and KVM.
The first one works on Linux and lets webmasters quickly add or remove hardware components from virtual servers adapting it to the ever-changing criteria of an actual server. The last one gives you extremely profound access to system components. Even BIOS. And lets you use a Windows Server.
What is a VPS hosting server used for?
For anything you would like. A tremendous amount of exaggerated corporations and small online shops use VPS’s to host their projects online. You can deploy on it WordPress-based sites and their counterparts like Drupal or Joomla. It is possible to publish Node.js or Flask applications. Also, webmasters might avail themselves of VPS’s to access remote databases.
Whatever you can do with the real thing, you can do using a Virtual Private Server with KVM technology virtualization utilized.
How to choose the best VPS hosting
First of all, you have to choose what virtualization technology to use. If you need something cheaper but less functional and secure, it would be better to rent a server with OpenVZ-hypervisor preinstalled. If you need something more robust, performant, and functionally unrestricted, you should choose a server with KVM- or VMWare-hypervisor preinstalled.
Characteristics like the reputation of the host and hardware are also important.
Furthermore, if you are happy with the price for renting your chosen VPS, you might find options with a free domain name and better support for different control panels, etc.
Some of them, like Hostman, offer machines with preinstalled software (gaming servers, databases, analytics systems, etc.) and without any need to manually configure the remote OS.
Best VPN hosts are:
What is VDS hosting?
What does VDS stand for? Virtual Dedicated Server. Another virtual server? I would say the same because it is actually identical technology overall. But some webmasters for an unknown reason decided that VPS are servers that use OpenVZ (and similar software) exclusively and dedicated virtual servers are ones that use KVM, XEN, VMWare, and more similar technologies.
If you are more comfortable with such a definition try to imagine VPS as a Linux-based virtual server with more flexible hardware settings but less control and VDS to be the one with unprecedented control and the opportunity to choose any OS to install on a rented remote PC.
What is a dedicated server?
Here we finally have an actual computer. No virtualization, no shared hardware. It is a server in its pristine form. You just ask the host to rent you a PC with all the components inside belonging to you when you pay.
The good thing about dedicated servers (or bare-metal servers) is that they are completely independent. You are protected from other's mistakes and your server will not shut down because webmasters and developers broke stuff using the same piece of SSD that was rented by you.
You get as much power as a rented PC can give, and the same thing goes for privacy.
How does a dedicated server work?
There is no reason to implement technologies like virtualization to manipulate dedicated servers. It is a computer, so the only application you need is some kind of utility that helps access the rented server remotely.
In the case of a Linux server, you might want to use a built-in OpenSSH client. This is a program used by developers and webmasters to pass commands to the terminal inside the Linux system running on a remote computer through a secure protocol that protects the connection between you and the host.
In the case of Windows Server or macOS Server, you need to find proprietary software (first-party or third-party is not so important) that can establish a connection between two PCs from different networks.
What is a dedicated server used for?
It is a much more powerful type of hosting than VPS so you can naturally deploy any kind of site or application that is supported by a virtual server.
But usually developers rent such powerful hardware platforms to deploy especially resource-demanding projects. The first thing that comes to mind is gaming servers. Virtual worlds where the success of skilled players depends heavily on a strong network connection and overall stability of the gaming platform.
The best choice for those who need a lot of power without any limitations.
How to choose the best dedicated server?
Choosing a dedicated server is like choosing an actual computer for your needs. A lot of attention should be paid to the hardware itself. If you know that your app needs about 16 GBs of RAM to run smoothly, consider renting a more powerful server so it will not falter after launching.
Try to find a host that not only gives you a capable machine but also offers a security certificate and a free domain name. Also, good hosts can boast of a proactive and effective support team.
Best dedicated servers are:
What is Cloud hosting?
The last solution in our guide is cloud hosting. Think of it as a VPS but on a larger scale. They are quite close to each other in terms of usability and even technical aspects. The main difference is the potential performance of both.
Cloud hosting has no limits in terms of power and capability. It is such a flexible structure that you can adapt it to be the best platform for a website or application of any type. And this one will be easy to operate and profitable as well.
How does cloud hosting work?
This one is similar to a VPS because cloud hosting is an ephemeral segment of virtual resources but Shared hosting, VPS and VDS do not come close to matching the flexibility of clouds.
When you rent a VPS you get a certain amount of "power" accessible once you buy more on the same or another physical server. Cloud is different because it is not a server at all but a vast number of computers around the globe that together form a network of available resources to deploy and maintain an application or database of any scale and purpose.
And what is also important, one provider can offer cloud hosting for thousands of clients but they never affect each other’s projects in any way. You get complete isolation.
What is cloud hosting used for?
The effortless scalability of cloud-hosted servers makes them perfect for any type of task. Any developer or webmaster can set up a unique configuration of his own cloud to meet the renter’s demands. And the cloud itself will be altered so the hosted application always works best for any user trying to access it.
The other good thing about clouds is you get the benefits of capabilities of physical devices. You can use the system components of many of them.
And that is why cloud hosting is just an uncompromising solution to create virtual workspaces, large archives of data, dynamically changing apps, giant gaming servers, etc.
How to choose the best cloud host?
There aren’t that many providers of clouds that are considered good. You should probably look at solutions from the best cloud hosting providers like Google, Amazon, IBM, and Microsoft as the most reliable and functional.
All four corporations offer amazing solutions for any kind of project.
That is it. Now you know what the difference is between different types of hosting and what type to choose for your individual project so there will be no reliability issues.
Infrastructure
26.10.2021
10 min read
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Infrastructure
What is GitOps and How to Use it?
GitOps is a new way of managing cloud infrastructure and deploying applications. Built on some familiar and recognizable developer workflows, GitOps helps you automate infrastructure changes, improve system reliability, and simplify continuous delivery.
In this tutorial, you’ll learn what GitOps is, how it works, the tools behind it, and how to implement a GitOps pipeline using Kubernetes and Hostman-compatible workflows.
GitOps working scheme
Key Takeaways
GitOps uses Git as the single source of truth for infrastructure and deployment.
It relies on declarative configurations and automatic reconciliation.
GitOps enables auditability, rollback, and faster deployments.
It works particularly well with Kubernetes and cloud-native environments.
Tools like Argo CD, Flux, and Helm are commonly used in GitOps pipelines.
What Is GitOps?
GitOps is a set of practices that uses Git repositories to manage both application code and infrastructure configurations. With its help, developers can get rid of using traditional manual revisions or ad hoc scripts, GitOps relies on Git as the authoritative source for your system’s desired state. This means your cluster configuration, deployment manifests, Helm charts, and more are stored and managed within a single Git repo.
So, when you need to update infrastructure or release a new application version, you simply commit a change to Git. GitOps controllers then detect the change and automatically update the live environment to match. This shift brings the principles of software development—such as version control, collaboration, and CI/CD—to operations teams.
GitOps is especially valuable in cloud-native environments, where teams work with Kubernetes or similar orchestration tools.
GitOps Definition
GitOps is a kind of workflow where infrastructure is treated as code (not as a full app or environment), stored in Git. It also reconciles with the actual running environment. This ensures consistency, traceability, and security throughout the deployment lifecycle.
How Does GitOps Work?
GitOps was created as the main tool to control your apps and infrastructure like the unified entity, which you control from a single Git repository. But how does it work? It’s simple - continuous reconciliation. A GitOps controller constantly checks for differences between the actual state of your infrastructure and the desired state stored in Git.
If the live state drifts (due to unnecessary or planned changes) the controller detects the inconsistency and automatically reverts the environment back to the last known perfect state as defined in Git. This is something that makes GitOps a very useful tool.
What Are the Main GitOps Tools?
GitOps relies on several open-source tools that integrate with your existing CI/CD stack. Here's a quick overview of the most popular options:
Argo CD
Argo CD is a declarative continuous delivery tool built for Kubernetes. It syncs your manifests from Git to your clusters and helps you visualize deployment status.
Flux
Flux automates Kubernetes deployments using Git as the source of truth. It's lightweight and integrates well with Helm charts.
Helm
Helm is a Kubernetes package manager. It makes application definitions simpler and is often used in GitOps to manage complex deployments.
Terraform
Let’s not forget that Terraform is not GitOps-native, It’s mainly used in GitOps pipelines for managing infrastructure outside Kubernetes, for example DNS.
Quick Overview of the GitOps Workflow
A typical GitOps workflow involves several tightly integrated steps that form a reliable deployment pipeline. Let’s walk through the process from code commit to live deployment.
A developer writes code and pushes it to a Git repository.
A CI pipeline builds the code, creates a container image, and pushes it to a container registry.
A change is made to a Kubernetes manifest or Helm chart in the Git repository.
A GitOps controller (e.g., Argo CD or Flux) detects the change and applies it to the cluster.
The cluster state is now aligned with the desired state declared in Git.
The separation between CI and CD in this model ensures that your team remains focused on writing and testing code, while deployment and environment reconciliation are fully automated. This reduces risk, accelerates delivery, and improves infrastructure transparency.
Benefits of GitOps
GitOps offers several advantages for modern DevOps teams:
Developer productivity: If you are already familiar with Git, you can easily apply your knowledge.
Auditability: You can track and backup every change that was made during the development.
Rollback support: You can easily revert changes at any moment if you need to..
Security: You can control access of your repositories all by yourself, without someone crushing into your code.
Faster recovery: Everything is "on the air live”, so if you need to backup your file faster.
How to Set Up a GitOps Pipeline
Here’s a basic example of setting up a GitOps pipeline using Argo CD on a Kubernetes cluster. For Hostman, you can adapt these steps using custom infrastructure.
Step 1: Install Argo CD
Create a namespace for Argo CD:
kubectl create namespace argocd
Install Argo CD:
kubectl apply -n argocd -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/argoproj/argo-cd/stable/manifests/install.yaml
Step 2: Access the Argo CD UI
Forward the Argo CD API server port:
kubectl port-forward svc/argocd-server -n argocd 8080:443
Visit https://localhost:8080 in your browser. Login with the default admin user and password (retrieved from the secret).
How to Use GitOps with Kubernetes
Now let’s connect your Git repository to Argo CD to start syncing Kubernetes manifests.
Step 1: Define Your App Configuration
In your Git repo, create a Kubernetes manifest, for example deployment.yaml:
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
name: hostman-web
spec:
replicas: 2
selector:
matchLabels:
app: hostman-web
template:
metadata:
labels:
app: hostman-web
spec:
containers:
- name: web
image: hostman/web-app:latest
Commit and push the file to Git.
Step 2: Create the Argo CD Application
Use the Argo CD CLI or web UI to create a new application:
argocd app create hostman-web \
--repo https://github.com/your-user/your-repo.git \
--path ./k8s \
--dest-server https://kubernetes.default.svc \
--dest-namespace default
Synchronize the app:
argocd app sync hostman-web
Argo CD will now monitor your repo and update the deployment automatically.
Are There Disadvantages of GitOps?
While GitOps offers many benefits, there are some challenges to consider:
Git conflicts: When multiple teams edit code it can lead to some troubleshooting.
Secret management: Git is a more “social” tool, when it comes to storing your secrets, so it’s better to use something else.
Complexity at scale: Managing many environments and repositories sometimes becomes chaotic without proper management.
Planning ahead and using a modular approach (e.g., mono or multi-repo strategies) can help mitigate these issues.
Summary
GitOps the bringer of power of Git to your infrastructures. GitOps is seeing your infrastructure as code and automates reconciliation, also let’s not forget that this instrument can enhance visibility, consistency, and deployment speed of your state of art work.
FAQ
What exactly is GitOps?
GitOps is a tool to manage infrastructure and deployments using Git as the single source of truth.
Is GitOps only for Kubernetes?
While GitOps is a perfect fit for Kubernetes (because of its declarative nature), it’s not limited to it. You can apply GitOps principles to other infrastructure types too.
What tools do I need to start with GitOps?
Popular GitOps tools include Argo CD, Flux, and Jenkins X. If you're using Hostman, you can easily integrate Git-based workflows with Kubernetes and start automating deployments right away.
Do I need to change how I write code?
Not really. GitOps works with the Git workflows you're already using — like branches, pull requests, and commits. What changes is how those commits impact your infrastructure: once merged, your environment syncs with your repo automatically.
30 July 2025 · 7 min to read
Infrastructure
Top 5 No-Code Chatbot Builders for Small Businesses
The AI revolution in recent years has really given a dramatic rise to chatbots. Chatbots have now become an essential tool for companies of all sizes. It helps to streamline customer service, boost engagement, and drive sales—all while freeing up your valuable time.
In today's business environment, customers expect instant, personalised communication with brands. For this reason, more and more organizations are looking to AI chatbot builders to improve customer experience and enhance operational efficiency.
Gone are the days of hiring expensive developers or spending weeks learning complex programming languages. Whether it's for marketing, customer service, or e-commerce, you can achieve seamless chatbot integration quickly and effortlessly with no-code solutions.
Top 5 Chatbot builders
These are leading AI chatbot online platforms. These messaging bots can answer customer queries 24/7, ensuring seamless support with no human intervention.
1. Chatbase
Chabase is truly a special chatbot builder solution. It has a clean, minimal user interface. You can get a feel of using this messaging bot directly from its website even without setting up an account.
Chatbase supports working with different AI models like gpt-4-turbo, command-r, gemini-1.5-pro, gpt-4, and others. Here are the official details on what models to use based on your use cases and scenarios.
Pricing: With the free plan, Chatbase offers 100 message credits/month. Its other pricing tier includes Hobby ($40/mo), Standard ($150/mo), and Pro ($500/mo). Unlike other similar providers, Chatbase provides API access even with its Hobby plans.
2. Botsonic
Known for its AI and NLP (Natural Language Processing), Botsonic enables human-like, context-aware conversations. It offers multi-channel support as well.
Pricing: If you’re a small business owner looking for a reliable chatbot solution, Botsonic will fit your bill. Its pricing tier starts at $19/mo. Unlike others, Botsonic even provides access to its API with its Advanced plan ($299/mo). Botsonic offers a free trial period that allows businesses to experience its features before deciding to purchase.
3. WotNot
WotNot provides an intuitive user interface. The platform provides a wealth of templates to help enterprises quickly build a messaging bot based on different business requirements.
WotNot supports everything from simple FAQ autoresponders to complex conversation flow management. By setting up rules, WotNot can automate a range of tasks, reducing the need for human intervention and thus increasing efficiency.
Pricing: WotNot comes with a free plan. With its free plan, 100 chats and 500 credits are included. The Starter plan is priced at $99/month, Premium ($299/month) and Ultimate ($899/month)
4. Landbot
Landbot is a powerful no-code chatbot builder. Whether you require simple question-and-answer conversations or more advanced conditional logic, Landbot can make it happen. It offers integration for Zapier, Shopify, Wordpress, Webflow, Slack, Calendly, Mailchimp, and others. Here’s the comprehensive list of all supported integrations by Landbot.
Pricing: Their free plan allows users to experience the basic features of the platform, such as creating a chatbot, embedding a bot on a website via a web plugin, and supporting basic conversation flow design. However, there are some limitations to the free package, such as the number of conversations per month (100 per month).
The AI chat feature isn’t available in its free plan. Its other pricing tier includes Startup (40 euros/month), WhatsApp Pro (200 euros/month), and Business (400 euros/month).
5. Tidio
Tidio is an all-in-one solution that integrates both live chat and automated messaging. The multilingual feature makes it an ideal fit for businesses with an international audience. It provides real-time visitor monitoring.
Pricing: With the free plan, Tidio offers 50 handled conversations. Their pricing plan is unique in regards, they only bill for Handled Conversations. Handled Conversations means conversations that involve a human agent. You’ll be billed only for relevant interactions. That's great news, isn’t it?
Here are the pricing tiers for Tidio: Starter ($24.17/mo, 150 Handled Conversations), Growth ($49.17/mo, 250 Handled Conversations). Their Premium plan ($2999/mo) offers unlimited handled conversations.
Criteria for Choosing the Best No-Code Chatbot Builder
When searching for a no-code chatbot builder, it's crucial to look at many factors to ensure it will effectively meet your needs.
Ease of Use
One of the core features of chatbots should be ease of use. This means that even users with no programming experience can easily create and manage chatbots. A no-code platform should be straightforward and accessible for everyone, even if you're not technically skilled.
The platform should offer a variety of ready-to-use templates for typical tasks. It should also have easy options for setting up how the bot responds and what triggers its actions.
Customization
Customization is a key factor in ensuring that your chatbot matches your brand image and business needs. The ideal no-code platform should allow you to customize in a number of ways: templates and preset functionality. Many platforms offer preset templates for common business needs, such as customer support, lead generation, etc. You can choose the right template and modify it to suit your business needs for a quick start.
The no-code chatbot should allow you to customize the appearance design of the chat window, including colors, layout, fonts, button styles, etc., to be consistent with the brand image. In addition to appearance, you can customize the chatbot's conversation flow to ensure that it interacts with users in a personalized and natural way.
Integrations
A no-code chatbot should support multiple platforms, including websites and social media, e.g., Facebook, WhatsApp, WeChat, etc. This allows you to interact with users on a variety of channels and increase touchpoints.
AI Capabilities
If your needs include in-depth conversations with your customers, it's critical to choose a platform with robust NLP technology. It can help the chatbot understand and respond to your users' natural language, making conversations smoother and smarter.
Pricing
Some platforms like Landbot offer free trials (in some cases, even without a credit card). Free trials allow you to test things quickly. Whereas some platforms charge based on usage, number of users, or advanced features.
One should opt for platforms with transparent pricing tiers and features.
Support
Even though no-code chatbot builders are designed to be user-friendly, you’ll likely need assistance from time to time. Excellent customer support and available resources (documentation, tutorials, and community forums) can make your experience much smoother.
Chatbots Comparison
Here’s a comparison table highlighting key differences:
Feature
Chatbase
Botsonic
WotNot
Landbot
Tidio
AI Model
GPT-4
Claude 3
Gemini 1.5
GPT-3.5
GPT-4
Claude 3
GPT-3.5
GPT-4
Claude 3
Gemini 1.5
GPT-3.5
GPT-4 (includes custom support for DeepSeek, Gemini)
Lyro (based on Claude LLM)
Customization
High (branding, behavior)
Moderate (visual customization)
High
Medium (visual, behavior)
Low
Multi-Channel Support
Website, WhatsApp, FB Messenger, Instagram, Slack, Shopify, Zapier, Wordpress
Website, Whatsapp, Messenger, Calendly, Telegram, Salesforce, Freshdesk, Zendesk
Website, WhatsApp, SMS, Email, ZOHO, Calendly, Hubspot, Salesforce, Instagram
Website, WhatsApp, Zapier, Webflow, Slack, Calendly, Hubspot, Airtable
Website, Wordpress, BigCommerce, Prestashop, Messenger, Whatsapp, Instagram
Analytics
Advanced (topic analysis, sentiment tracking)
Basic (performance tracking)
Offers a separate addon for Advanced Analytics
Basic
Basic (performance metrics)
Basic (performance metrics)
Pricing
Free plan
Paid plans from $40/month
Free trial
Paid plans from $19/month
Free plan
Paid plans from $99/month
Free plan
Paid plans from $39/month
Free plan
Paid plans from $24/month
API Access
Yes
Limited
(Only for Advanced and Enterprise Plans)
Yes
Yes
Limited
(Only for Plus and Premium Plans)
Unique Features
AI Playground for testing models
Uses GPTRouter to generate best responses
Intuitive Interface
Lots of pre-made templates
Imitate human-like conversations
Which No-Code Chatbot Builder Is Right for You?
Choosing the right no-code chatbot building platform for you involves making an informed decision based on factors such as your specific needs, business goals, budget, and technical capabilities. It’s important to consider not your current needs but also how it will scale when your business grows.
If you're looking for a simple, affordable, easy-to-use platform that doesn’t require much technical knowledge, Chatbase and Botsonic are great options. It offers a straightforward setup process.
If you want the capability of a live chat software together with a chatbot solution, choose Tidio.
FAQs
Are there free chatbot builders available for businesses?
Yes, platforms like Chatbase, Landbot, Wotnot offer a free plan to test things quickly.
Do I need a developer to integrate the chatbot with my website?
No. One benefit of no-code chatbot builders is that they often provide simple integration options, such as embedding code snippets or using plug-ins, that don’t require a developer.
How can I use Chatbot for my Shopify store?
Tidio comes with a dedicated Shopify plugin for this purpose. With other providers, you need to copy and paste the documented widget HTML code manually.
What if my messaging bot is not aware of what to reply when asked a question?
These no-code chatbot builders let you specify default responses or pass on the conversation to a human agent if the bot cannot respond to a question.
Can I monitor the performance of my chatbot?
Yes, providers like Chatbase or Botsonic will provide you with advanced analytics, including users' geographical locations, popular topics, and unanswered queries.
Conclusion
As artificial intelligence and automation technologies continue to advance, using chatbots is not only a means to improve operational efficiency but also a necessary tool to build brand competitiveness. If you're still on the fence, now is the perfect time to get started.
Whether you're a small startup or an established enterprise, these no-code chatbot platforms like Tidio, Chatbase, Botsonic enable you to build intelligent bots that will meet your business needs.
29 July 2025 · 9 min to read
Infrastructure
K3s vs K8s: Key Differences and Use Cases
As a popular orchestration container tool, Kubernetes (K8s) powers over 90% of global workloads, making it an important instrument in infrastructure development. However, its complexity and resource consumption aren't always good—especially for lightweight environments. That’s where K3s comes in, offering a streamlined alternative.
In this guide we compare K3s and K8s, helping you choose the right fit for your use case—whether it's enterprise-scale deployments or low-footprint edge clusters.
Key Takeaways
K3s keeps it light. If you're working with limited resources—like a Raspberry Pi, old device, or just need something quick for testing—K3s is your friend. It's super easy to install, doesn't eat up much memory.
K8s brings the muscle. When you’re dealing with more complex systems that need to scale reliably across multiple nodes and stay highly available, standard Kubernetes (K8s) is built for that.
What’s the real difference? K3s is all about simplicity and speed. K8s is all about power and control. They both run Kubernetes under the hood—it’s just a matter of how much you need to customize and scale.
What is K8s?
K8s is short for Kubernetes. It is a widely used option in professional production environments for managing microservices-based and large-scale containerized workloads. Originally developed by Google and now maintained by the CNCF.
Standard Kubernetes is a modular tool and needs some manual touches, before getting deployed, such as the API server, scheduler, controller manager, etc. While this architecture provides powerful control and flexibility, it also adds significant operational complexity.
K8s is an ideal instrument for big teams with DevOps pipelines, and the resources to manage and maintain grand infrastructure. Let’s not forget that, K8s fully integrates well with cloud providers like AWS (via EKS), Google Cloud (via GKE), and Azure (via AKS), and supports a broad ecosystem of extensions and third-party tools for monitoring, logging, service meshes, and more.
Kubernetes (K8s) working scheme
Advantages and Disadvantages of K8s
Advantages
Full documentation and community support: From Helm charts to service meshes, there’s a huge toolbox and community behind it.
Advanced features: Load balancing, autoscaling, RBAC, pod disruption budgets—you name it.
Cloud-native integrations: Easily integrates with major cloud providers and lets you build hybrid or multi-cloud setups.
Flexibility: You have control over every layer of your infrastructure.
Disadvantages
Complex setup and maintenance: Requires expertise to install, configure, and operate effectively.
Resource-hungry: Demands a minimum of 2 GB RAM per node for smooth operation.
Operational overhead: Requires active monitoring, frequent updates, and manual scaling strategies if not managed via cloud services.
Steep learning curve: Can be overwhelming for teams without prior Kubernetes experience.
What is K3s?
Now enter K3s—Kubernetes’ leaner cousin. Built by Rancher Labs and now maintained by SUSE, K3s is everything you love about Kubernetes—but packed into a smaller, easier-to-manage package. This one’s designed to provide a fully functional Kubernetes experience, but at the same time, it’s trying to reduce resource consumption, so your device won’t suffer from extensive workload.
K3s is a single binary—usually under 100MB—that includes the Kubernetes control plane, container runtime (containerd), networking (via Flannel), ingress (via Traefik), and even a Helm controller. Out of the box, it uses SQLite for the cluster datastore, but you can also connect it to MySQL, PostgreSQL, or etcd if you want HA.
By default, K3s uses SQLite as its datastore instead of etcd, although it can be configured to use MySQL, PostgreSQL, or external etcd clusters for enhanced high availability. It also includes:
containerd as the default container runtime
Flannel as the Container Network Interface (CNI)
Traefik as the default ingress controller
A built-in Helm controller for deploying charts
Kubernetes (K3s) working scheme explained
Advantages and Disadvantages of K3s
Advantages
Lightweight and efficient: Minimal resource consumption allows it to run on devices with as little as 512 MB RAM.
Quick setup: You can deploy a single-node cluster with a one-line install script.
Ideal for development and edge scenarios: Works well in places where full-scale Kubernetes would be excessive or impractical.
Lower operational burden: Fewer moving parts make it easier to maintain.
Full Kubernetes compatibility: Supports standard manifests, kubectl, Helm charts, and the Kubernetes API.
Disadvantages
Limited out-of-the-box HA: Full HA requires external database setup and additional configuration.
Security trade-offs: Some enterprise-grade features are disabled by default to conserve resources.
Smaller ecosystem: Though growing, K3s has fewer prebuilt integrations and community add-ons compared to standard Kubernetes.
Not intended for large, multi-tenant environments: Better suited for simpler or single-purpose deployments.
K8s vs K3s
Both K8s and K3s developed CNCF-certified Kubernetes distributions. However, despite almost common origin and almost the same purposes, these two tools have very different functions and target different environments. K8s (Kubernetes) is a more complex container orchestration platform designed for vast ecosystems with the possibility of extension, and very suitable for large teams. It provides full control over networking, security, and infrastructure integrations. Sounds like an ideal solution for big companies, doesn't it?
On the other hand, K3s is specifically engineered to be more available for less powerful machines, and overall easier to use. The thing is, K3s doesn’t need the operational complexity of Kubernetes that much. It is possible by consolidating components into a single binary and including sensible defaults like containerd, Flannel, and Traefik.
Let’s not forget that, the main difference between K3s and K8s is not in capability—K3s supports the full Kubernetes API—but in setup, performance, and operating environment. If your team has a need for fast deployment and minimal headache, K3s is a strong candidate. For those managing large-scale, mission-critical systems with complex architectures, K8s is a better fit.
Here’s a quick comparison to summarize the key differences:
Feature
K8s (Kubernetes)
K3s
Purpose
Enterprise workloads, production-scale
Edge, IoT, dev/test, low-resource
Installation
Manual, multi-component setup
One-line install, single binary
Resource Requirements
2 GB+ RAM per node
512 MB RAM minimum
Datastore
etcd (required)
SQLite by default (etcd optional)
Control Plane Architecture
Multiple processes and services
Combined into a single binary
Add-ons
User-installed
Includes containerd, Flannel, Traefik
Multi-tenancy
Yes
Limited; designed for single-tenant
HA Support
Built-in
Requires external database
Best for
Complex, large-scale deployments
Light, fast, and simple setups
How to Choose the Right Option for Your Needs
Before you decide what’s best for you, K3s or Kubernetes, you need to understand your goals and what tools you have to make your plans real.
If you are willing to build a scalable application that requires high resource consumption like networking, multi-tenancy, and enterprise integrations, K8s is the better option. It excels in large production clusters with diverse workloads and complex operational requirements.
However, if you are:
Working with resource-constrained edge devices
Running CI/CD pipelines where clusters are created and destroyed quickly
Developing proof-of-concept projects
Managing a single-purpose application or internal tool
Then K3s will likely serve your needs better.
Both solutions are good and can even be used in your work together! For example, you can use K8s in production and K3s for development and testing environments. Pretty cool, right?
Conclusion
Kubernetes is a great tool for your modern infrastructure, but you need to be careful in choosing the right option for you. Depending on your needs, K3s or K8s can offer distinct advantages. K3s provides a more simplified solution ideal for fast-moving teams or if you don't have access to hi-tech infrastructure. K8s, on the other hand, remains the only solution for enterprises and big companies that need more advanced capabilities.
If you’re interested in using Kubernetes, check Hostman’s Kubernetes Service—it’s cheap and pretty powerful.
FAQ
What is the main difference between K3s and Kubernetes (K8s)?
K3s is a lightweight version of Kubernetes, designed for resource-constrained devices, packaging all core components into a single binary. Kubernetes is a full-featured platform suited for large-scale enterprise deployments.
Is K3s a full Kubernetes distribution?
Yes, K3s is certified by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation as a conformant Kubernetes distribution, fully supporting Kubernetes APIs and tools.
Can I use K3s in production?
Definitely! K3s is used in production across various sectors for edge computing, IoT, local development clusters, and continuous integration.
What are the system requirements for K3s vs. K8s?
K3s requires only 512 MB of RAM and one virtual CPU, ideal for low-power environments. In contrast, standard Kubernetes requires at least 2 GB of RAM and more resources for its control plane.
Can I migrate from K3s to full Kubernetes later?
Yes, migration is straightforward due to API compatibility, though you should account for differences in configurations.
When should I choose K3s over Kubernetes?
Choose K3s for low-resource settings, quick deployments, or edge scenarios. Opt for Kubernetes for high availability, scalability, and enterprise-grade features.
29 July 2025 · 8 min to read
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