Docker Compose vs Helm vs Skaffold

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Docker Compose

21.6K
16.3K
+ 1
501
Helm

1.4K
903
+ 1
18
Skaffold

86
185
+ 1
0
Decisions about Docker Compose, Helm, and Skaffold
Michael Roberts

We develop rapidly with docker-compose orchestrated services, however, for production - we utilise the very best ideas that Kubernetes has to offer: SCALE! We can scale when needed, setting a maximum and minimum level of nodes for each application layer - scaling only when the load balancer needs it. This allowed us to reduce our devops costs by 40% whilst also maintaining an SLA of 99.87%.

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Pros of Docker Compose
Pros of Helm
Pros of Skaffold
  • 123
    Multi-container descriptor
  • 110
    Fast development environment setup
  • 79
    Easy linking of containers
  • 68
    Simple yaml configuration
  • 60
    Easy setup
  • 16
    Yml or yaml format
  • 12
    Use Standard Docker API
  • 8
    Open source
  • 5
    Go from template to application in minutes
  • 5
    Can choose Discovery Backend
  • 4
    Scalable
  • 4
    Easy configuration
  • 4
    Kubernetes integration
  • 3
    Quick and easy
  • 8
    Infrastructure as code
  • 6
    Open source
  • 2
    Easy setup
  • 1
    Support
  • 1
    Testa­bil­i­ty and re­pro­ducibil­i­ty
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    Cons of Docker Compose
    Cons of Helm
    Cons of Skaffold
    • 9
      Tied to single machine
    • 5
      Still very volatile, changing syntax often
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        What is Docker Compose?

        With Compose, you define a multi-container application in a single file, then spin your application up in a single command which does everything that needs to be done to get it running.

        What is Helm?

        Helm is the best way to find, share, and use software built for Kubernetes.

        What is Skaffold?

        Skaffold is a command line tool that facilitates continuous development for Kubernetes applications. You can iterate on your application source code locally then deploy to local or remote Kubernetes clusters. Skaffold handles the workflow for building, pushing and deploying your application. It can also be used in an automated context such as a CI/CD pipeline to leverage the same workflow and tooling when moving applications to production.

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        What companies use Docker Compose?
        What companies use Helm?
        What companies use Skaffold?

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        What tools integrate with Docker Compose?
        What tools integrate with Helm?
        What tools integrate with Skaffold?

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        What are some alternatives to Docker Compose, Helm, and Skaffold?
        Kubernetes
        Kubernetes is an open source orchestration system for Docker containers. It handles scheduling onto nodes in a compute cluster and actively manages workloads to ensure that their state matches the users declared intentions.
        Docker
        The Docker Platform is the industry-leading container platform for continuous, high-velocity innovation, enabling organizations to seamlessly build and share any application — from legacy to what comes next — and securely run them anywhere
        Docker Swarm
        Swarm serves the standard Docker API, so any tool which already communicates with a Docker daemon can use Swarm to transparently scale to multiple hosts: Dokku, Compose, Krane, Deis, DockerUI, Shipyard, Drone, Jenkins... and, of course, the Docker client itself.
        Ansible
        Ansible is an IT automation tool. It can configure systems, deploy software, and orchestrate more advanced IT tasks such as continuous deployments or zero downtime rolling updates. Ansible’s goals are foremost those of simplicity and maximum ease of use.
        Portainer
        It is a universal container management tool. It works with Kubernetes, Docker, Docker Swarm and Azure ACI. It allows you to manage containers without needing to know platform-specific code.
        See all alternatives