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flatcar logoFlatcar

Flatcar project repository for issue tracking, project documentation, etc.

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Quick Overview

Flatcar is a secure, reliable, and lightweight Linux distribution based on the CoreOS project. It is designed for running containerized applications in production environments, with a focus on ease of use, automation, and security.

Pros

  • Immutable Infrastructure: Flatcar uses a read-only root file system, ensuring that the operating system remains in a known, consistent state.
  • Automatic Updates: Flatcar automatically updates the operating system, ensuring that systems are always running the latest security patches and bug fixes.
  • Scalability: Flatcar is optimized for running in large-scale, distributed environments, making it well-suited for cloud-native applications.
  • Security-Focused: Flatcar includes security-focused features, such as automatic container image scanning and secure boot, to protect against vulnerabilities.

Cons

  • Limited Customization: Flatcar is designed to be a minimal, opinionated distribution, which may limit the ability to customize the operating system to specific needs.
  • Dependency on Container Ecosystem: Flatcar is heavily focused on running containerized applications, which may not be suitable for all use cases.
  • Limited Community Support: Compared to more mainstream Linux distributions, Flatcar has a smaller community, which may make it more challenging to find support and resources.
  • Vendor Lock-in: Flatcar is primarily developed and maintained by Kinvolk, which may raise concerns about vendor lock-in for some users.

Getting Started

To get started with Flatcar, you can follow the official installation guide:

  1. Download the Flatcar image from the official website.
  2. Create a bootable USB drive or CD/DVD using the downloaded image.
  3. Boot the system from the installation media and follow the on-screen instructions to install Flatcar.
  4. Once the installation is complete, you can start deploying your containerized applications on the Flatcar system.

For more detailed instructions, please refer to the Flatcar documentation.

Competitor Comparisons

rancher logo

k3os

3,497

Purpose-built OS for Kubernetes, fully managed by Kubernetes.

Pros of k3os

  • Lightweight Kubernetes distribution built-in, simplifying cluster setup
  • Designed specifically for running Kubernetes, with optimized performance
  • Includes k3s, providing a more streamlined Kubernetes experience

Cons of k3os

  • Less flexible for non-Kubernetes workloads compared to Flatcar
  • Smaller community and ecosystem than Flatcar
  • More opinionated design, which may limit customization options

Code Comparison

k3os configuration example:

ssh_authorized_keys:
  - github:username
k3os:
  token: K10fe4a9e8f63f30c5ff34111a0f8b7a01c3
  server_url: https://k3s.example.com:6443

Flatcar configuration example:

passwd:
  users:
    - name: core
      ssh_authorized_keys:
        - ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAADAQABAAABAQDGdByTgSVHq...
storage:
  files:
    - path: /etc/hostname
      contents:
        inline: flatcar-node1

Both projects aim to provide lightweight, container-optimized operating systems, but k3os focuses specifically on Kubernetes deployments, while Flatcar offers a more general-purpose container platform. k3os simplifies Kubernetes setup, while Flatcar provides greater flexibility for various container workloads.

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talos

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Talos Linux is a modern Linux distribution built for Kubernetes.

Pros of Talos

  • Immutable and minimal OS design, enhancing security and reducing attack surface
  • Built-in Kubernetes support with automated cluster bootstrapping
  • API-driven configuration and management for easier automation

Cons of Talos

  • Steeper learning curve due to its unique architecture and management approach
  • Limited compatibility with traditional Linux tools and workflows
  • Smaller community and ecosystem compared to more established container-optimized OSes

Code Comparison

Talos configuration (YAML):

machine:
  type: worker
  kubelet:
    extraArgs:
      feature-gates: ServerSideApply=true
cluster:
  network:
    cni:
      name: flannel

Flatcar configuration (Ignition):

{
  "ignition": { "version": "3.2.0" },
  "systemd": {
    "units": [
      {
        "name": "kubelet.service",
        "enabled": true,
        "contents": "[Service]\nExecStart=/usr/bin/kubelet --feature-gates=ServerSideApply=true\n"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Both Talos and Flatcar are container-optimized operating systems, but Talos takes a more opinionated approach with its immutable design and Kubernetes-centric focus. Flatcar offers more flexibility and familiarity for users accustomed to traditional Linux environments, while Talos provides a more streamlined and secure platform specifically tailored for Kubernetes deployments.

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bottlerocket

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An operating system designed for hosting containers

Pros of Bottlerocket

  • Purpose-built for running containers, with a minimal attack surface
  • Automated, in-place updates with rollback capability
  • Strong focus on security, including SELinux enforcement and dm-verity

Cons of Bottlerocket

  • Less flexible than Flatcar, with a more opinionated design
  • Smaller ecosystem and community compared to Flatcar
  • Limited to container workloads, not suitable for general-purpose use

Code Comparison

Bottlerocket uses a unique update system:

[updates]
version-lock = false
ignore-waves = false

Flatcar uses traditional update mechanisms:

update_engine_client -update

Additional Notes

Bottlerocket is designed specifically for container workloads, while Flatcar is more versatile and can be used for various purposes. Bottlerocket's focus on security and automated updates may be advantageous for organizations prioritizing these aspects. Flatcar, being based on CoreOS, has a larger ecosystem and community support, which can be beneficial for troubleshooting and customization.

Both projects aim to provide stable, secure, and efficient operating systems for container deployments, but they take different approaches to achieve this goal. The choice between them depends on specific use cases, infrastructure requirements, and organizational preferences.

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README

Flatcar OS Matrix Slack Twitter Follow Mastodon Follow Bluesky

Flatcar Container Linux

Mission statement

Flatcar Container Linux is a fully open source, minimal-footprint, secure by default and always up-to-date Linux distribution for running containers at scale.

Code of Conduct

We follow the CNCF Code of Conduct.

Please contact private Maintainer mailing list or the Linux Foundation mediator, Mishi Choudhary mishi@linux.com to report an issue.

Releases

See the project website for information about current releases.

Install and operate Flatcar

Flatcar Container Linux has a dedicated documentation site.

The getting started guide has further links to the topics Ignition, local testing with QEMU, controlling automatic updates, and usage with cloud providers:

Does Flatcar run in my environment? Consult the interop-matrix.

Does Flatcar have CIS Benchmarks? Consult the CIS reports.

Report bugs and request features

If you hit a bug, or have a feature request, please file an issue right here in this github project. Please select the appropriate issue type to help us triage incoming requests. For example, if you would like a new package to be added to the base Flatcar image, use the "New Package Request" issue type. (In that specific case, please also see adding new packages to the Flatcar Linux OS image for general guidelines.)

Chat

For quick questions or for just hanging out with the community please use

Discussions

For more far-reaching topics please have a look at our discussions. Feel free to open a new discussion if you don't find an existing one covering your topic.

Mailing lists

Though the use of Github Discussions is encouraged (see above), we also maintain groups / mailing lists for a more old-fashioned way of having a discussion. Please note that we might consider to discontinue these mailing lists at some point in the future.

Social Media/Fediverse

You can follow the Flatcar Mastodon account. While Mastodon, as an open platform, is our preferred social media channel, we also have an account on X.

Participate and contribute

If you are thinking of making a contribution, then please engage with the project as early as possible -- by commenting on an existing issue, or creating a new issue, on GitHub. Consider the project’s mission, and how your contribution furthers it. Making your intent visible early on can be a major factor for getting your work accepted.

For the general guidelines on making PRs/commits easier to review, please check out the project's contribution guidelines.

For an introduction to the Flatcar SDK and a walk-through of common developer cases like customising the OS image (e.g. adding or upgrading packages), have a look at our developer guides; particularly the howto on building custom images from source. The guides aim to provide a solid base for working with the SDK to help you filing successful PRs to the Flatcar project.

Becoming a maintainer

The Flatcar maintainer path is laid out in our governance document.

Project status and roadmap - What's everybody working on, right now and in the future?

  1. short-term concerns (bugs and minor enhancements) enter the project via our issue tracker
  2. our tactical board reflects the issues and PRs the maintainers and the contributors are currently engaged with
  3. items which are done will be assigned to an upcoming release on the release board in our release planning calls

Lastly, epics like major features and long-term items are reflected in our roadmap board.

Check out our Matrix and Slack channels (mentioned above) for getting into contact with maintainers, and consider joining our Flatcar Developer Sync (next section below) where contributors and maintainers coordinate our work.

Monthly Office hours and Developer Syncs

We maintain a Google Calendar (iCal) with both our Office Hours and Developer Sync meeting series which interested folks can comfortably import into the calendar app of their choice.

Join us in our monthly office hours meetings to engage with the Flatcar User community interactively, to learn about the project's directions, and to discuss contributions. We also conduct the occasional user-focused demo of technologies related to image-based Linux. Lastly, the call includes a brief Release Planning with an update on the changes in the next immediate releases.

If you'd like to share something or if you have a pressing issue you'd like discussed, please let us know. Either comment on the respective meeting discussion, reach out to us on Matrix (see below), or simply join the meeting and speak up in the meeting's Q&A.

Flatcar Office Hours are on the second Wednesday of every month at 2:30pm UTC

Flatcar Developer Syncs commence every 4th Wednesday of a month at 2:30pm UTC

While release planning is a recurring part of each community call we also conduct separate Developer Syncs for backlog grooming and task planning. We discuss Roadmap items, special projects, and day-to-day issues in these calls. If you want to participate and discuss or pick up work, that call is for you! Just like the Office Hours the call includes a brief Release Planning with an update on the changes in the next immediate releases.

Release process

Flatcar Container Linux follows an Alpha-Beta-Stable release process. New features and major version upgrades will enter the Alpha channel for initial testing, then transition to Beta, before landing in Stable.

Note that unlike features, bug fixes for any release channel will be released to that respective channel directly, i.e. Alpha bug fixes will be included in the next Alpha, Beta fixes will directly go to Beta, and Stable fixes will be released with the next Stable.

We plan our releases in a 14-day cadence. The maintainer team holds fortnightly release meetings - both as recurring part of our monthly community calls as well as a separate meeting in-between the monthly community call cadence. Up-to-date planning status is reflected in our release planning board.

LTS

Some users prefer to avoid the operational impact of frequent version upgrades. For such users, the Flatcar project provides an "LTS channel". The LTS channel / branch is based on a "golden Stable" and is maintained for 18 months. A new LTS is branched from Stable every 12 months, leaving a 6 months window for LTS users to upgrade.

Project governance

Flatcar is a community-driven project, with community members participating through the following forums:

  • Contributors.
  • Maintainers.

Every participant of the open source project - bug reporter, feature requester, code contributor - is considered a contributor.

Maintainers have commit access to one or more repositories and help govern the project, driving it forward and maintaining its scope and vision. Please find more details in our governance doc.

Repositories

The github repositories that comprise Flatcar Container Linux can be found via the organization page.