What is kro?
Kube Resource Orchestrator (kro) is a Kubernetes-native operator designed to simplify the creation and management of complex resource configurations. It allows users to define ResourceGraphDefinitions, which group multiple Kubernetes resources and their relationships into a single unit. Once applied, kro translates these definitions into actual Kubernetes resources and manages them dynamically.
How does kro work?
Kro leverages core Kubernetes primitives to handle resource dependencies and customization efficiently. When a ResourceGraphDefinition is applied to a cluster, kro:
- Verifies the definition and registers a Custom Resource Definition (CRD).
- Deploys a controller that manages the lifecycle of instances created from the definition.
- Automatically configures and maintains the underlying Kubernetes resources.
How do I use kro?
Users create ResourceGraphDefinition specifications that define one or more Kubernetes resources and their configurations. For example:
- A WebApp ResourceGraphDefinition could bundle a Deployment (for a web server) and a Service (exposing it on a specific port).
- A WebAppWithDB ResourceGraphDefinition could extend this by adding a database instance as part of the resource group.
Once the definition is applied, kro takes care of creating and managing the necessary Kubernetes resources automatically.
Managing Kubernetes workloads at scale can be complex. Kro aims to simplify resource dependency management and customization, reducing operational overhead while enabling scalable and efficient deployments.
Kro is still in active development and not yet recommended for production use. The APIs, including ResourceGraphDefinition, are subject to change as the project evolves.
Learn More
- Official announcement by Google Cloud: Introducing Kube Resource Orchestrator
- Official announcement by AWS: Introducing kro: Kube Resource Orchestrator
- GitHub repository: https://github.com/kro-run/kro
