Google Container Registry vs Kraken by Uber: What are the differences?

Introduction

In this comparison, we will highlight the key differences between Google Container Registry (GCR) and Kraken by Uber, two popular container registry platforms used by developers and operations teams.

1. Hosting Provider: Google Container Registry is a service provided by Google Cloud Platform for storing, managing, and deploying container images, while Kraken by Uber is an open-source system designed to store and serve large-scale container images efficiently.

2. Scalability and Performance: Google Container Registry is optimized for Google Cloud Platform's infrastructure, offering high scalability and fast performance for container image storage and retrieval. Meanwhile, Kraken by Uber is designed to handle massive scale at Uber's level, providing efficient distribution of container images across a global network.

3. Control and Flexibility: With Google Container Registry, users have integrated access control options through Google Cloud IAM, providing granular control over who can access and modify container images. Kraken by Uber offers greater flexibility in terms of customization and integration with existing tools and systems, allowing for more control over workflows and processes.

4. Cost: Google Container Registry pricing is based on storage and network egress, with different tiers available depending on usage, while Kraken by Uber is open-source, allowing for cost savings in terms of licensing fees and flexibility in deployment.

5. Community Support and Development: Google Container Registry is backed by Google Cloud Platform and has a large community of users and contributors, with continuous development and updates from Google. Kraken by Uber, being open-source, benefits from community contributions and is designed to meet the specific needs of Uber's container image management.

6. Integration with CI/CD Pipelines: Google Container Registry seamlessly integrates with popular CI/CD tools and services such as Jenkins, GitLab CI, and Google Cloud Build, streamlining the deployment process. On the other hand, Kraken by Uber can be integrated with various CI/CD pipelines through its flexible architecture, allowing for a tailored approach to container image management within the workflow.

In Summary, Google Container Registry and Kraken by Uber differ in terms of hosting provider, scalability and performance, control and flexibility, cost, community support and development, and integration with CI/CD pipelines.