AWS Firecracker vs OpenFaaS: What are the differences?

Introduction

AWS Firecracker and OpenFaaS are two different platforms with distinct characteristics and use cases. Understanding the key differences between these two technologies is crucial for making an informed decision when choosing the right solution for specific requirements.

1. Performance and Isolation:

   • AWS Firecracker: Firecracker is a lightweight virtualization technology that enables the creation of microVMs, providing high-performance and strong isolation. It leverages KVM to run workloads in their own isolated environments, which ensures security and enhances overall performance.
   • OpenFaaS: OpenFaaS, on the other hand, is a Function as a Service (FaaS) platform that operates on containers. It uses Kubernetes or Docker Swarm to orchestrate serverless functions. Although it is highly scalable and efficient, the level of isolation provided by OpenFaaS may not be as strong as that of Firecracker.

2. Resource Utilization and Scalability:

   • AWS Firecracker: Firecracker is designed to be lightweight and efficient, enabling it to launch new microVMs in fractions of a second. This allows for highly efficient resource utilization and enables scalability on-demand.
   • OpenFaaS: OpenFaaS operates on containers, which are heavier and require more resources compared to microVMs. While it can still scale effectively, the resource utilization may not be as optimized as Firecracker due to the inherent overhead of containerization.

3. Startup Time and Cold Starts:

   • AWS Firecracker: With its lightweight architecture, Firecracker enables fast startup times, making it suitable for applications requiring quick responses and lower cold start latency.
   • OpenFaaS: Due to the heavier nature of containers, startup times and cold starts for functions in OpenFaaS may be slower compared to Firecracker. This can impact the responsiveness and performance of time-sensitive applications.

4. Platform Flexibility:

   • AWS Firecracker: Firecracker focuses solely on providing lightweight virtualization for executing microVMs. It offers a minimalistic approach, which enables flexibility in terms of integrating with other technologies or services.
   • OpenFaaS: OpenFaaS is a full-fledged FaaS platform that provides a richer set of features and functionalities beyond just running functions. It offers a broader ecosystem and tooling support, making it more suitable for complex application architectures.

5. Ecosystem and Community Support:

   • AWS Firecracker: Firecracker is developed and maintained by Amazon Web Services (AWS), which ensures strong support from AWS-specific services and resources. However, the community support and ecosystem around Firecracker might be relatively narrower compared to open-source projects.
   • OpenFaaS: OpenFaaS is an open-source project with a vibrant community and active development, which results in a broader ecosystem and extensive community support. This can be beneficial when seeking help, integrating with other technologies, or finding plugins/extensions.

In Summary, AWS Firecracker focuses on lightweight virtualization with high performance and strong isolation, while OpenFaaS is a feature-rich FaaS platform operating on containers. Firecracker provides better resource utilization, faster startup times, and more flexibility, although with potentially narrower ecosystem support. OpenFaaS offers a broader ecosystem, community support, and a deeper feature set, but at the cost of slightly lower performance and resource efficiency.