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kairos-io/kairos

An immutable, bootable Linux meta-distribution that builds Kubernetes-ready OS images for edge and bare-metal nodes from a Dockerfile-style workflow.

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What is it?

Kairos lets you build immutable, bootable OS and Kubernetes images for edge devices using a workflow similar to writing a Dockerfile. Nodes are updated by pushing a new image to a container registry, and the system applies A/B atomic upgrades so that changes can be rolled out without modifying the running system in place.

The project is distribution-agnostic: you choose the base Linux distribution and Kairos adds the runtime components needed to boot, install, and manage the node. It supports cluster lifecycle management through Kubernetes, from building and provisioning to upgrading, and includes an optional P2P mesh for automating node bootstrapping and coordination.

The repository is a monorepo that contains the device runtime binaries (kairos-agent, immucore), the Kairos SDK, the image initializer kairos-init, an interactive installer, and the p2p provider. It is a CNCF Sandbox project.

Key features

  • 01Build bootable immutable OS and Kubernetes images from a Dockerfile-style definition.
  • 02Atomic A/B upgrades triggered by pushing a new image to a container registry.
  • 03Works with the Linux distribution of your choice.
  • 04Optional P2P mesh for node bootstrapping and coordination.
  • 05Cluster lifecycle management through Kubernetes, including provisioning and upgrades.

Use cases

  • Running Kubernetes clusters on edge devices with immutable, reproducible OS images.
  • Eliminating configuration drift across bare-metal or cloud nodes.
  • Rolling out OS and cluster updates through a CI/CD pipeline and container registry.

In collections

Microservice frameworks & service infrastructure

Topics

#kubernetes#edge-computing#immutable-infrastructure#linux#bare-metal#os-images#k3s#baremetal#cloud#cloud-native

FAQ

What is kairos?
An immutable, bootable Linux meta-distribution that builds Kubernetes-ready OS images for edge and bare-metal nodes from a Dockerfile-style workflow. Kairos lets you build immutable, bootable OS and Kubernetes images for edge devices using a workflow similar to writing a Dockerfile. Nodes are updated by pushing a new image to a container registry, and the system applies A/B atomic upgrades so that changes can be rolled out without modifying the running system in place.
Is kairos free to use? What license does it have?
kairos is open source under the Apache-2.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is kairos still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to kairos was on Nov 5, 2026.
What can I use kairos for?
Running Kubernetes clusters on edge devices with immutable, reproducible OS images. Eliminating configuration drift across bare-metal or cloud nodes. Rolling out OS and cluster updates through a CI/CD pipeline and container registry.
Where can I get kairos?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/kairos-io/kairos

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