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Red Hat OpenShift vs. OKD
=========================
Published  November 16, 2022•*3*-minute read
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Red Hat OpenShiftOpenShift vs OKDYour best optionWhy Red Hat
What is Red Hat OpenShift?
--------------------------
[Red Hat® OpenShift®](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift) is a unified platform for accelerating the development and delivery of [cloud-native applications](/en/topics/cloud-native-apps) in a consistent way across the hybrid and multicloud, all the way to the edge.
Red Hat OpenShift is powered by [Kubernetes](/en/topics/containers/what-is-kubernetes) as the container orchestration feature, and includes features from the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) open source ecosystem, all tested, packaged, and supported together as a comprehensive application platform by Red Hat. It can be consumed as either a public cloud service from the major cloud providers such as [AWS](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/aws), [Microsoft Azure](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/azure), [Google](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/dedicated), and [IBM](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/ibm), or installed just about anywhere you have servers.
Kubernetes by itself is an [open source](/en/topics/open-source/what-is-open-source) software that automates deploying, managing, and scaling of Linux containers. To make it an enterprise platform, organizations need to integrate capabilities such as automation, monitoring, log analytics, [service mesh](/en/topics/microservices/what-is-a-service-mesh), serverless, security patches, and [developer productivity](/en/products/developer-productivity) tools.
OKD, previously OpenShift Origin, is a community project of packaged software components needed to run Kubernetes. OKD is the [upstream project](/en/blog/what-open-source-upstream) of Red Hat OpenShift, optimized for continuous application development and deployment. OKD is generally a few releases ahead of OpenShift on features because OKD is where community updates happen first, and where they are trialed for enterprise use.
[Try Red Hat OpenShift for free](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/try-it "Red Hat OpenShift trial")
What's the difference between OpenShift and OKD?
------------------------------------------------
Red Hat OpenShift is the distribution of Kubernetes focused on the experience of developers who need to build the next generation of cloud-native applications. Unlike OKD, Red Hat OpenShift comes with the many [benefits of subscriptions](/en/about/value-of-Red-Hat) like technical support, security resources, and a [partner ecosystem](https://catalog.redhat.com/).
In addition to Kubernetes, OKD offers developer- and operations-focused tools that help teams speed application development, efficiently deploy and scale, and maintain a long-term lifecycle. OKD provides the tools needed to launch Kubernetes on any cloud and helps ensure developer containerized-applications succeed. OKD lets developers create, test, and deploy applications on the cloud, while also supporting several programming languages, including Go, Node.js, Ruby, Python, PHP, Perl, and Java.
The primary difference between OKD and Red Hat OpenShift is that Red Hat OpenShift meets enterprise software requirements. OKD also has a shorter lifecycle. Red Hat OpenShift uses Red Hat Enterprise Linux CoreOS and OKD uses CentOS Stream CoreOS. Red Hat OpenShift provides security response teams, long-term support options, validated third party operators, and certified databases and middleware, and meets requirements for large-scale operations.
**What both can do:**
**Platform**
* Push-button, automated node configuration and tools
* Multi-host-container scheduling
* Self-service provisioning
* Service discovery
* Image registry
* Validated storage plug-ins
* Networking and validated plug-ins
* Monitoring
* Log aggregation
* Multitenancy
* Metering and chargeback
**Developer experience**
* Cloud service broker
* Automated image builds
* CI/CD and DevOps workflows
* Serverless applications with Knative
**What only Red Hat OpenShift offers:**
**Platform**
* Enterprise operating system
**Developer experience**
* Validated third-party Kubernetes operators
* Certified databases
* Certified middleware
* 200+ certified ISV solutions
**Enterprise operations**
* Built-in operational management
* Zero downtime patching and upgrades
* Enterprise 24/7 support
* 9-year support lifecycle
* Security response team
* Install trusted operators available from the Red Hat Ecosystem Catalog
**Integrated offering**
* Red Hat OpenShift is built and maintained as an enterprise product
* Delivers an integration of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Kubernetes, and CNCF projects tested, integrated, and supported, with security features, for enterprise applications
What's new, what's next in Red Hat OpenShift
--------------------------------------------
[Keep reading](/en/whats-new-red-hat-openshift "Keep reading")
Which is best for you?
----------------------
When trying to decide which platform is best for you, know that OKD is a community project whereas Red Hat OpenShift is a paid, supported product available via a [subscription model](/en/about/subscription-model-faq). If you’re looking for consistent security, built-in monitoring, centralized policy management, and compatibility with Kubernetes container workloads, consider Red Hat OpenShift. It is robust, enables self-service provisioning, and integrates with a variety of tools and enterprise systems. At its core, Red Hat OpenShift is an enterprise Kubernetes application platform with deployment and consumption options that support every application and environment. It is available in [self-managed editions](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/self-managed) or as a [fully managed cloud service](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/openshift-cloud-services). These include both on-demand and traditional pricing models.
If you’re looking for a self-supporting community, access to a network of open source projects, developer centric tools, and a console for building containerized applications on Kubernetes, then consider OKD. With a focus on community, OKD offers team and user isolation of containers, builds, and network communication.
[See the Red Hat OpenShift subscription guide](/en/resources/self-managed-openshift-subscription-guide "SOLP: Self-managed Red Hat OpenShift sizing and subscription guide")
Why Red Hat?
------------
Red Hat is [helping organizations globally](/en/success-stories) and understands enterprise needs. Through our innovative and long-standing approach to open source, to our complementary application and data services [portfolio](/en/technologies/all-products), and our broad [partner ecosystem](/en/partners), Red Hat is the experienced partner to help guide your cloud-native, workload agnostic digital transformation. We even have strategic partnerships and integrations with key application and data centric [independent software vendors (ISVs)](https://connect.redhat.com/en/programs/independent-software-vendors), hardware OEMs, and [system integrators](/en/partners/global-systems-integrators-and-advisory).
Begin your journey now with [OKD](https://cloud.redhat.com/blog/okd-streams-building-the-next-generation-of-okd-together) or with the global business application environment with [Red Hat OpenShift](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift).
Resource
Red Hat named a Leader in 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Container Management
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Read the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Container Management to learn why Red Hat OpenShift has been named a “Leader” for the 3rd year in a row.
[Read the report](/en/engage/gartner-magic-quadrant-container-management-analyst-report "Red Hat named a Leader in 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Container Management")
Try Red Hat OpenShift
---------------------
Try Red Hat OpenShift fully managed in your cloud; self-managed in the cloud, on your computer, or in your datacenter; or instantly in a developer sandbox.
[Keep reading](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift/try-it "Try Red Hat OpenShift")
Keep reading
------------
### What is KVM?
Kernel-based virtual machines (KVM) are an open source virtualization technology that turns Linux into a hypervisor.
[Read the article](/en/topics/virtualization/what-is-KVM "article | what is KVM?")
### Ansible vs. Puppet: What you need to know
Ansible and Puppet are community open source IT automation tools. This article will help explain the similarities and differences between Ansible and Puppet in greater detail.
[Read the article](/en/topics/automation/ansible-vs-puppet "article | ansible vs puppet")
### Ansible vs. Salt: What you need to know
Ansible and Salt are community open source IT automation tools. This article will help explain the similarities and differences between Ansible and Salt in greater detail.
[Read the article](/en/topics/automation/ansible-vs-salt "article | ansible vs salt")
Open source resources
---------------------
### Featured product
* #### [Red Hat OpenShift](/en/technologies/cloud-computing/openshift)
  A unified application development platform that lets you build, modernize, and deploy applications at scale on your choice of hybrid cloud infrastructure.
[See all products](/en/technologies/all-products "See all products")
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