---
layout: docs
page_title: Waypoint vs. Kubernetes
description: |-
  Waypoint vs. Kubernetes
---

# Waypoint vs. Kubernetes

Kubernetes (K8s) is a popular open-source platform for running containerized
applications.

As a platform, Kubernetes itself runs your applications and determines what
machines your applications run on. Kubernetes provides features for health
checking, configuration, load balancing, storage, and much much more.
You are expected to install Kubernetes onto a set of servers or use a
managed service from a cloud provider.

Waypoint is not a platform. Waypoint is a deployment tool and
is complimentary to Kubernetes. You can't choose one of Kubernetes
_or_ Waypoint alone. Waypoint requires a platform to deploy to and Kubernetes can be
that platform.
If you are using Kubernetes, Waypoint tries to make it easier to adopt
Kubernetes by minimizing the amount of boilerplate you need to get started.

Kubernetes and Waypoint do have some features that overlap: application
logs, exec functionality, etc. Waypoint provides these features in a consistent
way across multiple platforms, including Kubernetes. Kubernetes provides
these features exclusively for applications running within Kubernetes.
If you use Waypoint, you're welcome to use either approach. Waypoint does not
prevent the Kubernetes-specific features from being used.
