Amazon EKS Distro
EKS's Kubernetes distribution
The open-source Kubernetes distribution used by Amazon EKS, with components tested and security-patched by AWS; you install and operate it yourself anywhere.
- Cost$ Low
- Difficulty●●●●●
- Costs money when idle?No
- Self-managed
Think of it asLike a restaurant publishing the original recipe for a dish: you cook it yourself and take responsibility yourself.
When to use it
✓ Use it when
You want EKS-like Kubernetes but install it on your own infrastructure and manage it yourself.
✗ Avoid it when
You want ready-made cluster lifecycle management tools → EKS Anywhere; you want AWS to operate it → EKS.
Common uses
- Building your own on-prem Kubernetes on the same version as EKS
- Building an internal Kubernetes platform
- Testing compatibility with EKS
What does it cost?
- Pricing model: Free and open source; you pay for the infrastructure you provide.
