Loft Labs helps builders — and the companies that make use of them — extra effectively use their Kubernetes clusters by virtualizing Kubernetes itself. This makes it simpler to share a single Kubernetes cluster with a number of builders engaged on completely different tasks as an alternative of spinning up a brand new cluster for each use case, which is what usually occurs.
At the moment, Loft launched model 3 of its digital cluster resolution, which features a totally revamped consumer interface, a deeper integration with Argo CD and higher assist for GitOps-style deployments.
As Loft founder Lukas Gentele instructed me, the group acquired its begin doing shopper work for different startups after which launched DevSpace, a device that helps builders streamline their Kubernetes workflow. The founders utilized to Y Combinator in 2018 with this concept and whereas they made it to the in-person interview spherical, they weren’t chosen for that batch, they took it as validation of the concept. The group finally acquired a suggestion from UC Berkeley’s SkyDeck accelerator and constructed out a cloud model of DevSpace within the course of. And whereas DevSpace Cloud had just a few thousand customers, however they principally used it as a passion platform. This made it nearly inconceivable to monetize. So after scrapping that concept, the group went again to the drafting board.
Picture Credit: Loft
“We have been reflecting on DevSpace Cloud and what went nicely, what did we study and what was lacking,” Gentele instructed me in regards to the origin of Loft. “The actually massive lacking piece was: it’s actually freaking exhausting to share Kubernetes clusters. Multi-tenancy is an unsolved drawback in Kubernetes. No one actually is aware of how you can do it. That’s why so many firms create lots of and even hundreds of Kubernetes clusters.”
With Loft, builders get one Kubernetes cluster after which the device creates a container that hosts the cluster. “It features and it interacts like an actual Kubernetes cluster. I received’t have the ability to inform the distinction — similar to a digital machine and an actual bodily machine,” Gentele defined. Builders discuss to the identical Kubernetes API and use the identical kubtctl CLI they’re already used to.
“I believe one factor that makes us distinctive is that we’re tremendous Kubernetes-native. There are lots of these firms that now discuss platform engineering. I believe lots of them make the error of getting a proprietary API. We’ve by no means achieved that. Our API is the Kubernetes API,” Gentele defined.
Picture Credit: Loft
The core open-source product beneath all of that is vCluster, which Gentele says has already been used to create over 30 million digital clusters. Some even use it to run giant SaaS merchandise on high of it in manufacturing — and that’s earlier than it has even seen a 1.0 launch.
With this new model, Loft now introduces the idea of tasks, which now permits customers to create teams of customers — and outline these via an organization’s single sign-on supplier — and provides them entry to particular capabilities and sources. “This makes it loads simpler to outline limits for these impartial groups — after which flip it right into a self-service system,” he famous.
Picture Credit: Loft
On high of the redesigned consumer interface, the group now additionally added a YAML editor to the device, which instantly displays any adjustments you make within the device’s graphical consumer interface. This, in flip, additionally permits the groups to make use of this file as a part of their GitOps processes.
Additionally new is the deep Argo CD integration in addition to the power to share versioned templates for digital clusters, areas and apps throughout an enterprise.
Genetle hinted at a brand new open-source challenge from Loft that can doubtless launch within the coming months, which is able to broaden the group’s focus past Kubernetes. He declined to share any particulars, although.
