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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →An open source cloud is a cloud environment built using software licensed to let users access, modify, and redistribute its source code under the license terms. “Open source” describes the software’s licensing; “cloud” describes how computing resources are delivered. It does not mean the service is free to run, and it does not refer to one specific platform.
What does “open source” mean?
Open source is a licensing concept, not simply a claim that source code can be viewed. The Open Source Initiative says, “Open source doesn’t just mean access to the source code.” Its definition includes criteria such as free redistribution, availability of source code, permission to create and distribute derived works, and restrictions against discrimination. See the Open Source Initiative’s Open Source Definition, last modified February 16, 2024.
Those permissions are governed by the software’s actual license. Check the license and project governance rather than assuming that every project described as “open source” has identical terms.
What makes it a cloud?
Cloud describes a model for providing computing resources over a network. NIST defines cloud computing as “a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources” that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or provider interaction. The definition is in NIST SP 800-145, by Peter Mell and Tim Grance, published September 28, 2011.
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NIST describes five essential characteristics, three service models, and four deployment models. In practical terms, a cloud lets users request resources such as networks, servers, storage, applications, or services as needed, rather than treating each resource as a separately provisioned machine.
How do OpenStack and Kubernetes fit?
OpenStack and Kubernetes are both open-source projects used in cloud environments, but they address different layers. Neither name is a synonym for every open source cloud.
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| Project or concept | Primary role | What it does not mean |
|---|---|---|
| OpenStack | Modular software for building public and private cloud platforms, especially infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS). Its services provide compute, storage, and networking capabilities and expose REST APIs. | It is not the only way to build an open source cloud, nor does its interoperability goal establish that every deployment can be swapped for another without changes. |
| Kubernetes | Container orchestration: it helps deploy and manage containerized workloads. It can be part of a cloud-native stack running on cloud infrastructure. | It is not, by itself, a complete cloud provider or all the infrastructure a cloud requires. |
For project details, see the OpenStack documentation and the Kubernetes glossary. Cloud native is a broader approach to building and operating workloads across public, private, and hybrid environments. The CNCF definition includes practices and technologies such as containers, microservices, service meshes, immutable infrastructure, and declarative APIs; see CNCF Cloud Native Definition v1.1, approved February 26, 2024.
Where can an open source cloud run?
Open-source cloud software can be used in public, private, or hybrid environments. A public cloud provides services to customers through a provider; a private cloud is dedicated to an organization; a hybrid environment combines distinct environments. The software license alone does not decide which deployment model applies or where operational responsibility sits.
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Cloud-native workloads can likewise run across public, private, and hybrid environments. That does not guarantee that an application or its data can move between arbitrary providers without changes: actual APIs, dependencies, configurations, and migration needs matter.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What does “open source” change about cost and responsibility?
An open-source license can permit commercial use and redistribution, subject to its terms. It does not provide hardware, pay for electricity or network capacity, operate servers, or automatically supply upgrades, security work, support, or service availability. Those costs and responsibilities remain with the organization or provider operating the environment.
The division of work varies by service. With a managed Kubernetes offer, for example, a provider may take responsibility for the control plane, worker nodes, and underlying infrastructure; with self-managed infrastructure, the organization may handle more of that work. The Kubernetes documentation explains this distinction in its glossary.
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How should you compare open source cloud options?
- Match the layer to the need. Decide whether you need infrastructure services such as compute, storage, and networking; container orchestration; or a broader developer platform.
- Choose the deployment context. Identify whether the workload belongs in a public, private, or hybrid environment and how much operational control your team needs.
- Verify licensing and governance. Review the project’s actual license and how the project is governed; the label alone is not enough.
- Set the operations boundary. Establish who supplies and maintains servers, storage, networking, control planes, upgrades, security, and support.
- Check interoperability in practice. Review APIs, dependencies, and migration requirements. A project’s stated interoperability goals do not prove that every deployment is interchangeable.
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