Container orchestration: Kubernetes vs Mesos vs Swarm

A comparison of the three main container orchestration platforms — Kubernetes, Apache Mesos/Marathon, and Docker Swarm. Architecture, strengths, and when to choose which.

Why orchestration?¶

Docker solved packaging and the runtime for individual containers. But in production you need to:

• Run hundreds to thousands of containers across clusters
• Automatically restart failed containers
• Scale services based on load
• Roll out deployments without downtime
• Manage networking and storage

Orchestrators automate these operational tasks.

Kubernetes — Google DNA¶

Kubernetes brings decades of Google experience with Borg. Key strengths:

• Declarative model — you describe the desired state; K8s maintains it
• Rich API and extensibility
• Largest community and ecosystem
• Support from all major cloud providers

Weaknesses: steep learning curve, complex setup on bare metal, higher operational overhead for small teams.

Mesos/Marathon — the data centre as a computer¶

Apache Mesos is battle-tested at Twitter, Apple, and Airbnb for tens of thousands of nodes. Marathon is a container orchestration framework running on top of Mesos.

Strengths:

• Extreme scalability (10,000+ nodes)
• Multi-workload — containers, Hadoop, Spark on a single cluster
• Mature and stable

Weaknesses: more complex architecture (Mesos + Marathon + ZooKeeper), smaller community specifically around containers.

Docker Swarm — simplicity¶

Docker Swarm is Docker’s native orchestration. The goal: simplicity and a low barrier to entry.

Strengths:

• Integrated in Docker Engine
• Docker CLI compatibility — no new tools required
• Simplest setup and learning curve

Weaknesses: fewer features than K8s, smaller ecosystem, uncertain future (the Docker vs Kubernetes battle).

For small teams and straightforward deployments, Swarm may be the most practical choice.

Conclusion: Kubernetes is the safe bet¶

In 2015 the battle is still open, but Kubernetes’s momentum is undeniable. For enterprise projects we recommend Kubernetes as the strategic platform. For small projects, consider Docker Swarm. Mesos makes sense for organisations with extreme scaling requirements.