AWS Lambda
Serverless compute service that runs code in response to events without provisioning or managing servers
Apache OpenWhisk
Run event‑driven functions at scale with Docker and Kubernetes
Apache OpenWhisk provides a serverless platform to create, compose, and trigger functions using Docker containers, with standalone and Kubernetes deployment options, plus a CLI for management.
Overview
Overview
Apache OpenWhisk is a serverless platform that lets developers create actions, compose them into workflows, and bind them to events through triggers and rules. Functions run inside isolated Docker containers, supporting many runtimes such as Java, JavaScript, Python, Swift, and more.
Deployment Options
For quick experimentation, the Standalone stack runs as a single Java process and opens a web Playground at http://localhost:3232. Production workloads can be deployed on any Kubernetes cluster—managed services like AKS, EKS, GKE, or local Minikube—using the openwhisk‑deploy‑kube repository. The wsk CLI provides full lifecycle management of actions, packages, and triggers.
Community and Extensibility
The project is governed by the Apache Software Foundation and backed by an active community on GitHub and Slack. Recent migration to the Apache Pekko framework introduces a breaking change that requires redeploying clusters and updating configuration overrides, with a 3.x branch planned for transition.
Highlights
Rich programming model with actions, triggers, rules, and workflows
Runs functions in isolated Docker containers supporting many runtimes
Standalone Java process for quick local development
Kubernetes‑native deployment for production clusters
Pros
- Language‑agnostic runtime support
- Flexible deployment options (standalone, Docker, Kubernetes)
- Mature ecosystem and active community
- Scalable event‑driven architecture
Considerations
- Requires Docker and Java runtime setup
- Migration to Apache Pekko may need config changes
- Learning curve for triggers and rules model
- Not a fully managed SaaS; you operate the platform
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Fit guide
Great for
- Teams building microservices with event‑driven functions
- Organizations needing on‑premise serverless control
- Developers wanting to experiment locally before scaling
- Enterprises integrating with existing Kubernetes clusters
Not ideal when
- Users seeking a fully hosted serverless service
- Projects with minimal ops resources for cluster management
- Simple scripts that don’t require scaling or orchestration
- Environments where Docker is prohibited
How teams use it
API Backend with Dynamic Scaling
Deploy HTTP‑triggered actions that auto‑scale based on request volume, reducing infrastructure costs.
Data Processing Pipelines
Chain actions via triggers and rules to process streaming data in real time.
CI/CD Automation
Invoke build and test actions from Git events, integrating with existing DevOps workflows.
Edge Computing Prototype
Run lightweight functions in Docker containers on edge nodes managed through Kubernetes.
Tech snapshot
Scala89%
JavaScript4%
Python2%
Shell2%
Java1%
Jinja1%
Frequently asked questions
What runtimes are supported?
OpenWhisk can execute actions written in Java, JavaScript, Python, Swift, Go, and many other languages via Docker images.
Can OpenWhisk run on a managed Kubernetes service?
Yes, you can deploy the platform to AKS, EKS, GKE, or any compatible Kubernetes cluster using the openwhisk-deploy-kube repository.
What is the impact of the recent migration to Apache Pekko?
The master branch now uses Pekko; you must redeploy clusters and update any Akka configuration overrides to their Pekko equivalents.
Project at a glance
Active- Stars
- 6,744
- Watchers
- 6,744
- Forks
- 1,173
LicenseApache-2.0
Repo age9 years old
Last commitlast month
Primary languageScala
Last synced 11 hours ago