Linkerd
The ultralight, security-first service mesh for Kubernetes.
Overview
Linkerd is a CNCF-graduated service mesh that provides critical security, observability, and reliability features to microservices running on Kubernetes. It is known for its simplicity and low resource overhead. Like Istio, Linkerd can be used by Argo Rollouts to manage traffic shifting during progressive deliveries, although the integration is typically less feature-rich than with Istio. Its primary value is in providing automatic mTLS, observability, and reliability features with minimal configuration.
✨ Key Features
- Automatic mTLS for all TCP traffic
- Golden metrics (success rate, requests/sec, latency)
- Minimalist design and low resource footprint
- Simple installation and operation
- Traffic splitting
🎯 Key Differentiators
- Simplicity and ease of use
- Ultra-low resource overhead (written in Rust)
- Security by default (zero-config mTLS)
Unique Value: Provides the security and observability benefits of a service mesh with unparalleled ease of use and minimal performance impact, making it a simple way to enable traffic management for Argo Rollouts.
🎯 Use Cases (4)
✅ Best For
- Zero-config, transparent mTLS for Kubernetes
- Lightweight service mesh for performance-critical applications
💡 Check With Vendor
Verify these considerations match your specific requirements:
- Environments requiring complex routing rules (e.g., header-based routing)
- Multi-cluster deployments that require a global control plane
🏆 Alternatives
Far simpler and more lightweight than Istio, but lacks Istio's advanced traffic routing capabilities.
💻 Platforms
✅ Offline Mode Available
🔌 Integrations
💰 Pricing
Free tier: Open source, free to use.
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