Polaris
An open source policy engine for Kubernetes.
Overview
Polaris, by Fairwinds, is an open-source tool that runs a variety of checks on Kubernetes deployments to ensure they align with best practices for security, efficiency, and reliability. It can be run as a dashboard for auditing clusters, as a validating webhook to enforce policies at admission time, or as a command-line tool in a CI/CD pipeline. Polaris comes with over 30 built-in checks and supports custom checks.
✨ Key Features
- 30+ built-in configuration policies
- Customizable policies
- Multiple modes of operation: Dashboard, Admission Controller, CI/CD
- Scoring for cluster health
- Remediation guidance
🎯 Key Differentiators
- Easy-to-use dashboard for visualizing cluster health
- Focus on configuration best practices for security, efficiency, and reliability
- Multiple deployment modes for flexibility
Unique Value: Provides an easy way to audit and enforce Kubernetes best practices with a visual dashboard and multiple enforcement options.
🎯 Use Cases (4)
✅ Best For
- Continuous auditing of cluster configurations
- Pre-deployment checks in CI pipelines
💡 Check With Vendor
Verify these considerations match your specific requirements:
- Users needing complex, context-aware policies that require a language like Rego
🏆 Alternatives
Simpler than policy-as-code engines like OPA or Kyverno, with a strong focus on a curated set of best practice checks.
💻 Platforms
🔌 Integrations
🛟 Support Options
- ✓ Live Chat
- ✓ Dedicated Support (Enterprise (via Fairwinds Insights) tier)
💰 Pricing
Free tier: Fully open source and free.
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