# CNCF Distribution vs Kraken

**Leader by Vioscale score:** CNCF Distribution

| Attribute | CNCF Distribution | Kraken |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 57.6 (66% (medium)) | 52.6 (76% (high)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 8 | 31 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 2,403 | 1 |
| adoption.github_stars | 10,582 | 6,737 |
| deployment.options | `{"on_prem":true,"self_hosted":true}` | `{"hybrid":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | Open-source implementation of the OCI Distribution Specification for storing and distributing container images. Enables organizations to tightly control their image storage and distribution pipeline with full ownership of their distribution infrastructure. | Open-source P2P-powered Docker registry designed for scalable and highly available image management, replication, and distribution in hybrid cloud environments with pluggable storage backends. |
| features.capabilities | `{"hosting":"self","image_signing":true,"oci_compliant":true,"private_repos":true,"artifact_types":"images"}` | `{"hosting":"self","private_repos":true,"artifact_types":"images","high_availability":true,"replication_mirroring":true}` |
| integrations.count | - | 5 |
| integrations.list | - | `[{"name":"S3"},{"name":"GCS"},{"name":"ECR"},{"name":"HDFS"}]` |
| language.primary | Go | Go |
| license.spdx | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| platform.support | - | `{"cli":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","sourceUrl":"https://distribution.github.io/distribution/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T18:17:59.377Z"}` | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://github.com/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T18:18:11.574Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | - | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | commercial |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | - | yes |
| release.cadence_days | 55 | 14 |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.1.1","date":"2026-05-01T15:51:50Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.1.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.1.0","date":"2026-04-06T17:09:31Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.1.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.0.0","date":"2025-04-03T06:25:36Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.0.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.0.0-rc.4","date":"2025-03-22T14:59:29Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v3.0.0-rc.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.0.0-rc.3","date":"2025-02-11T16:21:07Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v3.0.0-rc.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.0.0-rc.2","date":"2024-12-18T15:23:19Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v3.0.0-rc.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.0.0-rc.1","date":"2024-11-07T21:04:41Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v3.0.0-rc.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.0.0-beta.1","date":"2024-07-10T13:22:40Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v3.0.0-beta.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v3.0.0-alpha.1","date":"2023-12-19T16:03:36Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v3.0.0-alpha.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.8.3","date":"2023-10-02T18:23:54Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.8.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.8.2","date":"2023-05-11T10:47:43Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.8.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.8.2-beta.2","date":"2023-05-09T23:32:56Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.8.2-beta.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.8.2-beta.1","date":"2023-05-09T22:42:12Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.8.2-beta.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.8.1","date":"2022-03-08T18:19:10Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.8.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.8.0","date":"2022-02-07T15:53:07Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.8.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.8.0-beta.1","date":"2022-01-21T16:49:13Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.8.0-beta.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.7.1","date":"2019-01-17T23:22:32Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.7.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.7.0","date":"2018-12-04T00:20:01Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.7.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.7.0-rc.0","date":"2018-09-28T23:23:36Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.7.0-rc.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v2.6.2","date":"2017-07-20T21:20:00Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.6.2"}]` | `[{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.27","date":"2026-07-06T09:38:25Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.27"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.26","date":"2026-06-29T12:12:10Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.26"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.25","date":"2026-06-22T14:26:47Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.25"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.24","date":"2026-06-10T11:12:08Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.24"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.23","date":"2026-05-26T11:25:18Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.23"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.22","date":"2026-04-14T10:23:31Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.22"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.21","date":"2026-03-23T15:50:36Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.21"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.20","date":"2026-03-02T12:26:02Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.20"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.19","date":"2026-01-26T11:46:01Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.19"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.18","date":"2026-01-05T09:55:25Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.18"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.17","date":"2025-12-17T10:09:17Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.17"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.16","date":"2025-12-08T16:40:34Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.16"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.15","date":"2025-11-28T10:16:26Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.15"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.14","date":"2025-11-18T12:34:04Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.14"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.13","date":"2025-11-10T13:30:12Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.13"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.12","date":"2025-10-20T13:49:55Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.12"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.11","date":"2025-10-10T12:12:04Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.11"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.10","date":"2025-09-23T11:20:24Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.10"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.9","date":"2025-09-09T10:56:10Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/uber/kraken/releases/tag/v0.1.8","date":"2025-08-25T11:47:44Z","type":"stable","version":"v0.1.8"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | yes | yes |
| security.disclosure_policy | - | yes |
| security.scorecard | 7.9 | 4.6 |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":4,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Fdistribution%2Fdistribution%2Fv3&per_page=100","last_12m":3,"max_severity":"HIGH"}` | `{"count":1,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Fuber%2Fkraken&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":"HIGH"}` |

## Capabilities (Container Registries)

| Capability | CNCF Distribution | Kraken |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Hosting | Self-hosted only | Self-hosted only |
| **Standards** |  |  |
| OCI Distribution Spec compliant | ✓ | - |
| **Scope** |  |  |
| Artifact types | Container images only | Container images only |
| **Security** |  |  |
| Built-in vulnerability scanning | - | - |
| Image signing (Cosign/Notation) | ✓ | - |
| SBOM generation / storage | - | - |
| **Access** |  |  |
| Fine-grained RBAC / robot accounts | - | - |
| Private repositories | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Distribution** |  |  |
| Geo-replication / mirroring | - | ✓ |
| Pull-through cache / proxy | - | - |
| **Integration** |  |  |
| Native cloud IAM integration | - | - |
| **Pricing** |  |  |
| Pull-rate limits | - | - |
| **UX** |  |  |
| Web UI / console | - | - |
| **Ops** |  |  |
| High-availability deployment | - | ✓ |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T15:27:44.425Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*