In partnership with
In its latest release, Kata Containers 4.0, the headline change is a major runtime rewrite that's been in the works for years. The project has finally made its Rust-based runtime the default and deprecated the older Go runtime. The new default Rust runtime supports the x86_64 (amd64), ARM (aarch64), and IBM s390x architectures.
For now, if you love the Go runtime, it will still be around until version 5.0 rolls out. However, it's still deprecated, and it won't accept newly proposed features.
As for VM hypervisors, Kata now supports QEMU, Cloud Hypervisor, and the Rust-based Dragonball. Dragonball is a built-in hypervisor. It serves as a lightweight alternative for users who prefer not to use QEMU or Cloud Hypervisor. Dragonball fully satisfies standard sandboxing requirements, supporting key features such as virtio-net, virtio-blk, and VFIO device passthrough. As for container orchestrators, it runs with Kubernetes, of course; Docker, although it's only been tested with QEMU; and nerdctl.
As always, Kata Containers stays true to its slogan: "The speed of containers, the security of VMs." It does this by running in its own dedicated kernel. This provides isolation of network, I/O, and memory thanks to hardware-enforced isolation with virtualization VT extensions.
With its lightweight VMs, the project has long targeted users who want container workflows with stronger isolation. Version 4.0 also comes with improved block device support, hotplug, virtio-mem, multi-queue networking, VFIO coldplug, and Kubernetes resource accounting.
The release is also being positioned for AI and other multi-tenant workloads, especially where sandboxing and supply-chain hardening matter. Kata has always been great at securing jobs that need extra protection, and AI sandboxes need such shielding now more than ever. I expect Kata to become a much more popular platform going forward.
Noteworthy Linux and open-source stories:
That lead in your CRM? Gone.
Over 3.5 billion people open WhatsApp, Instagram, or Facebook Messenger every day. Your customers are already there, asking questions and comparing options.
Wati puts your business across WhatsApp, Instagram DM, Facebook Messenger, SMS, RCS, and web chat in one AI-powered inbox.
Automations instantly respond, route conversations, and keep every interaction tracked in one place.
Meet customers where they already are, before your competitor does.