Comparing Cloud Run, GKE, and App Engine: Which one is right for your application?

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) offers several options for deploying and running applications, including Cloud Run, Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), and App Engine. Each of these options has its own unique features and benefits, so it’s important to choose the right one for your specific use case. In this article, we will compare these three options in terms of their features, advantages, disadvantages, and deployment examples.

Cloud Run

Cloud Run is a serverless container platform that allows you to run stateless HTTP containers on-demand. It is based on the Knative open-source project and provides a fully managed environment that automatically scales your application based on demand. Cloud Run supports several programming languages and container images, and it can run on any cloud provider or on-premises. The main advantages of Cloud Run are its simplicity, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.

Advantages:

• Fully managed platform
• Serverless and on-demand scaling
• Supports multiple programming languages and container images
• Can run on any cloud provider or on-premises
• Cost-effective and pay-as-you-go pricing model

Disadvantages:

• Limited to stateless HTTP containers
• No control over the underlying infrastructure
• Limited support for complex networking configurations

Deployment example: Deploy a Python Flask application to Cloud Run using the command line interface (CLI):

$ gcloud builds submit --tag gcr.io/[PROJECT-ID]/my-image
$ gcloud run deploy --image gcr.io/[PROJECT-ID]/my-image --platform managed

Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)

GKE is a fully managed Kubernetes service that provides a scalable and secure environment for running containerized applications. It allows you to manage and orchestrate your containers using Kubernetes, an open-source container orchestration system. GKE provides advanced networking, security, and monitoring capabilities, and it supports a wide range of programming languages and container images. The main advantages of GKE are its flexibility, scalability, and control over the underlying infrastructure.

Advantages:

• Fully managed Kubernetes service
• Advanced networking, security, and monitoring capabilities
• Supports multiple programming languages and container images
• Provides full control over the underlying infrastructure
• High availability and scalability

Disadvantages:

• Higher learning curve compared to Cloud Run and App Engine
• Higher cost compared to Cloud Run for small applications
• Requires more configuration and management

Deployment example: Deploy a Node.js application to GKE using the command line interface (CLI):

$ gcloud builds submit --tag gcr.io/[PROJECT-ID]/my-image
$ kubectl create deployment my-app --image=gcr.io/[PROJECT-ID]/my-image
$ kubectl expose deployment my-app --port=80 --type=LoadBalancer

App Engine

App Engine is a fully managed platform for building and deploying web applications and APIs. It provides a serverless environment that automatically scales your application based on demand. App Engine supports several programming languages and provides a flexible environment for custom runtimes. It also provides built-in monitoring, logging, and security features. The main advantages of App Engine are its simplicity, scalability, and ease of use.

Advantages:

• Fully managed platform
• Serverless and on-demand scaling
• Supports multiple programming languages and custom runtimes
• Built-in monitoring, logging, and security features
• Easy to use and quick to deploy

Disadvantages:

• Limited control over the underlying infrastructure
• Limited to stateless web applications and APIs
• Higher cost compared to Cloud Run for small applications

Deployment example: Deploy a Java application to App Engine using the command line interface (CLI):

Deploy a Java application to App Engine using the command line interface (CLI):

$ mvn appengine:deploy

This command builds and deploys your Java application to App Engine. You can also use the Cloud SDK CLI to deploy your application:

$ gcloud app deploy

This command deploys your application to App Engine using the app.yaml configuration file.

Comparison

Here is a comparison of Cloud Run, GKE, and App Engine based on their features:

Conclusion

Choosing the right deployment option for your application depends on several factors, including the complexity of your application, your budget, and your level of control over the underlying infrastructure. Cloud Run is ideal for simple, stateless HTTP applications that require on-demand scaling and cost-effectiveness. GKE is ideal for complex, containerized applications that require full control over the infrastructure, advanced networking, and security features. App Engine is ideal for simple, serverless web applications and APIs that require ease of use and quick deployment. By comparing these options, you can choose the one that best meets your needs and requirements.