Docker Compose to Kubernetes converter

A Docker Compose file with services, ports, and volumes being converted into Kubernetes resources and a Helm chart output for review

Use the converter

Access the Docker Compose to Kubernetes converter tool.

The Docker Compose to Kubernetes converter helps you migrate Docker Compose applications to Kubernetes by automatically generating Kubernetes manifests and Helm charts from your docker-compose.yaml files.

What it does

The converter transforms Docker Compose services into Kubernetes resources:

Services → Kubernetes Deployments and Services
Volumes → PersistentVolumeClaims or other volume types
Networks → Kubernetes Services with ClusterIP
Ports → Service ports and optional Ingress resources
Environment variables → ConfigMaps and Secrets
Health checks → Liveness and readiness probes

The converter also generates a complete Helm chart with all resources bundled together. Use that chart as a Kubernetes starting point for a Package.

When to use

Use the converter when:

Migrating from Docker Compose: You have a working Docker Compose setup and want to deploy to Kubernetes.
Quick prototyping: You want to quickly test a Docker Compose app on Kubernetes.
Learning Kubernetes: You want to see how Docker Compose concepts map to Kubernetes resources.
CI/CD integration: You need to convert Compose files as part of an automated pipeline.

The converter provides a good starting point, but you may need to adjust the generated manifests for production use. Review the generated resources and customize them based on your specific requirements.

How to use

Access the converter

The converter is available at https://akua.dev/kompose. You can paste your Docker Compose YAML directly into the interface.

Conversion options

The converter supports several options to customize the output:

Provider: Choose Kubernetes or OpenShift.
Controller type: Deployment, DaemonSet, or ReplicationController.
Replicas: Number of pod replicas to create.
Volume type: PersistentVolumeClaim, emptyDir, hostPath, or ConfigMap.
Namespace: Target Kubernetes namespace.
Network policies: Generate NetworkPolicy resources for service isolation.
Helm chart: Generate a complete Helm chart (enabled by default).

Output formats

The converter generates:

Kubernetes manifests: Individual YAML files for each resource (Deployments, Services, ConfigMaps, and others).
Helm chart: A complete Helm chart with:
- Chart.yaml: Chart metadata
- values.yaml: Configurable values
- templates/: All Kubernetes manifests as Helm templates

You can download the output as a ZIP file containing all generated files, or copy individual files from the interface.

Example

Convert a simple web application with Redis: Input (docker-compose.yaml):

docker-compose.yaml

services:
  web:
    image: nginx:latest
    ports:
      - "80:80"
    environment:
      - NODE_ENV=production
    depends_on:
      - redis
      
  redis:
    image: redis:alpine
    ports:
      - "6379:6379"

Output (Kubernetes manifests):

apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  labels:
    io.kompose.service: web
  name: web
  namespace: default
spec:
  replicas: 1
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      io.kompose.service: web
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        io.kompose.service: web
    spec:
      containers:
        - env:
            - name: NODE_ENV
              value: production
          image: nginx:latest
          name: web
          ports:
            - containerPort: 80
              protocol: TCP
      restartPolicy: Always

apiVersion: v1
kind: Service
metadata:
  labels:
    io.kompose.service: web
  name: web
  namespace: default
spec:
  ports:
    - name: "80"
      port: 80
      targetPort: 80
  selector:
    io.kompose.service: web

apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  labels:
    io.kompose.service: redis
  name: redis
  namespace: default
spec:
  replicas: 1
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      io.kompose.service: redis
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        io.kompose.service: redis
    spec:
      containers:
        - image: redis:alpine
          name: redis
          ports:
            - containerPort: 6379
              protocol: TCP
      restartPolicy: Always

apiVersion: v1
kind: Service
metadata:
  labels:
    io.kompose.service: redis
  name: redis
  namespace: default
spec:
  ports:
    - name: "6379"
      port: 6379
      targetPort: 6379
  selector:
    io.kompose.service: redis

The converter generates Kubernetes manifests for each service, including Deployments and Services. When you enable Helm chart generation, it also creates a complete Helm chart with all resources bundled together.

Limitations

The converter handles most common Docker Compose features, but some features are not supported or require manual adjustment:

Feature	Status	Notes
Build contexts	Not supported	Docker Compose `build:` directives are not converted. Use pre-built container images instead.
Docker Compose versions	Limited support	Versions 2.1 and 3.2 have limited support due to their experimental nature. Use stable versions (1, 2, or 3) for best results.
Docker-specific features	Not supported	Some Docker-only features don’t have direct Kubernetes equivalents and may be skipped or require manual configuration.
Networking	Converted with limitations	Docker Compose networks are simplified to Kubernetes Services. Complex network configurations may need manual adjustment.
depends_on	Converted with limitations	Service dependencies are converted to init containers or startup order hints where possible, but exact startup ordering isn’t guaranteed.
Volumes	Converted with limitations	Volume configurations are converted, but you may need to adjust volume types based on your requirements.
Resource limits	Converted with limitations	Basic resource constraints are converted, but you may want to add more detailed resource requests and limits for production use.

Package format

Turn generated manifests into a reusable Package.

Create a product

Deploy your converted application as a product.

Installations

How Packages materialize on clusters.

Concepts

How Packages, products, and installations fit together.

Installations

Package authoring

Repository delivery

Automation

Use the converter

What it does

When to use

How to use

Access the converter

Conversion options

Output formats

Example

Limitations

Package format

Create a product

Installations

Concepts

Use the converter

​What it does

​When to use

​How to use

​Access the converter

​Conversion options

​Output formats

​Example

​Limitations

​Related topics

Package format

Create a product

Installations

Concepts

What it does

When to use

How to use

Access the converter

Conversion options

Output formats

Example

Limitations

Related topics