Caretta vs Retina
Caretta
github.comRetina
retina.shSide by side
| Figure | Caretta | Retina |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 0 |
| Spec score · eBPF Observability Tools | 8.3 (#7) | 7.0 (#26) |
| License | The repository provides Caretta under the Apache License, Version 2.0. | The repository uses the MIT License, which grants permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, sublicense, and sell copies of the software subject to its terms. |
| Metrics | Caretta uses VictoriaMetrics to collect and publish metrics, which can be consumed by Prometheus-compatible dashboards. | It provides industry-standard Prometheus metrics for cluster network observability. |
| Requirements | Caretta requires Linux kernel version 4.16 or later and CO-RE support; the README says Docker for Mac uses a distribution that is not supported. | Installation requires an existing Kubernetes cluster and Helm version 3.8.0 or later; Retina documents Linux kernel 5.4.0 as its minimum. |
| Support | The project directs users to its Slack channel or to create a GitHub issue for help. | The project directs bug reports and feature requests to GitHub issues and lists [email protected] for other maintainer contact. |
Plans
In their own words
Caretta
Caretta is a free, self-hosted Kubernetes tool from groundcover that creates a visual map of services and their network interactions. It uses eBPF for collection and is designed for Linux systems with kernel 4.16 or later and CO-RE support. The project describes a minimal footprint and says no cluster modifications are required. Installation is documented through a Helm chart, with a recommendation to use a new, unique namespace. The chart includes Grafana with a predefined Caretta dashboard and VictoriaMetrics for collecting and publishing metrics that Prometheus-compatible dashboards can consume. Both bundled services are enabled by default, as is a five-second metrics polling interval, while Helm values can disable either component. Persistent storage for VictoriaMetrics starts disabled but can be enabled. Grafana’s default setup enables anonymous mode and includes administrator credentials in the README. Caretta is self-hosted, Apache-2.0 licensed, and support is directed through Slack or repository issues.