EC2 Image Builder vs Open Build Service
EC2 Image Builder
aws.amazon.comOpen Build Service
openbuildservice.orgSide by side
| Figure | EC2 Image Builder | Open Build Service |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Container Build Tools | 7.6 (#19) | 8.3 (#9) |
| Intended users | The service is aimed at customers maintaining secure, customized server and container images, including organizations that distribute standardized images across AWS accounts. | The project describes OBS as serving packagers, free software projects, and independent software vendors. |
| Purpose | EC2 Image Builder automates customization, testing, distribution, and lifecycle management of Amazon Machine Images and container images. | OBS automatically builds and distributes binary packages from source code in a consistent and reproducible way. |
Plans
In their own words
EC2 Image Builder
EC2 Image Builder has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Open Build Service
Open Build Service (OBS) builds and distributes binary packages from source code in a consistent, reproducible way. Each package is built in a fresh jailed environment; when a build succeeds, OBS rebuilds packages that depend on it. The service can release packages, updates, add-ons, appliances, and complete distributions for different operating systems and hardware architectures. Documented package formats include RPM, DEB, and Arch, with recipes in formats such as spec, dsc, KIWI, and mkosi. Teams can use access controls, branches, merge requests, and submission reviews to coordinate work. GitHub.com and GitLab.com integrations are supported, as are self-hosted GitHub, GitLab, and Gitea instances when network connectivity works. The API gives clients and external services access to OBS resources, while the osc command-line client can edit sources and metadata, start builds, and gather results. OBS is GPL-licensed free software, available on a reference server for open-source developers or for installation on users’ own hardware or in a data center. The listed plan is free.