Headlamp vs Palette
Headlamp
headlamp.dev
Palette
spectrocloud.comSide by side
| Figure | Headlamp | Palette |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Container Management Software | 8.9 (#3) | 8.1 (#11) |
| Integrations | Documented CNCF-related integrations include Backstage, Flux, Inspektor Gadget, Kompose, KubeScape, KubeVirt, OpenCost, Prometheus, and Trivy. | The maker lists integrations including Argo CD, Kubeflow, Redis, Istio, Datadog, Splunk, Prometheus, Grafana, and Calico. |
| Public API | Headlamp publishes API modules covering Kubernetes clients, resource endpoints, streaming, scaling, port forwarding, plugin libraries, Redux, and UI components. | Palette exposes REST APIs following OpenAPI conventions for custom integrations and workflows. |
| Purpose | Headlamp is a graphical user interface tailored to simplify Kubernetes cluster management. | Palette manages Kubernetes clusters and their lifecycle across cloud, data center, and edge environments. |
| Rating on G2 | 0.0 out of 5 from 0 reviews; the G2 page is for a different product, Headlamp Health, rather than the Kubernetes project. | 4.5 out of 5 from 13 reviews |
| Support | The project directs users to its documentation, community Slack, GitHub issues, and monthly community meeting for help. | Technical support is offered in Standard, Pro, and Premium tiers, with response times and coverage varying by tier. |
| What it does | Headlamp is a graphical web interface for managing Kubernetes clusters and resources. | Palette manages the lifecycle of Kubernetes environments across cloud, data center and edge locations. |
Plans
In their own words
Headlamp
Headlamp is a free graphical interface for managing Kubernetes clusters, available as a browser-based application and a desktop app. It adjusts its controls to Kubernetes role-based permissions, so users see only actions their role allows. Users can monitor multiple clusters and switch between them in the interface. A plugin system extends core functionality for specific workflows, with integrations including Backstage, Flux, Inspektor Gadget, Kompose, Kubescape, KubeVirt, OpenCost, Prometheus, and Trivy. Headlamp can be deployed in a Kubernetes cluster using Helm or YAML configuration. Documented sign-in methods include client certificates, bearer tokens, and OIDC. The project says a user token may be stored in browser local storage, but not in its backend or server. Its plugin guidance warns that plugins share the main application’s JavaScript context and recommends installing only trusted plugins. Headlamp is available at no charge under Apache 2.0. The project says it tests its desktop app on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Support options include documentation, community Slack, GitHub issues, and monthly community meetings.