Extending Clusters to the Edge and Far Edge with Bootable Containers

Explore how to extend Kubernetes clusters to edge and far edge devices using bootable containers in this 24-minute conference talk from DevConf.CZ 2025. Learn how resource constraints on edge devices make running a full kubelet and its dependencies impractical, and discover an innovative lightweight solution that combines the bootc and virtual kubelet projects. Understand how bootable containers follow OCI principles to create bootable images suitable for various systems and architectures while simplifying device management through rollbacks and automatic updates. Examine the implementation of a virtual kubelet provider for bootc managed devices, enabling workloads to run natively on edge devices and leverage specialized hardware without the overhead of a kubelet and container engine. Gain insights into practical applications of bootable containers and the bootc project alongside familiar cloud native tools, particularly valuable for cluster administrators seeking innovative edge device management solutions. This presentation showcases work from the P2CODE project funded by the Horizon Europe Research programme.