CRI-O is an OCI-based lightweight container runtime specifically designed to implement Kubernetes Container Runtime Interface for secure and efficient container management.
Open Container Initiative-based implementation of Kubernetes Container Runtime Interface
CRI-O is primarily used by Kubernetes administrators and developers who need a stable, Kubernetes-aligned container runtime that supports Open Container Initiative standards. It enables seamless container lifecycle management within Kubernetes clusters, focusing on security, performance, and compatibility with Kubernetes releases.
CRI-O is designed to closely follow Kubernetes release cycles, ensuring compatibility but requiring users to track Kubernetes version support. It is recommended to use CRI-O in environments where minimal container runtime overhead and strict OCI compliance are priorities. Proper configuration and integration with Kubernetes kubelet are essential for optimal operation. Users should leverage the provided HTTP status API and metrics for monitoring and debugging.
Visit the official CRI-O installation page at https://github.com/cri-o/cri-o#installing-cri-o
Add the CRI-O repository to your package manager (deb/rpm) based on your Linux distribution
Install CRI-O packages using your package manager (e.g., apt-get install cri-o or yum install cri-o)
Configure CRI-O according to your Kubernetes cluster requirements
Start and enable the CRI-O service using systemctl (e.g., systemctl start crio, systemctl enable crio)
Verify installation by checking CRI-O status and logs
Integrate CRI-O with Kubernetes kubelet by setting the container runtime to CRI-Osystemctl start crio
Starts the CRI-O container runtime service
systemctl enable crio
Enables CRI-O service to start on boot
crio --help
Displays help information and available commands for CRI-O
curl --unix-socket /var/run/crio/crio.sock http://localhost/status
Queries the CRI-O HTTP status API for runtime health and status
crio config
Displays or edits the CRI-O configuration file
journalctl -u crio
Views CRI-O service logs for debugging and troubleshooting