CKP Distribution (The Distro)
How the CKP Distro Works
CKP takes the upstream Kubernetes source code at a specific version and produces custom-tagged binaries with a -ckp version suffix (e.g., v1.31.2-ckp). This means CKP binaries are functionally identical to upstream Kubernetes, but are versioned, packaged, and digitally signed by Coredge.io for enterprise traceability and supply chain integrity.
The output of this process is a set of custom Debian packages (kubeadm, kubelet, kubectl) and a set of Coredge-hosted container images for all core Kubernetes components published to the Coredge Docker Hub registry.
Currently Supported Kubernetes Versions
CKP currently supports the following Kubernetes versions, selectable during cluster creation through the Compass UI or API:
| Version | CNI (Calico) | CNCF Certified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| v1.33.7 | v3.30.5 | Yes | Supported |
| v1.34.3 | v3.30.5 | Yes | Supported |
| v1.35.1 | v3.30.5 | Yes | Supported (Latest) |
CKP Packages
CKP ships the following packages as custom-built Debian binaries for AMD64 architecture:
| Package | Description |
|---|---|
| kubeadm | Cluster bootstrapping and lifecycle management tool |
| kubelet | Primary node agent that manages pod execution |
| kubectl | Command-line tool for interacting with the Kubernetes API |
| kubernetes-cni | Container Network Interface plugins |
| cri-tools | Container Runtime Interface diagnostic tools |
| containerd | Container runtime bundled with CNI support |
Package Signing and Integrity Verification
All CKP packages are digitally signed by Coredge.io using PGP to ensure supply chain integrity and enterprise traceability. Before any CKP installation proceeds, a mandatory integrity verification is performed automatically by the installation scripts. This verification includes PGP signature validation against the Coredge public key and confirmation that the package maintainer field is set to Coredge.io. If either check fails, the installation is aborted.
CKP BYOH Bundle Distribution
For CAPI-managed cluster provisioning, CKP packages are distributed as BYOH (Bring Your Own Host) bundles hosted on the Coredge Docker Hub registry. Each bundle is an OCI-compliant image artifact that contains all required CKP packages for a specific Kubernetes version and operating system. This approach ensures consistent, version-locked package delivery across all cluster nodes.
BYOH bundles are available for the following operating systems:
| Operating System | Availability |
|---|---|
| Ubuntu 22.04 | Available for all supported K8s versions (v1.33.7+) |
| Ubuntu 24.04 | Available for all supported K8s versions (v1.33.7+) |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Available for all supported K8s versions (v1.33.7+) |