Koptan

Koptan is a Kubernetes operator that builds and deploys applications straight from a git repository. You give it a repository URL. Koptan works out how to build it, builds a container image inside your cluster, pushes the image to your registry and runs it as a Deployment. When you push new commits, it does all of this again.

You do not write a Dockerfile, a CI pipeline or deployment manifests. If your repository already has a Dockerfile, Koptan uses it.

What you get

Feature	Resource	What it does
Build and deploy from git	Service	Watches a repository, detects the stack (Go, Rust, Java, .NET, Python, Ruby, PHP, Node.js or static sites), builds the image and deploys it.
Builds	CI	Created for you. Builds one image per commit in a Pod and pushes it to the registry.
Deployments	CD	Created for you. Runs the image as a Deployment with a Kubernetes Service in front of it.
CI steps	CIPlugin	Adds steps that run before the build, such as SonarQube, CodeQL, Trivy or any container you choose.
Notifications	Alert	Sends pushes, builds and deployments to Slack, Microsoft Teams or a signed webhook.
AI self-service	SelfService	Pairs a repository with an AI agent. Each prompt becomes a commit, and Koptan builds and deploys it.
Web UI	Koptan UI	A Backstage-based UI for creating and following all of the above.

How it works

flowchart LR
  git[(Git repository)] -->|poll every minute| svc[Service]
  svc -->|detect stack,<br/>Dockerfile| ci[CI]
  plug[CIPlugin<br/>SonarQube · CodeQL · custom] -.->|steps before build| ci
  ci -->|build Pod:<br/>clone → plugins → buildah| reg[(Container registry)]
  ci --> cd[CD]
  cd --> dep[Deployment + Service]
  reg -.->|pull| dep
  alert[Alert] -.->|watches| svc
  alert -->|Slack · Teams · webhook| out((Your team))
  ss[SelfService] -->|agent commits| git
  ss -->|owns| svc

1. You create a Service that points at a repository.
2. Koptan clones the repository at the latest commit. It uses your Dockerfile, or it generates one for the detected stack.
3. Koptan creates a CI, which builds and pushes the image in a build Pod. Any CIPlugins attached to the Service run first, after checkout and before the build.
4. When the build succeeds, Koptan creates a CD, which rolls out a Deployment and a Kubernetes Service on port 80.
5. Koptan checks the repository every minute. A new commit starts the cycle again.

You only create the Service. Koptan creates the CI and CD and keeps them up to date.

Where to start

• Prerequisites: what your cluster needs.
• Installation: install the operator and the UI with Helm.
• Quickstart: deploy your first application in five minutes.
• Helm charts: every chart setting.
• Troubleshooting: what to do when something fails.

API at a glance

All resources are in the API group koptan.felukka.org/v1 and are namespaced.

Kind	Plural	Short name	Created by
Service	services.koptan.felukka.org	ksvc	You
CI	cis	—	Koptan
CD	cds	—	Koptan
CIPlugin	ciplugins	cip	You
Alert	alerts	—	You
SelfService	selfservices	kss	You

Use ksvc, not service

kubectl get services lists core Kubernetes Services. To list Koptan Services, use kubectl get ksvc or kubectl get services.koptan.felukka.org.