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Cilium — unify Kubernetes networking, security, and observability on eBPF

OSS scale score 308.9OSS health 100Update pace 646 commits/30d
About these scores

OSS scale score is an unbounded metric that log-compresses and weights Stars, Watchers, Forks, and Contributors. Discovery score is the current OSS scale score minus the score at discovery. Update pace is commits in the last 30 days, growth momentum is the OSS scale score difference within the recent observation window, and OSS health is a 0–100 rating based on available recency, Community Health, and release data.

Stars
25,361
Primary language
Go
License
Apache-2.0
Repository last updated
Sep 20, 2026

Overview

Cilium uses Linux eBPF as its dataplane to provide Kubernetes networking, load balancing, network policy, service mesh capabilities, and observability. It can enforce identity-based policy rather than relying only on IP addresses, and Hubble provides flow and service visibility.

Features and best fit

Based on official documentation; not hands-on tested · Content checked:

Implement CNI networking and load balancing with eBPF

Cilium supports overlay and native routing modes and can process pod and external-service traffic with eBPF. In suitable configurations it can also replace kube-proxy for service load balancing.

Sources: [2]

Combine L3-L7 policy with Hubble visibility

Identity-based policy can cover L3/L4 and protocol-aware L7 rules, while Hubble exposes flows, service maps, DNS context, and protocol-specific insights.

Sources: [2]

For clusters consolidating networking, security, and traffic observability

Cilium suits Kubernetes environments that want CNI, Network Policy, ingress or egress gateways, service mesh features, and network visibility centered on one eBPF dataplane.

Sources: [2][4]

Validate kernel support and the existing network stack before migration

Cilium depends on Linux eBPF capabilities and becomes part of the critical cluster traffic path. Test migration from an existing CNI or kube-proxy setup and follow stable upgrade guidance. User-space components are Apache-2.0, while BPF templates are dual-licensed GPL-2.0-only or BSD-2-Clause.

Sources: [2][3]

Official sources

  1. [1]cilium/cilium repository(2026-09-20)
  2. [2]Cilium README(2026-09-20)
  3. [3]Cilium license information(2026-09-20)
  4. [4]Cilium documentation(2026-09-20)
Supplemental curator note

Cilium can consolidate CNI networking, load balancing, policy enforcement, and Hubble visibility on one eBPF dataplane. Because it sits directly in the cluster traffic path, kernel support, existing CNI or kube-proxy behavior, and upgrade procedures should be evaluated before rollout.

Try it in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Review prerequisites and install the Cilium CLI

    Check the test Kubernetes cluster, Linux kernel requirements, current CNI state, and install the Cilium CLI.

    https://docs.cilium.io/en/stable/gettingstarted/k8s-install-default/
  2. 2

    Install into the current Kubernetes context

    Use the Cilium CLI to install Cilium with Helm into the current Kubernetes context.

    cilium install
  3. 3

    Wait for a healthy deployment

    Wait for the Cilium agents and operator to become ready, then verify existing network traffic and DNS.

    cilium status --wait
Check the official README

Growth

Growth trends · Last 30 days

25,361 Stars

Trend data is still being collected.

Development activity

Last 90 days · weekly

Commits (last 30 days)
646
Open PRs
273
Issues opened
347
Issues closed
305
PRs opened
1,834
PRs merged
1,458

Issues

347 / 305

Jun 23Sep 20
Issues openedIssues closed

Pull requests

1,834 / 1,458

Jun 23Sep 20
PRs openedPRs merged

Maintenance

Median first response
15 hr
Issue response rate
14.5% (8/55)

Based on up to the 100 newest issues opened by external users in the last 90 days. A first comment from an OWNER, MEMBER, or COLLABORATOR counts as a response; issues whose full comment history cannot be checked are excluded. The median and response rate update weekly.

Built with

Categories and tags

Categories

Tags

GitHub data

GitHub dataView detailed GitHub data
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GitHub Topics

  • containers
  • bpf
  • security
  • kubernetes
  • kubernetes-networking
  • cni
  • kernel
  • loadbalancing
  • monitoring
  • troubleshooting
  • xdp
  • ebpf
Stars
25,361
Forks
4,082
Watchers
313
Open issues
850
Contributors
396
Primary language
Go
License
Apache-2.0
Repository last updated
Sep 20, 2026
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