Choosing between App Runner, ECS, and EKS can feel overwhelming. All three run containers, but they're built for different types of users, use cases, and levels of control.
Let’s break it down so even your non-cloud friend can get it. 💡
🛠️ Meet the Players
| Service | TL;DR Description | Who It’s For |
|---|---|---|
| App Runner | "Just run my app from code or container!" | Developers |
| ECS | "Let me define tasks & services, but manage less infra." | DevOps / Teams |
| EKS | "Give me Kubernetes. I’ll handle the rest." | Platform / K8s Experts |
🎯 Real-World Analogy
Imagine you’re opening a food stall at an event:
| Service | Analogy |
|---|---|
| App Runner | You rent a pre-made kiosk — just bring food 🍔 |
| ECS | You rent a food truck — configure layout 🚚 |
| EKS | You build a full kitchen with your own crew 👨🍳 |
🧪 Example Use Case
You want to deploy a containerized Node.js API to AWS:
✅ Option 1: App Runner
"I have a GitHub repo. Just run it!"
- No infra to manage
- Auto-builds from code or container
- Auto-scales, has HTTPS & load balancer built-in
- Public by default
🧠 Best for: Solo developers, startups, MVPs
✅ Option 2: ECS (with Fargate)
"I’ll define tasks, services, and let AWS manage compute."
- No servers, just containers
- Define CPU, memory, and scaling rules
- Use ALB, private VPC, IAM roles
- Supports public & private apps
🧠 Best for: Teams needing more control, custom network, or multi-container setups
✅ Option 3: EKS (Elastic Kubernetes Service)
"I need full Kubernetes and flexibility."
- Bring your own K8s manifests, Helm charts
- More moving parts (nodes, clusters, configs)
- Steeper learning curve, but ultra-flexible
- Ideal for microservices, service mesh, sidecars
🧠 Best for: Enterprises, Kubernetes-savvy teams
🔍 Feature Comparison
| Feature | App Runner | ECS (Fargate) | EKS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complexity | ⭐ (Lowest) | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Highest) |
| Control | Minimal | Medium | Maximum |
| Infra to manage | None | Low (Fargate) | High |
| Kubernetes Support | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Networking (VPC) | Public only (*) | Full VPC Support | Full VPC Support |
| Autoscaling | Built-in | Configurable | Requires setup |
| Use Case | Simple APIs, web apps | Web apps, background jobs | Complex apps, service mesh |
📝 App Runner supports VPC egress but not private inbound access (yet)
🧠 Final Thoughts
| If you want to... | Use... |
|---|---|
| Just deploy code fast with zero ops | App Runner |
| Manage containers, not servers | ECS (Fargate) |
| Run full-blown Kubernetes, Helm, service mesh etc. | EKS |
✅ TL;DR
- 🧑💻 App Runner = Developer-first. “Just run it.”
- ⚙️ ECS = Control without complexity. “Define my containers.”
- 🧪 EKS = Power + flexibility. “Give me raw Kubernetes.”
💬 Are you using any of these today? Or thinking about migrating between them?
Let’s talk in the comments below 👇
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