External Secrets Operator
Synchronize secrets from external APIs into Kubernetes.
Overview
External Secrets Operator is a Kubernetes operator that extends Kubernetes with Custom Resource Definitions to manage secrets. It reads secrets from external sources like AWS Secrets Manager, HashiCorp Vault, or Google Secret Manager and synchronizes them into native Kubernetes Secret objects. This allows you to keep secrets in a proper secrets manager while still using them natively in Kubernetes.
✨ Key Features
- Synchronizes secrets from external providers
- Supports AWS, GCP, Azure, Vault, and many others
- Manages secrets as native Kubernetes objects
- Automatic rotation and updates
- Open source
🎯 Key Differentiators
- Broad support for a wide range of secret providers
- Decouples applications from the secret provider (apps just use native K8s secrets)
- Declarative, GitOps-friendly approach to managing which secrets are synced
Unique Value: Allows teams to use the best-in-class external secret manager of their choice while providing a seamless, native Kubernetes experience for applications, without modifying application code.
🎯 Use Cases (3)
✅ Best For
- Deploying the operator to a Kubernetes cluster, creating an `ExternalSecret` custom resource that points to a secret in Azure Key Vault, and seeing the operator automatically create a corresponding `Secret` in the same namespace.
💡 Check With Vendor
Verify these considerations match your specific requirements:
- Organizations that do not use an external secret management system.
🏆 Alternatives
Unlike sidecar injectors (like Vault's), it creates native Kubernetes secrets, which is a simpler pattern for many applications to consume. It provides a consistent API regardless of the backend secret store.
💻 Platforms
🔌 Integrations
💰 Pricing
Free tier: The tool is completely free.
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