confluentinc/cp-server-native repository overview

⁠GraalVM based Confluent Server Native

This repository hosts the docker image for deploying and running Confluent Server Native.

cp-server-native — a faster, lighter GraalVM-based variant of Confluent Server, is now available for local development and testing. Powered by GraalVM Native Image (AOT compilation), it delivers super-fast startup, lower memory usage, and dramatically smaller image sizes compared to the traditional JVM-based cp-server image.

Confluent Server Native helps you:

• Enable Ultra-Fast Development Cycles - Start Kafka clusters in under 2 seconds (~80% faster than JVM).
• Enable Resource-Efficient Testing - Use ~55% less memory, allowing more concurrent local instances.
• Enable Rapid CI/CD Pipelines - Deploy dramatically smaller images: ~90% smaller (compressed), ~75% smaller (uncompressed). From 2.0 GB → 185 MB compressed; 2.52 GB → 601 MB uncompressed.
• Enable Cost-Effective Development - Reduce storage, transfer, and infrastructure costs.
• Enable Better Developer Experience - Faster feedback loops and reduced waiting time.

Note: This image is experimental and intended for local development and testing only. It should not be used in production.

⁠Getting started with Confluent Server Native

Docker Compose examples 👉 kafka-images/blob/8.0.x/examples/cp-server-native/README.md⁠

Supports basic, MDS, embedded REST Proxy, and OAuth + RBAC scenarios.

⁠License

Usage of this image is subject to the license terms of the software contained within. Please refer to Confluent's Docker images documentation reference⁠ for further information. The software to extend and build the custom Docker images is available under the Apache 2.0 License.