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First, let’s define each term clearly:
1. 
OKD
- Community version of OpenShift
- Free, open-source
- Includes Kubernetes + Operators + Developer tools (S2I, Pipelines, etc.)
- Production-ready and multi-node capable
- Can be installed on bare metal or cloud (AWS, GCP, etc.)
2. 
CodeReady Containers (CRC)
- Old name for the local version of OpenShift/OKD
- Provides a single-node OpenShift/OKD cluster on your laptop
- Primarily for developers and testers
- Rebranded in recent versions…
3. 
OpenShift Local
- New name for CRC starting from OpenShift 4.12+
- Same concept: local, single-node OpenShift
- Can be OpenShift (Red Hat) or OKD depending on the bundle you download
Comparison Table
| Feature | OKD | CodeReady Containers (CRC) | OpenShift Local |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Community version of OpenShift | Local dev env for OKD/OCP | Renamed version of CRC |
| Nodes | Multi-node (prod ready) | Single-node only | Single-node only |
| Target Users | Sysadmins, DevOps, Enterprises | Developers, testers | Developers, testers |
| Runs On | Bare metal, Cloud (AWS, GCP, etc.) | Local machine via VM | Local machine via VM |
| Customization | Fully customizable | Limited | Limited |
| Supported by Red Hat? |  Community-supported |  (OCP only) / (OKD) | (OCP only) / (OKD) |
| Upgradeable | Yes (via installer + Operators) | Partially / recreate needed | Partially / recreate needed |
| UI / Console | Full OKD Console | Full Console | Full Console |
| Includes S2I, Pipelines, etc. | | | |
| Uses Installer? | (You use openshift-install) | | |
| Virtualization Required? | | | |
| Latest branding | Still called OKD | Deprecated | Use this now |
Relationship Between Them
OKD ─────┐
├────► CodeReady Containers (CRC) ───► OpenShift Local (New name)
OpenShift┘
- OKD is the full platform (multi-node, install yourself)
- CRC was a packaging of OKD/OpenShift for local testing (single-node)
- OpenShift Local is the new name for CRC, continuing the same purpose
So When Should You Use What?
| Use Case | Best Option |
|---|---|
| Learn OpenShift/OKD quickly on your laptop | OpenShift Local (CRC) |
| Deploy apps and test CI/CD on OpenShift | OpenShift Local or OKD |
| Run production workloads | OKD or OpenShift (multi-node) |
| Build custom OpenShift-like platform | OKD (fully open source) |
| Need Red Hat support | Red Hat OpenShift (not OKD) |
Final Thoughts
- OKD = Full, community OpenShift (multi-node, production-capable)
- CodeReady Containers = Old name for local OpenShift/OKD
- OpenShift Local = New name for CRC (use this moving forward)
They are all part of the same ecosystem — just for different use cases: Production (OKD/OpenShift) vs Local Dev/Test (CRC/OpenShift Local).
OpenShift Local = The tool
It’s the CLI tool you install (crc) that sets up a single-node OpenShift cluster locally in a VM.
The actual version (OKD or OCP) depends on the bundle you download.
Two types of bundles for OpenShift Local:
| Bundle Type | Uses Which Platform? | Where to Download? |
|---|---|---|
| OCP Bundle (Official Red Hat) | OpenShift Container Platform (paid/licensed) | console.redhat.com |
 OKD Bundle (Community) | OKD (Open Source OpenShift) | github.com/code-ready/crc/releases |
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