Feature	DeploymentConfig (DC)	Deployment (K8s Deployment)
Belongs to	OpenShift-only (legacy)	Kubernetes-native (standard)
API Group	apps.openshift.io/v1	apps/v1
First Introduced	OpenShift 3.x	Kubernetes 1.x
Purpose	Deploy/manage pods with extra OpenShift features like automatic image rebuilds.	Deploy/manage pods in a standard Kubernetes way.
Triggers (auto-update)	Supports ImageChangeTrigger, ConfigChangeTrigger easily.	No built-in ImageTrigger (needs webhooks, GitOps, Tekton).
Build Integration	Tight integration with OpenShift BuildConfig (S2I) + ImageStreams.	No native build integration — CI/CD pipelines needed separately.
Rollback & Rollout	Managed by OpenShift internally (easy CLI commands).	Kubernetes-native rollback/rollout (kubectl rollout).
Strategy Options	Rolling, Recreate, Custom, and Hooks (pre/post hooks).	RollingUpdate, Recreate (no custom hooks by default).
UI Support	Fully available in OpenShift 3.x/4.x console until 4.13.	Now the recommended method in OpenShift 4.14+.
Lifecycle	Deprecated for feature development (4.14 onward).	Active, recommended standard.
Portability	Works only on OpenShift.	Works on any Kubernetes (EKS, AKS, GKE, OpenShift, etc.).

Example Differences

1. DeploymentConfig Example (Old way)

apiVersion: apps.openshift.io/v1
kind: DeploymentConfig
metadata:
  name: myapp
spec:
  replicas: 2
  selector:
    app: myapp
  triggers:
    - type: ConfigChange
    - type: ImageChange
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: myapp
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: myapp
        image: myapp:latest

• ImageChangeTrigger automatically pulls new images!
• Used with BuildConfigs and ImageStreams.

2. Deployment Example (Modern way)

apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: myapp
spec:
  replicas: 2
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: myapp
  strategy:
    type: RollingUpdate
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: myapp
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: myapp
        image: myapp:latest

• Pure Kubernetes Deployment.
• No automatic ImageStream trigger — you must manually update, use GitOps, webhook, or Tekton.

Key Functional Differences

Aspect	DeploymentConfig	Deployment
Auto image update from ImageStream	Built-in (ImageChangeTrigger)	Must build manually (e.g., webhook triggers)
Build integration (BuildConfig)	Tight coupling	No coupling; CI/CD external
OpenShift-only
Kubernetes standard
Future use (post-OpenShift 4.14)	Legacy	Standard

In Short

If you are using…	Then…
OpenShift 3.x or old 4.x apps	You might still find/use DeploymentConfigs.
OpenShift 4.14+ and new apps	Use Kubernetes-native Deployments only.

Quick Real World Examples:

Final Message:

• DeploymentConfig = OpenShift-specific, powerful in OpenShift pipelines, but deprecated for new feature development in 4.14+.
• Deployment = Kubernetes standard object, recommended for all new apps moving forward.

Bonus Tip:

You can still use ImageStreams + Deployment together —
but instead of using “ImageChangeTriggers,”
you need to use external CI/CD pipelines (like Jenkins, Tekton, GitHub Actions) to update the Deployment automatically.

Quick One-Liner:

DeploymentConfig = OpenShift magic for older CI/CD,
Deployment = Kubernetes standard for modern apps.

Rajesh Kumar

I’m a DevOps/SRE/DevSecOps/Cloud Expert passionate about sharing knowledge and experiences. I am working at Cotocus. I blog tech insights at DevOps School, travel stories at Holiday Landmark, stock market tips at Stocks Mantra, health and fitness guidance at My Medic Plus, product reviews at I reviewed , and SEO strategies at Wizbrand.

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