How & Why Figma Migrated to Kubernetes

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Figma's migration to Kubernetes (K8s) is a significant achievement, completed in less than 12 months. This transition was driven by the need for a more efficient, scalable, and user-friendly compute platform. Here’s a summary of the key points from the article detailing how Figma approached this complex process.

Why Migrate to Kubernetes?

1. Limitations of ECS:

   • Figma initially used AWS's Elastic Container Service (ECS) but faced challenges, such as the inability to run certain services like etcd efficiently. The lack of support for StatefulSets and Helm charts made it difficult to manage complex workloads.

2. Ecosystem Access:

   • Migrating to Kubernetes opened up access to the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) ecosystem, allowing Figma to utilize advanced tools for auto-scaling and service management.

3. Avoiding Vendor Lock-in:

   • Kubernetes offered Figma flexibility in choosing service providers, reducing dependency on AWS and enhancing long-term adaptability.

Migration Strategy

Figma adopted a careful, phased approach to migration:

• Incremental Rollout: The team gradually transitioned services to Kubernetes, allowing for real-time testing and adjustments without disrupting existing operations.

• Three-Cluster Setup: To enhance reliability, Figma implemented a three-cluster architecture, which minimized the impact of potential failures and allowed for seamless traffic management.

• Improved Developer Experience: The migration streamlined service definitions and deployment processes, significantly reducing the complexity developers faced when managing services.

Key Outcomes

1. Enhanced Reliability:

   • The new architecture improved service reliability, limiting the impact of incidents to a fraction of requests and allowing for quick recovery.

2. Cost Efficiency:

   • By implementing node auto-scaling, Figma reduced unnecessary costs associated with over-provisioning, leading to significant savings.

3. User-Friendly Tools:

   • Post-migration, Figma developed tools to simplify debugging and operations, ensuring that developers could easily manage services across multiple clusters.

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Conclusion

Figma's migration to Kubernetes not only modernized its compute platform but also set the stage for future innovations. The careful planning and execution of this transition serve as a valuable case study for other organizations considering similar moves.For more detailed insights into Figma's migration process, you can read the original article here.