Talos does not use a traditional mutable host package workflow. It is designed as an immutable Kubernetes OS where host lifecycle and workload lifecycle are handled differently.
- Immutable host OS: Host components are managed as a controlled platform image.
- API-driven node management: Configuration and lifecycle changes are applied declaratively.
- No general host package layer: Prefer Kubernetes-managed workloads instead of host-level software installs.
- Kubernetes workloads: Applications run as pods and containers in the cluster.
- Node configuration: Managed through Talos machine configuration.
- Upgrades: Performed with Talos tooling and rollout patterns appropriate for clustered systems.
- Keep node config in version control.
- Use staged rollouts for upgrades.
- Prefer replacement and reconciliation over manual node drift.