feat(blog): Camel K 2.8.0

Author: squakez

antora-playbook-snippets/antora-playbook.yml

@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ content:
       # Let's keep latest active development + LTS active versions only
       branches:
         - main
+        - release-2.8.x
         - release-2.7.x
-        - release-2.5.x
       start_path: docs
 
     - url: https://github.com/apache/camel-kamelets.git

content/blog/2025/09/camel-k-2-8/featured.jpg

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+---
+title: "Camel K 2.8.0"
+date: 2025-09-22
+draft: false
+authors: [squakez]
+categories: ["Releases", "Camel K", "Roadmap"]
+preview: "What's new in Camel K 2.8.0!"
+---
+
+*© Paul Klee - Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen*
+
+Here we are with **Camel K 2.8.0**. We are please to announce the general availability of a new Camel K version. There are a few new exciting features we want to share within this release.
+
+## Git branch/tag/commit
+
+In version 2.7.0 we announced the possibility to build a Camel application directly **from Git source**. We have worked in this release to include the possibility to specify a branch, tag or generically a commit to the configuration. This should improve your GitOps experience, or, more in general the deployment of Camel in Kubernetes via Git operations.
+
+## Init and sidecar containers
+
+From this version onward you'll be able to configure directly both [init containers](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/workloads/pods/init-containers/) and [side containers](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/workloads/pods/sidecar-containers/). This feature was available previously but it was a bit difficult to configure. With the new `init-containers` trait, you will be able to easily configure this important aspect of your Camel applications on Kubernetes.
+
+## Service ports
+
+Until now there was limited possibility for the integrations to expose a port, beside the managed HTTP port. Within version 2.8.0 we're introducing a new configuration on the service trait, `ports` which allow you to **expose any generic port** (even UDP ports, if needed) via a regular Kubernetes `Service`.
+
+## JVM agents
+
+Another limitation we suffered was the fact we did not have a direct way to tell the Camel application to run a given JVM agent. In 2.8.0 we're introducing the **agent trait**. This trait is in charge to get the agent (via a regular jar dependency) and make it available to your runtime application. You only need to configure it according to each agent specification. This is a great addition that will simplify the deployment and usage of the agents for your applications in the cloud.
+
+Take, as an example the Opentelemetry agent. From now on, you just need to run your application in the following fashion:
+
+```yaml
+apiVersion: camel.apache.org/v1
+kind: Integration
+...
+spec:
+...
+  traits:
+    jvm:
+      agent: otel;https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java-instrumentation/releases/latest/download/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar
+      options:
+        - -Dotel.exporter.otlp.endpoint=http://otel-svc:4317
+        - -Dotel.metrics.exporter=none
+...
+```
+
+Your application will be instrumented and executed with the agent you've configured. Bonus point: you can add as much as agents you need!
+
+## Pipe dependencies
+
+This one is some long time due feature. From now on you will be able to **configure dependencies directly in the Pipe specification** in the similar way you used to do for Integrations. This is very needed when, for instance, you need to provide an external JDBC driver to your Pipe.
+
+## Deprecations
+
+We're active on the deprecation side as well, in order to keep a clean codebase that can be easier to evolve and maintain. In this version we're deprecating the `pod` trait (mainly used for init and side containers, now, available through `init-container` trait). We're also deprecating `jolokia` trait, which agent can be now configured via `jvm.agents` property trait.
+
+## Removals
+
+It's also the turn of some removal from the code base. The `spectrum` publishing strategy (deprecate already some time ago) has been removed and won't be working any longer. Same for `kamel install/uninstall` subcommands.
+
+## Main dependencies
+
+The operator was built with Golang 1.24 and the Kubernetes API is aligned with version 1.33. We haven't changed the Camel K Runtime LTS version (3.15.3, based on Camel 4.8.5): this is for backward compatibility reasons. As mentioned already in version 2.7 as well, we're pushing to the usage of `plain-quarkus` provider, which would allow you to **use any released Camel Quarkus version**.
+
+## Full release notes
+
+Those were the most interesting features we have delivered in Camel K 2.8.0. We have more minor things, documentation and dependency updates that you can check in the [2.8.0 release notes](https://github.com/apache/camel-k/releases/tag/v2.8.0).
+
+## Stats
+
+Here some stats that may be useful for development team to track the health of the project:
+
+* Github project stars: 890 (+1 %)
+* [Docker pulls over time](https://hub.docker.com/v2/repositories/apache/camel-k/): 2391836 (+1,2 %)
+* Unit test coverage: 51.1 % (+3,8 %)
+
+# Thanks
+
+Thanks a lot to our contributors and the hard work happening in the community. Feel free to provide any feedback or comment using the Apache Camel available channels.

content/blog/2025/09/camel-k-2-8/index.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+url: "/releases/k-2.8.0/"
+date: 2025-09-22
+type: release-note
+version: "2.8.0"
+title: "Camel-K 2.8.0"
+preview: ""
+changelog: ""
+category: "camel-k"
+milestone: 58
+jdk: [17,21]
+---