I do not treat Kubernetes as Cloud-Native. While the ecosystem that CNCF build in centre of Kubernetes provides the shortest way for end-users to achieve cloud native goals.
What's more, cloud native seems not only by the way how to judge by technology trend, but also by the industry's de facto standard how to use cloud. In the previous one, the tech ecosystem of CNCF could be regarded as the largest one. In the latter one, AWS comes almost without anyone could catch up with.
> Do you mean that Cloud-Native is about applications that are built on top of K8S, not K8S itself?
Exactly, from the end-user's perspective, cloud native is the API to access cloud, even the distributed cloud in the future. Kubernetes is just one popular way for end-user to enjoy cloud api. But AWS has its own way as well.
> What are the cloud native goals? Abstracting out end-users from any cloud?
We cannot reach a consensus unless we clarify clearly we throw opinions on which kind of position. For AWS, the leading cloud provider all around the world, He would say AWS service API is the best practice of cloud native. For 2nd, 3rd chaser for AWS, they would say AWS's way is no cloud native at all, since AWS just wish to lock users always in AWS. For end-users, a way to encapsulate all kinds of cloud provider's functionally into a single layer of API, it is the cloud native. Then end user could use any cloud with less effort and less cost.
What's more, cloud native seems not only by the way how to judge by technology trend, but also by the industry's de facto standard how to use cloud. In the previous one, the tech ecosystem of CNCF could be regarded as the largest one. In the latter one, AWS comes almost without anyone could catch up with.