| Compute Engine | Kubernetes Engine | App Eng Standard | App Eng Flexible | Cloud Functions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Any | Any | Java,Python,Node.JS,Go,PHP | Any | Node.JS,Python |
| Service Model | IaaS | Hybrid (IaaS/PaaS) | PaaS | PaaS | Microservices Architecture |
| Scaling | Server Autoscaling | Cluster | Autoscaling | Autoscaling | Serverless |
| Primary Use | VM Workloads | Container Workloads | Web/APIs | Web/APIs, Container | Lightweight Event Actions |
Note: GKE is a Container First system while GAE is a Code First system.
Containers on GCE: When you absolutely want control over the VM resources also want the benefit of Docker image development.
GAE Standard: Very fast scale-up, scales down to zero, no Docker containers.
GAE Flexible: Code first, developer-focused, simpler to use than GKE.
GKE: Multi-cloud on prem, deep controls over container orchestration.