A Beginner's Guide to Kubernetes

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In this OpenGenus article, we have explored the topic Kubernetes from scratch with real life example.

The Engine Behind Modern Cloud Applications

If you've been around tech conversations, you've probably heard the word Kubernetes thrown around quite a bit. But what exactly is it, and why is it such a big deal? Let’s break it down in simple terms to understand how Kubernetes is changing the way we build, manage, and scale applications today.

So, what is Kubernetes?

In layman language, Kubernetes (or K8s for short) is a system for controlling the work of the hardware containers. Containers are sets of boxes that include all elements necessary for running a program; its code, configuration and supporting files. Assume you have lot of these containers, over which various applications are running in a number of computers or servers.

Kubernetes takes over all these burdens of deploying, scaling and managing such containers. Kubernetes was developed by google and later became open source with the help of various developers towards its enhancement. It is meant to help in making sure that whatever the applications are, they will work normally regardless of the place phones, the cloud or even the combination of both hardware and cloud.

What Is All the fuss about Kubernetes?

There are a few important reasons why Kubernetes has had such a big impact in world of technology

Easier Scaling: Kubernetes will automatically scale your applications when there is an increase or decrease in the amount of traffic. Let’s say, the traffic to your website increases substantively; Kubernetes can spin up additional containers to accommodate that. When the traffic subsides, it automatically scales back, ensuring that you don't utilize other resources needlessly.
High Availability: It is designed to withstand crashing to some extent. Let’s say, you have an application that consists of many different functional units, and one of these functional units crashes. Kubernetes will try restarting that functional unit with the intention of shortening the duration of being offline. It also balances the load so that no single node takes on too much traffic.
Fallibility: Kubernetes functions in multiple platforms, whether it is Google Cloud, AWS, Microsoft Azure, or your own servers. This means you can change your providers any time you need to without the fear of being confined to a single provider
Easy: You can describe your application’s desired state using configuration files, and various setting up application will be internally performed by Kubernetes, including the deployment, upgrading, and removal of the application. It’s as if there is an assistant who is extremely competent and knows what you want.
Resource Utilization: Unlike conventional virtual machines, which are gross, Kubernetes employs lightweight and efficient containers instead. This implies that you are more economical in terms of expenses since you are able to run more applications on the same hardware resources.

To understand Kubernetes better, it's helpful to get familiar with a few key parts:

Nodes: These are the machines (either physical or virtual) that run your application. Kubernetes spreads the load across these nodes, and they can be anything from cloud servers to on-premise machines.
Clusters: A cluster is a collection of nodes that work together. At the center of the cluster is the “master node,” which coordinates the workload and assigns tasks to the other nodes.
Pods: Think of a pod as the smallest building block in Kubernetes. It’s a layer that holds one or more containers. Pods can be created and destroyed depending on the workload
Services: This is how you expose your application to the outside world. Since containers and pods are temporary, services provide a reliable way for clients to communicate with the application.
ConfigMaps and Secrets: These store your application’s configuration details, like database URLs or API keys, separately from your code. That way, you can update configurations without touching the actual application
Ingress: Ingress is how you handle external traffic coming into your application. It manages things like load balancing and SSL, making sure requests reach the right parts of your app

Let us understand Kubernetes by using real life example,

Scaling an E-Commerce Website

Let’s say you run an online store, and you’re preparing for a big sales event. Without Kubernetes, scaling up your app to handle the rush of customers would mean manually adding more servers, configuring them, and hoping everything works smoothly.

With Kubernetes, you set up a configuration that automatically scales your app when traffic increases. When the sales event starts and your site gets flooded with visitors, Kubernetes spins up new containers to handle the load. If anything crashes, Kubernetes restarts it without you having to lift a finger. Once the sale ends, it scales everything back down, saving you money by not keeping unnecessary resources running.

Why does Kubernetes matter?

In recent years, there are a few key factors that stand out why Kubernetes is selling very well within the tech community

What’s exciting is that Kubernetes is also expanding into new areas like edge computing and AI applications. It’s getting integrated with other cool tools, like service meshes (which help manage complex networks of services) and observability platforms (which help you monitor and troubleshoot your apps).

As technology continues to evolve, Kubernetes will likely play an even bigger role in how we develop and deploy apps. So, whether you're a developer, an ops person, or just tech-curious, understanding Kubernetes can give you a big leg up in the cloud-driven world of today.

Question

what is Kubernetes primarily used for?

A. Managing and deploying virtual machines

B. Automating the deployment , scaling and management of containerized applications

C. Creating cloud storage solutions

D. Developing mobile applications

Answer : B