Kubernetes
Container orchestration at scale
Kubernetes (K8s) is an open-source container orchestration platform that automates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. Originally built at Google and now maintained by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), it is the de facto standard for running containers in production.
Why Kubernetes?
Running containers on a single machine is straightforward. The hard part is running hundreds of them across dozens of servers while keeping them healthy, absorbing traffic spikes, and deploying updates without downtime. When a web application outgrows a single server, you need to run multiple copies across servers, restart crashed containers automatically, route requests to healthy instances, roll out new versions without interrupting service, and scale up at peak and down at quiet times. Without Kubernetes that means custom scripts, manual intervention, and constant monitoring. Kubernetes handles it through a declarative model: you describe the desired state and it continuously reconciles reality toward it.
Learning Path
The guides build on each other. Start with the Fundamentals track if you are new; jump ahead if you already run clusters.
Fundamentals
Three focused pages covering everything you need to run real workloads.
Stateful Workloads & Operations
Going beyond stateless apps: storage, controllers, and day-two operations.
Going Further
When to Use Kubernetes
Kubernetes adds complexity, so it is important to understand when it provides value:
| Scenario | Kubernetes? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Single application on one server | No | Docker Compose is simpler |
| Multiple services, need scaling | Yes | Automated scaling and load balancing |
| Microservices architecture | Yes | Service discovery and networking built-in |
| Need zero-downtime deployments | Yes | Rolling updates are native |
| Consistent dev/staging/prod | Yes | Same configuration across environments |
| Team needs self-service deployment | Yes | Declarative configs enable GitOps |
Not ready for Kubernetes yet? Start with Docker to learn container fundamentals first.