Kubernetes
Definition
Kubernetes is an open-source container orchestration platform that automates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. Originally developed by Google and now maintained by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), it helps organizations run applications reliably across clusters of servers.
Kubernetes manages workloads by grouping containers into pods, scheduling them across nodes, and ensuring high availability. It monitors the health of services, balances traffic, and automates scaling up or down based on demand. For businesses, Kubernetes simplifies running applications in hybrid, on-premises, or cloud environments, improving resilience and operational efficiency.
Advanced
Technically, Kubernetes consists of a control plane and worker nodes. The control plane includes components like the API server, scheduler, controller manager, and etcd (key-value store). Worker nodes run kubelet agents, container runtimes (like containerd), and kube-proxy for networking.
Features include service discovery, automated rollouts and rollbacks, persistent storage orchestration, and secrets management. Advanced setups use Helm for package management, service meshes for traffic routing, and operators for managing complex applications. Kubernetes integrates deeply with CI/CD pipelines, observability tools, and security frameworks, making it a central part of cloud-native ecosystems.
Why it matters
Use cases
Metrics
Issues
Example
A SaaS provider deploys its multi-tenant platform on Kubernetes. By using autoscaling and rolling updates, the provider reduces downtime, handles unpredictable traffic spikes, and accelerates release cycles, improving customer experience and operational efficiency.