Definition: Kubernetes

A true conductor, Kubernetes no longer needs to be introduced to programmers familiar with the Lunix ecosystem. Initially created by Google, this open source platform has been managed by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) since 2014. In fifteen years of existence, this tool for coordinating application containers under Lunix has made the task easier for thousands of coders. Discover more details about K8S or Kube through the next lines.

Kubernetes manages application containers

Extensible as desired, Kubernetes is an ecosystem dear to application developers. It makes project coding easier thanks to a containerized service. It is an essential tool for writing declarative configuration, but also for automation. Users can freely access supports, libraries and everything they need to develop an application. The CNCF foundation works closely with open source operating system publishers. Since the launch of Kubernetes, Google has championed creativity within the community of insiders who support K8S. The Mountain View firm encourages the best ideas to make the platform even more productive.

Given its features, Kubernetes considers itself a container platform. It is a hub for the exchange of microservices. Furthermore, its characteristics place it among the portable Cloud tools currently available. Its users benefit from an orchestrator that stands out from the rest.

• Kube allows you to carry out coding work in virtual application containers.
• This ecosystem invites you to spend machine resources sparingly.
• K8S also helps with app networking.
• Its role is also to provide the backup infrastructure for user workloads.
• As a service, Kube’s business model brings it closer to online service platforms (PaaS).
• Its flexibility allows it to be used in tools such as Services (IaaS)
• In around fifteen years, its portability has made this open source platform a competitor for professionals to traditional providers on the Cloud.

What differentiates this development tool from others

Kubernetes regulars are delighted with its many features. They discover that the open platform is constantly enriched with new ideas. The latter contribute to the development of the application. Finds and other updates make the development of a digital program much simpler, but faster. From the outset, the user is entitled to a default configuration regarding the specificity of application containers. Then, automation constitutes another particularity.

Having an isolated and independent ecosystem on top of a base (OS) makes it possible to effectively manage software development projects. The user can organize their different containers according to their needs. Furthermore, adding labels makes the developer’s task even easier. He exploits the available resources as he wishes. The use of Annotations defines personalized information. Later, they are used for verification or Checkpoint state.

The ingenuity of Kubernetes also relies on the Control Plane functionality. Kubernetes offers the same application programming interfaces (APIs) for end users and application developers. As a result, users can provide their own controllers. In particular, they will be able to set up schedulers. This collaborative design has the particularity of having several microsystems through Kube containers.

The usefulness of this new generation ecosystem

You have to talk about the old way of developing an application to understand the usefulness of Kubernetes. The “old school” wants the new program to be deployed from a native package system. This approach has always worked, but it offers various drawbacks. The software created is dependent on the OS. The latter has control over the commands, settings and the library of tools offered. The life cycle of the app will be delimited by the durability of the OS and its possible updates. Despite the seemingly attractive features, this approach results in a heavy and non-portable program.

With Kubernetes, the developer has containers based on virtualization of the operating system (operation-system-level) instead of complex lines of code. These mini-bases are isolated from others and from the central OS. In other words, files can be handled differently. The processes can be developed individually. With K8S, virtual machines (VMs) for designing computer programs are much lighter and faster. Above all, they have the merit of being portable. These are the tools par excellence for the Cloud.

The notion of container further explains the concept. This is another technology even more advanced than VMs. Thanks to these packages, each application becomes much more flexible and independent. As with many processes in an open source ecosystem, its operation remains transparent, at least compared to that of classic virtual machines. Regardless, monitoring is one of the many advantages of Kube.

Other arguments for K8S

(Virtual) application containerization offers various advantages.

• Tasks like imaging become simpler with an OS-agnostic tool.
• The principle of immutability makes it practical to develop, integrate and deploy an application. The latter will also be more reliable.
• The app can have its own operating mode and control tool.
• The program developed with K8S remains stable during its journey, notably with the hosting provider, on Cloud and with the user interface.
• Kubernetes is compatible with popular cloud services and alternative operating systems such as on-prem, RHEL, CoreOS and Ubuntu.
• Kube does not differentiate between applications. It supports various coding projects. Data processing software is among his favorite areas. There are no compatibility limits, except for apps that cannot be managed in container mode.
• No particular programming language is imposed on users. Moreover, the platform suggests declarative codes.

Some limitations of Kubernetes

Although it has the characteristic features, Kubernetes is not an online services platform (PaaS). In fact, the developer mainly manages the apps in containers. Which remains completely different from the functionalities of PaaS. That said, it can organize deployment, scaling, and load balancing well. It is even possible to plan monitoring. However, Kubernetes offers some optional features. This working ecosystem is intended for developers. That said, it gives users the opportunity to personalize the app to their liking.

This solution does not natively provide services such as message buses, frameworks for data processing or caches. It also excludes a storage system in the form of a cluster. The same observation holds for machine configuration, maintenance services and system vulnerability control. Finally, Kubernetes provides much more than the role of a maestro who beats the measures. Its mission goes beyond task planning. It is a set of processes to drive an existing environment towards a desired state. Indeed, the name Kubernetes comes from the ancient Greek meaning captain.