What is Kubernetes?

Kubernetes (k8s) was originally developed by Google and is now maintained by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF). It allows users to easily manage and deploy containerized applications across a cluster of machines, providing a simple and flexible way to handle the complex task of managing containers at scale.

Kubernetes not only provides you with scalability, but it also offers a range of features and benefits that are useful for modern application development. For example, Kubernetes enables you to automate the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications, which can save you time and effort.

Additionally, Kubernetes provides features like load balancing, service discovery, and rolling updates, which can help you improve the reliability and performance of your applications. With Kubernetes, you can also take advantage of a wide range of plugins and extensions that can help you customize your deployment to meet your specific needs.

All in all, Kubernetes is a powerful tool that can help you streamline your application development and management processes, so you can focus on delivering high-quality software to your users.

It has come under some controversy and it is my belief that by unraveling the complexity around it and flattening the initial learning curve, us engineers can start to compare apples to apples when it comes to using and choosing Kubernetes as a tech solution.

Should you use it?

This is a difficult question to answer because it has to factor in a lot of specifics of your particular use case. My biased answer would be that there is an argument to be made for not using Kubernetes in all projects. But it is hard to argue against using containers, and if you are using containers, Kubernetes is by far the best platform to run them on.

Also, with today's managed solutions for Kubernetes many of the complexities around managing it are removed. This allows us to focus on leveraging the useful parts without getting lost in the weeds making it a far more attractive option.