• Initial thoughts
• 1. Introduction to Kubernetes through videos
• 2. Free tutorials and courses
• 3. Free test clusters for easy experimentation
• 4. Documentation and handy cheat sheets
• 5. Access to pre-packaged applications
• 6. Navigating the Kubernetes ecosystem and tools
• 7. Comparisons of managed Kubernetes solutions
• 8. Nodes prices comparators
• 9. Community forums and interactive platforms
• 10. Kubernetes news
• 11. Upcoming events and conferences
• Wrapping up
• Further reading

Initial thoughts

Kubernetes, an open-source container orchestration platform, has rapidly established itself as a cornerstone for managing and automating the deployment and scaling of containerized applications. Its widespread adoption is attributed to its ability to ensure a consistent experience across diverse cloud providers and on-premises setups.

Whether you're new to Kubernetes or a seasoned expert, the ever-evolving Kubernetes ecosystem demands that we keep pace with its growth, enhancing our skills and identifying the optimal tools to align with our specific requirements.

But where can these invaluable resources be found? Must we embark on a web-wide scavenger hunt each time? What if we overlook critical tools in the process? The aspiration of this article is to assemble an invaluable list of links, predominantly from actively maintained sources within the community. These resources are meticulously curated to become your go-to references—trusted assets that you'll continually return to.

1. Introduction to Kubernetes through videos

What could be more effective than a thoughtfully crafted video to provide a technical introduction to Kubernetes in a matter of minutes?

From time to time, colleagues and friends might approach you, seeking to unravel the mystery of Kubernetes. After a brief personal introduction, you can conveniently direct them to informative videos that cater to their available time.

How much time do you have to spare?

• 2 minutes: Kubernetes Explained in 100 Seconds by Jeff Delaney, Fireship
• 5 minutes: Kubernetes in 5 minutes by Steve Tegeler, VMWare
• 6 minutes: Kubernetes Explained in 6 Minutes | k8s Architecture by Sahn Lam, ByteByteGo
• 10 minutes: Kubernetes Explained by Sai Vennam, IBM
• 15 minutes: What is Kubernetes | Kubernetes explained in 15 mins by Nana

These succinct videos serve as excellent resources to demystify Kubernetes and offer varying levels of depth to accommodate diverse learning preferences and time constraints.

2. Free tutorials and courses

Eager to explore beyond the introductory phase and embark on a deeper learning journey? The robust and welcoming Kubernetes community offers a plethora of free tutorials to satiate your thirst for knowledge.

Here are some thoughtfully curated resources:

• Collabnix' Kubelab: An invaluable collection featuring over 300 Kubernetes hands-on labs and tutorials.
• Aqua's 70 Best Kubernetes Tutorials: A compilation of the finest Kubernetes tutorials meticulously curated by Aqua.

As you explore these resources, you may also stumble upon courses tailored to certification preparation.

3. Free test clusters for easy experimentation

As your journey progresses, the desire to get hands-on with real-world scenarios and tutorials inevitably arises. After all, the tutorials you've engaged with thus far need an implementation platform, don't they? But orchestrating a fully-fledged cluster seems daunting, doesn't it? Surprisingly, creating an environment conducive to testing is more accessible than you might think.

Developers seeking to engage with tutorials firsthand may seek an online cluster for preliminary experimentation. An excellent option is Play with Kubernetes, providing a free online cluster for convenient experimentation.

For local cluster installations, an insightful resource for evaluating suitable tools is Local Kubernetes development clusters: the 5 best local cluster compared. This resource includes comprehensive insights into k3d and its multi-node local support.

If you're interested in a performance-oriented perspective, a noteworthy scientific comparison is available in Lightweight Kubernetes Distributions: A Performance Comparison of MicroK8s, k3s, k0s, and MicroShift. This paper offers valuable insights into the performance of various lightweight Kubernetes distributions.

With these resources at hand, you'll discover that setting up and experimenting with clusters for testing purposes is more achievable than you might have initially thought.

4. Documentation and handy cheat sheets

The official Kubernetes documentation serves as a reliable and exhaustive resource, becoming your trusted companion whenever you're crafting manifests or seeking in-depth insights. Furthermore, it provides a well-maintained cheat sheet for quick reference.

Speaking of cheat sheets, dennyzhang upholds the heatsheet-kubernetes-A4 repository on GitHub. This repository offers a printable single-page A4 cheat sheet.

5. Access to pre-packaged applications

When you're on the lookout for readily deployable and customizable applications to integrate into your cluster, your ideal destination is ArtifactHub. This centralized platform serves as a comprehensive resource, gathering an array of public Helm Chart links for your convenience.

6. Navigating the Kubernetes ecosystem and tools

The Kubernetes landscape is teeming with a multitude of applications, and new innovations emerge daily.

Enter CNCF, the open-source and vendor-neutral nucleus of cloud-native computing. Home to projects such as Kubernetes and Prometheus, CNCF strives to universalize and sustain the cloud-native movement. A quick perusal of the CNCF landscape paints a vivid picture of this thriving ecosystem.

Navigating this vast expanse of options can be overwhelming when deciding which tools to incorporate into your projects. Tom Huang contributes to the solution by meticulously curating an awesome list of Kubernetes tools and resources, categorizing and ranking each Kubernetes application with traction based on GitHub stars.

In alignment with this goal, you can explore Collabnix' Kubetools list, another exceptional compilation of handpicked Kubernetes tools.

Kubernetes equips you with a command-line interface, kubectl, facilitating communication with a cluster's control plane. Enhance your day-to-day Kubernetes experience by integrating community plugins into your toolkit.

7. Comparisons of managed Kubernetes solutions

As your familiarity with Kubernetes deepens, you may find yourself in the pivotal role of selecting a cloud provider for your next managed Kubernetes endeavor. While comparisons of managed Kubernetes offerings abound across the internet, discovering genuinely authentic evaluations supported by real-world data can prove to be a challenge.

Among the available resources, a singular article stands out as a beacon of authenticity: Comparing the Top Eight Managed Kubernetes Providers by Elliot Graebert, crafted in the early months of 2023.

8. Nodes prices comparators

Are you seeking to compare nodes prices across various cloud providers? Or perhaps you've already chosen a cloud provider and are now in search of the ideal nodes that seamlessly align with your use case and budget?

Here are nodes prices interactive comparators, for each Cloud provider:

• AWS: instances.vantage.sh
• Azure: azure-instances.info
• GCP: gcpinstances.info

9. Community forums and interactive platforms

This section explores community forums, discussion platforms, and social media groups where Kubernetes enthusiasts can connect, seek advice, and share insights.

Highlighted Resources:

• Official Kubernetes Community Forums
• DevOps Chat Slack Server
• Kubernetes @Home Discord Server
• Kubernetes Subreddit

Engaging with these platforms not only offers opportunities to tap into the expertise of experienced Kubernetes practitioners but also fosters a sense of community within the broader Kubernetes landscape.

10. Kubernetes news

Stay updated with the latest happenings in the Kubernetes ecosystem by following Kubernetes news sources. These resources provide insights into new releases, feature updates, best practices, and emerging trends that impact the Kubernetes community.

Highlighted News Sources:

• Kubernetes Blog: The official Kubernetes blog offers detailed articles, release notes, and in-depth technical content straight from the experts behind Kubernetes development.

• CNCF Blog: The Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) blog covers a wide range of topics related to Kubernetes, cloud-native technologies, and the broader ecosystem.

• KubeNews: KubeNews is a curated newsletter that delivers the latest Kubernetes news, updates, and community highlights directly to your inbox.

By staying informed about Kubernetes news, you'll be equipped to make informed decisions, adopt best practices, and explore emerging solutions that contribute to your Kubernetes expertise.

11. Upcoming events and conferences

Stay ahead of the curve by keeping track of upcoming Kubernetes events and conferences with Kube Events. These gatherings provide valuable opportunities to connect with fellow Kubernetes enthusiasts, gain insights from industry experts, and dive deeper into the latest trends and advancements in the Kubernetes ecosystem. Whether you're looking to expand your knowledge, network with professionals, or showcase your own expertise, these events offer a platform to engage, learn, and contribute to the vibrant Kubernetes community.

Wrapping up

In this article, we've explored a variety of valuable links spanning different aspects of Kubernetes. Whether you're looking to enhance your own skills or assist others in their learning journey, these links offer a wealth of knowledge. Each link has its own vibrant community, ready to support and guide you.

But our journey doesn't end here. This article is an ever-evolving resource, and you're invited to contribute. If you come across new links that fit the criteria — being free, improving the existing list, or providing a comprehensive resource list — please share them in the comments section 🤓.

By working together, we're building a dynamic and practical knowledge base that benefits everyone navigating the Kubernetes landscape.

Illustrations generated locally by Automatic1111 using Lyriel model

Further reading

This article was enhanced with the assistance of an AI language model to ensure clarity and accuracy in the content, as English is not my native language.