Jul 20, 2024

Hello, Kubernetes

Hello. I have decided to learn Kubernetes.

This has been coming for quite some time. I decided not to jump onboard the hype train when it was forging ahead at full speed, but it has been a few years since then. In that time, it appears that the hype train has transformed into a reliable, high capacity, high frequency commuter train. People depend on it, and for good reasons. Kubernetes is now the industry standard for container orchestration.

I am aware that I am late to arrive to the scene, but my time watching this project from a distance has not been FOMO-free. As someone who likes experimenting with new technologies and learning for the sake of learning, I have wanted to try it for a long time. Unfortunately, life gets in the way, and you can’t always find time for everything you want to do.

I have also been watching the industry’s attitude on Kubernetes evolve over time. It went from “if you’re not on Kubernetes, you can’t scale” to “if you’re on Kubernetes before you’ve hit scale, you’re doing it wrong”. This makes me feel better about not having learnt it sooner - conversations about the project now feel more mature, which is always a good sign.

Popular discourse around the project seems to revolve around the following ideas:

• It is complicated to run a Kubernetes cluster. Depending on the size of your organisation, it may require multiple full time engineers working to maintain it. If you don’t operate at scale™, you don’t need it.
• It takes time to understand Kubernetes, it takes longer to master it. Unless you are willing to spend several hours combing through documentation, watching courses, and reading material, it is not worth it.
• It is difficult to keep up with the rapidly evolving ecosystem. New APIs, new releases, new products and new distributions emerge everyday.

All of this might dissuade you from ever trying to learn it if you are starting from scratch. And it did, for me, for quite some time.

So why am I doing it now?

Quite simply, because I want to. It is fun to learn new things. It is good for my career. It also gives me something to write about — this blog has been dead for quite some time. I hope that will change.

So there it is. I am now trying to learn Kubernetes. This post serves as proof of my commitment to this undertaking, a naive attempt to keep myself motivated. I am probably going to be quite annoyed at myself in the future for writing it, if (or when?) I find myself not enjoying the process.