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Module 0: Introduction and Getting Started

Difficulty: Intermediate Estimated Time: 90 minutes

  • 15 minutes reading
  • 60 minutes lab
  • 15 minutes quiz

Course Learning Path​

Overview​

Welcome to the Kubernetes Intermediate course. This module establishes the foundation for your production readiness journey. You'll deploy the Example Voting App - a multi-tier microservices application that will serve as your continuous learning environment throughout this course.

Think of Module 0 as setting the baseline. You'll create a local Kubernetes cluster using KIND, deploy all five components of the voting application, and verify it works end-to-end. This deployment works, but it's not production-ready. Over the next nine modules, you'll evolve this basic setup into a robust, scalable, secure production deployment.

By the end of this module, you'll have a working multi-node Kubernetes cluster with the Example Voting App running locally. This exact setup becomes your playground for exploring advanced scheduling, autoscaling, traffic management, security policies, and more.

What You Will Learn​

  • Set up a multi-node Kubernetes cluster using KIND (Kubernetes IN Docker)
  • Deploy a complete microservices application with five interconnected components
  • Understand the architecture and communication flow of the Example Voting App
  • Verify end-to-end application functionality across multiple services
  • Identify the gaps between "works" and "production-ready" deployments

Prerequisites​

This course assumes you have completed the Kubernetes Essentials course or have equivalent knowledge. You should be comfortable with:

  • Pods: The smallest deployable units in Kubernetes
  • Deployments: Managing replica sets and rolling updates
  • Services: ClusterIP, NodePort, and LoadBalancer types
  • kubectl: Basic commands (apply, get, describe, logs, exec)
  • Namespaces: Organizing and isolating resources
  • Labels and Selectors: Identifying and grouping resources

If any of these concepts feel unfamiliar, we recommend reviewing the Kubernetes Essentials course before proceeding. This intermediate course builds directly on that foundation.