How to install K8s and setup a cluster

Installing Kubernetes (K8s) and using it typically involves setting up a cluster, installing necessary tools, and deploying applications. Here’s a step-by-step guide for setting up a Kubernetes cluster using Minikube and managing it with kubectl.

Prerequisites

• A computer with at least 2 CPUs, 2GB of free memory, 20GB of free disk space, and a container or virtual machine manager (like Docker).
• Administrative privileges on the machine.

Step 1: Install Docker

Minikube requires a container or VM manager. Docker is a common choice.

1. Install Docker:
   • Windows/Mac: Docker Desktop is recommended. Download and follow the installation instructions.
   • Linux: Follow the official Docker installation guide.

Step 2: Install Minikube

Minikube sets up a local Kubernetes cluster.

1. Download Minikube:

   • Windows:

     choco install minikube
     

   • Mac:

     brew install minikube
     

   • Linux:

     curl -LO https://storage.googleapis.com/minikube/releases/latest/minikube-linux-amd64
     sudo install minikube-linux-amd64 /usr/local/bin/minikube
     

2. Start Minikube:

   minikube start
   

Step 3: Install kubectl

kubectl is the command-line tool for interacting with Kubernetes clusters.

1. Download kubectl:

   • Windows:

     choco install kubernetes-cli
     

   • Mac:

     brew install kubectl
     

   • Linux:

     curl -LO "https://dl.k8s.io/release/$(curl -L -s https://dl.k8s.io/release/stable.txt)/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl"
     sudo install kubectl /usr/local/bin/kubectl
     

2. Verify Installation:

   kubectl version --client
   

Step 4: Use Minikube and kubectl

1. Check Minikube Status:

   minikube status
   

2. Interact with the Cluster:

   • Get Cluster Info:

     kubectl cluster-info
     

   • List Nodes:

     kubectl get nodes
     

   • Deploy an Application:

     kubectl create deployment hello-minikube --image=k8s.gcr.io/echoserver:1.4
     

   • Expose the Application:

     kubectl expose deployment hello-minikube --type=NodePort --port=8080
     

   • Get the URL of the Service:

     minikube service hello-minikube --url
     

Step 5: Access the Kubernetes Dashboard

1. Launch the Dashboard:

   minikube dashboard
   

Step 6: Clean Up

1. Stop Minikube:

   minikube stop
   

2. Delete Minikube Cluster:

   minikube delete
   

Using Kubernetes

Once your Kubernetes cluster is set up, you can deploy, manage, and scale your applications. Here are some additional commands and steps:

1. Deploy a YAML file:

   kubectl apply -f <file>.yaml
   

2. Check Pod Status:

   kubectl get pods
   

3. View Logs of a Pod:

   kubectl logs <pod-name>
   

4. Execute a Command in a Pod:

   kubectl exec -it <pod-name> -- /bin/bash