Setting Up a Single-Node Kubernetes Cluster

Key Takeaways

Development vs Production Environments: Docker Desktop provides a single-node cluster where your local machine serves as both master and worker node, perfect for prototyping and development. In contrast, production environments use multi-node clusters hosted on cloud providers with many dedicated master and worker nodes collaborating for container orchestration at scale.

Local Kubernetes Setup: Docker Desktop automatically starts a Kubernetes cluster when enabled, providing an easy way to run Kubernetes locally without complex installation procedures. This local cluster is ideal for learning, development, and testing Kubernetes applications before deploying to production.

kubectl Command Line Tool: kubectl is the primary command-line interface for interacting with Kubernetes clusters. The tool can be configured to connect to different clusters, and you can verify which cluster you're connected to using kubectl config current-context.

Docker Account Requirement: A Docker account and proper authentication through Docker Desktop is essential for accessing container registries and managing your development workflow. The Docker Dashboard provides visibility into running containers and cluster status.