External Secrets Implementation

Resources from Video Description

• GitHub Repository – All project files to follow along (Vault + ESO)

Key Takeaways

• Use HashiCorp Vault (KV v2) as the central, encrypted source of truth; never store secrets in Git.
• Install External Secrets Operator (ESO) via Helm to sync Vault → Kubernetes.
• Configure a ClusterSecretStore (Vault URL, KV path, token Secret) to authenticate and read from Vault.
• Define ExternalSecret objects to map Vault paths/keys (and optional version) into Kubernetes Secrets.
• Enable refreshInterval for automatic rotation so K8s Secrets stay aligned with Vault updates.
• Verify by consuming the generated Secret in a Pod (env or volume) and checking logs.

You now have a secure, auditable, and refreshable secrets workflow—ready for real apps and real environments.