Welcome to The Information Desk of the Kubernetes Central Mall. 🛍️
Use this directory to quickly look up terms, understand their mall analogies, and find every related chapter, lab, or comic in the project.
Tip
Pro Tip: Use Ctrl + F to search for any keyword. Once you've found what you need, use your Browser/IDE back button to return to your previous chapter!
When you follow links to kubernetes.io, you will encounter different types of documentation. Use this map to find the level of detail you need:
- CONCEPTS (/docs/concepts): The "Why" and "What". Best for building mental models (like our Story & Study Guides).
- TASKS (/docs/tasks): The "How-To". Step-by-step guides for specific configurations (like our Labs).
- REFERENCE (/docs/reference): The "Official Specs". Command-line flags, API details, and the technical fine print.
- TUTORIALS (/docs/tutorials): The "Walkthroughs". Longer, scenario-based learning paths.
Find where each concept is discussed across different study paths.
| CONCEPT | MALL ANALOGY | DEFINITION | STUDY PATH | OFFICIAL DOCS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| API Server | The Management Office | The single source of truth. Every request to change the mall must go through this office. | Ch 00 | Link |
| BestEffort | The Basic Worker | No guaranteed utility budget. Used only if there's spare capacity left in the mall. | Story Ch 08 | Labs Ch 08 | Link |
| Blue/Green Deployment | The Sign Swap | A zero-downtime strategy where you build a new shop version and swap the sign (Service) in one go. | Story Ch 09 | Labs Ch 09 | Link |
| Burstable | The Flexible Worker | A worker with some guaranteed capacity, but allowed to request extra if the mall allows it. | Story Ch 08 | Labs Ch 08 | Link |
| Canary Deployment | The Taste Test | Releasing a new version to a small subset of customers initially to verify safety. | Story Ch 09 | Labs Ch 09 | Link |
| ClusterRole | The Mall-Wide Authority | Rules that apply to the entire Mall (Cluster), like access to building blueprints (Nodes). | Story Ch 07 | Labs Ch 07 | Link |
| ConfigMap | The Shop Manual | A set of non-sensitive configuration rules for a shop (e.g., color scheme, open hours). | Story Ch 05 | Labs Ch 05 | Link |
| CRD | Special Building Permit | Custom Resource Definition: Extending the mall with new, custom rules (like "Nightly Backup Permit"). | Story Ch 04 | Labs Ch 04 | Link |
| CronJob | Scheduled Maintenance | Repeating tasks (e.g., cleaning the floors every night at 2 AM). | Story Ch 01 | Labs Ch 01 | Link |
| DaemonSet | Floor Security | Ensures exactly one worker (Pod) remains on every single building (Node) at all times. | Story Ch 01 | Labs Ch 01 | Link |
| Deployment | The Store Manager | Ensures that the correct number of workers (Pods) are always on duty. | Story Ch 09 | Labs Ch 09 | Link |
| emptyDir | The Day-Use Locker | Temporary storage shared between workers in the same shop (Pod). Wiped when the shop closes. | Story Ch 02 | Labs Ch 02 | Link |
| EndpointSlice | The Digital Staff List | The real-time list of which workers are currently at their desks and ready to help. | Story Ch 11 | Labs Ch 11 | Link |
| Gateway API | The Smart Transit Hub | (Modern) A modular way to manage traffic using roles (Architect, Admin, Developer). | Story Ch 12 | Labs Ch 12 | Link |
| Guaranteed | The VIP Worker | A worker whose minimum guaranteed utilities are exactly equal to their maximum allowed limits. | Story Ch 08 | Labs Ch 08 | Link |
| Helm | Mall Catalog Template | A tool for packaging and managing complex Mall blueprints as a single "chart." | Story Ch 10 | Labs Ch 10 | Link |
| Ingress | The Main Gate Guard | (Legacy) A rulebook that tells the entrance guard where to send customers based on their request. | Story Ch 12 | Labs Ch 12 | Link |
| Init Container | The Prep Crew | A special container that finishes its task before the main worker (Pod) starts (e.g., setting up the cash register). | Story Ch 02 | Labs Ch 02 | Link |
| Job | Temporary Contractor | A task that runs until it is finished (e.g., a one-time inventory count). | Story Ch 01 | Labs Ch 01 | Link |
| kubeconfig | The Owner's ID Badge | The digital certificate that proves who you are and grants access to the Management Office. | Exam Guide | Link |
| kubectl | The Management Terminal | The tool used to send commands to the Management Office. | Speed-run Guide | Link |
| Limit | The Utility Cap | The maximum amount of resource (water/electricity) a shop can use before being cut off. | Story Ch 08 | Labs Ch 08 | Link |
| Liveness Probe | The Health Inspector | Periodic check to see if a worker is still "alive" (not frozen). If they fail, they are replaced. | Story Ch 14 | Labs Ch 14 | Link |
| Namespace | The Individual Shop Space | A logical boundary that keeps one shop's resources separate from another. | Story Ch 01 | Link |
| NetworkPolicy | Internal Shop Security | Rules that define which shops (Pods) can talk to each other. | Story Ch 13 | Labs Ch 13 | Link |
| Node | The Mall Building | A physical or virtual machine where the shops (Pods) are actually located. | Story Ch 01 | Link |
| OOMKilled | Memory Eviction | The Guards evicting a shop immediately because it used more temporary inventory space (RAM) than allowed. | Story Ch 15 | Labs Ch 08 | Link |
| Operator | Robotic Shop Manager | A specialized manager that knows how to run complex applications automatically using a manual. | Story Ch 04 | Labs Ch 04 | Link |
| PersistentVolume | The Warehouse Vault | A permanent storage unit in the basement that stays even if the shop is replaced. | Story Ch 02 | Labs Ch 02 | Link |
| Pod | The Individual Employee | The smallest unit in Kubernetes; a worker that runs your application. | Story Ch 01 | Labs Ch 01 | Link |
| RBAC | The HR Policy | Rule-Based Access Control: deciding who can do what (Read, Write, Delete) in the mall. | Story Ch 07 | Labs Ch 07 | Link |
| Readiness Probe | The Velvet Rope | Periodic check to see if a worker is "open for business" and ready to receive customers. | Story Ch 14 | Labs Ch 14 | Link |
| Request | The Utility Budget | The minimum amount of resource (water/electricity) a shop is guaranteed to have. | Story Ch 08 | Labs Ch 08 | Link |
| ResourceQuota | The Department Budget | Limits the total amount of resources all shops in a specific department (Namespace) can use. | Story Ch 08 | Labs Ch 08 | Link |
| Role | The Local Shop Permit | A list of "Can-Do" rules restricted to a single shop (Namespace). | Story Ch 07 | Labs Ch 07 | Link |
| Rolling Update | Sequential Renovation | Updating a shop by building the new version one clerk at a time while removing the old ones. | Story Ch 09 | Labs Ch 09 | Link |
| Secret | The Manager's Safe | Storage for sensitive information like passwords or API keys. | Story Ch 05 | Labs Ch 05 | Link |
| SecurityContext | Worker Safety Gear | Rules defining the permissions and safety constraints for a worker (e.g., "Must wear non-slip shoes"). | Story Ch 06 | Labs Ch 06 | Link |
| Service | The Storefront Sign | A stable entry point or "phone extension" that stays the same even if workers move. | Story Ch 11 | Labs Ch 11 | Link |
| ServiceAccount | An Employee ID Badge | The identity used by a worker (Pod) to talk to the Management Office. | Story Ch 07 | Labs Ch 07 | Link |
| Sidecar Container | The Helper | An additional worker in the same shop (Pod) that helps the main worker with tasks like logging or cleaning. | Story Ch 02 | Labs Ch 02 | Link |
| StatefulSet | Specialized Boutique | For apps that need stable "identities" and persistent storage (like a database). | Story Ch 01 | Labs Ch 01 | Link |
| StorageClass | Type of Digging Machine | Defines different types of storage available (e.g., "Silver" for HDD, "Gold" for SSD). | Story Ch 02 | Labs Ch 02 | Link |
| Throttling | Dimming the Lights | The Guards slowing down a shop's operations because it exceeded its electricity (CPU) limits. | Story Ch 08 | Labs Ch 08 | Link |