Getting Started with Minikube: Configuring Add-ons

Minikube enables users to experiment with Kubernetes features and workflows without the complexity of a full-scale production setup. In this article, we will walk you through the process of configuring your Minikube cluster, enabling useful add-ons.

Section 1: Configuring Your Minikube Cluster

Before diving into the exciting world of Kubernetes experimentation, let's set up our Minikube cluster with Docker as the driver. First, ensure you have the necessary prerequisites. See Getting Started with Minikube: Setting Up a Local Kubernetes Cluster to setup your local Kubernetes server.

Step 1: Enabling Add-ons for Enhanced Functionality

Minikube offers a selection of optional add-ons that extend your cluster's capabilities. Although these add-ons are not enabled by default, you can easily activate them using the minikube addons command.

To enable an add-on, simply use the following syntax:

minikube addons enable <addon-name>        

For instance, to enable the Kubernetes Dashboard, use the following command:

minikube addons enable dashboard        

While minikube has this built in, most Kubernetes clusters will require you install it manually from the guide here.

You can view the status of all available add-ons using:

minikube addons list        

Some commonly installed add-ons include:

1. dashboard: Provides a web-based user interface for managing and monitoring your cluster. I personally have used this dashboard and it's great for a visual representation of how the components are connected.

2. metrics-server: Collects resource usage metrics from nodes and pods in the cluster. This is a must have for a majority of Kubernetes clusters.

3. ingress: Sets up an Ingress controller, allowing you to expose services using Ingress rules. This is great to expose your resources and learn to use the ingress component with the service component.

4. registry: Enables a local Docker registry, facilitating the testing of container images.

5. storage-provisioner: Sets up dynamic storage provisioning using the default storage class.

6. kube-dns: Enables CoreDNS for DNS-based service discovery within the cluster.

Conclusion

With Minikube, you have a powerful tool at your disposal to experiment with Kubernetes on your local machine. See here for deploying a basic app to your cluster.