Kubernetes

Exploring Kubernetes: Step-by-Step MERN App Deployment Journey

Taking Kubernetes for a Spin! ??

Ever wondered how to deploy a full-stack app on Kubernetes? Let me take you through my journey of deploying a MongoDB + Mongo-Express app using Minikube and kubectl, one step at a time.

Here's the journey (and the key concepts):

Step 1: Tooling Up ???

Before jumping into Kubernetes, you need the right tools. Here’s what I used:

• Docker Desktop: A powerful platform to manage containers and applications locally. It’s essential for local testing and experimentation.
• Minikube: A tool that sets up a local Kubernetes cluster on your machine. It’s perfect for testing and learning Kubernetes without needing a cloud provider.
• kubectl: This command-line interface is your gateway to interacting with Kubernetes clusters. You’ll use it to manage deployments, monitor your pods, and much more.

?? Pro Tip: For Windows users, using Chocolatey simplifies installation. A quick command installs all the tools you need!

Step 2: Defining the Blueprints ??

In Kubernetes, everything revolves around YAML files. These files define how your app runs, how it communicates with other services, and how it scales. I created these key components:

- Deployments: Define your containers, how many replicas you need, and the configurations for your app.

- Services: Expose your app to the outside world, so it can be accessed by other services or users. I used NodePort for easy access to my Mongo-Express UI.

- Secrets & ConfigMaps: Store sensitive information (like MongoDB credentials) securely, and handle configuration settings that might change between environments.

Step 3: Secrets & ConfigMaps

Keeping your app secure and scalable is crucial. I used Secrets to store sensitive data (like database credentials) and ConfigMaps for configuration settings that don't change often (like the MongoDB URL).

This separation allows for better security practices and makes your deployments more flexible.

Step 4: The Deployments

In Kubernetes, deployments are the heart of your app’s lifecycle. I set up two main deployments:

1. MongoDB Deployment: This manages the MongoDB container, ensuring that it runs in the cluster with the necessary resources.
2. Mongo-Express Deployment: This is the UI interface for MongoDB, making it easier to interact with and manage the database.

Both deployments ensure that the services run as containers in your Kubernetes cluster, making the application scalable and resilient.

Step 5: Connecting the Dots ??

Next, I connected everything using a NodePort Service, which exposes my Mongo-Express UI to the outside world. This allows me to access it via a specific port on my local machine.

For production, services like LoadBalancer or Ingress can be used for better scalability and traffic management.

Step 6: Show Time!

With everything configured, I used kubectl to apply the YAML files and deploy my app to the Kubernetes cluster. Once deployed, I checked the status of my pods and services, ensuring everything was up and running.

To access my Mongo-Express app, I ran the following command in my terminal:

minikube service webapp-service --url
https://127.0.0.1:51269        

This gave me a local URL (https://127.0.0.1:51269) to access the deployed app directly from my browser.

Ready to dive into Kubernetes and take your apps to the next level? ??

#Kubernetes #Docker #MERNStack #DevOps #Minikube #CloudNative #Containerization #FullStack #WebDevelopment #TechJourney