DevOps Developer with Kubernetes Salary in 2024

Where is Kubernetes (K8s) used?

Kubernetes (K8s) Alternatives

Docker Swarm

Docker's native clustering system, uses Docker API to manage a group of Docker hosts as a single virtual system.

• Simpler to use and set up than K8s.

• Integrated with Docker engine, reducing complexity.

• Native load balancing capabilities.

• Less extensible compared to K8s.

• Smaller community and ecosystem.

• Lacks some advanced features like complex scheduling.

# Initialize Docker Swarm
docker swarm init

# Deploy service
docker service create --replicas 3 -p 80:80 --name web nginx

Nomad

A single binary that schedules applications and services across a cluster of machines.

• Lightweight and simple workflow.

• Schedules non-containerized workloads as well.

• High performance & scalability.

• Less mature compared to K8s.

• Fewer features out-of-the-box.

• Smaller community support.

# Create a job file
echo 'job "example" {
  datacenters = ["dc1"]

  group "cache" {
    count = 1

    task "redis" {
      driver = "docker"

      config {
        image = "redis:3.2"
      }
    }
  }
}' > example.nomad

# Run the job
nomad run example.nomad

Apache Mesos

A distributed systems kernel that abstracts CPU, memory, storage, and other compute resources.

• Large-scale resource management.

• Framework agnostic, supporting diverse workloads.

• Strong at data processing tasks (e.g., Hadoop, Spark).

• High operational complexity.

• Steeper learning curve than K8s.

• Less focus on container orchestration.

# Define a task in Mesos
{
  "id": "my-task",
  "cmd": "sleep 30",
  "cpus": 0.1,
  "mem": 32,
  "instances": 1
}

# Submit a task using the REST API
curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d @task.json http://master.mesos:8080/v2/apps

Quick Facts about Kubernetes (K8s)

Birth of a Container Titan: Kubernetes

Picture this: it's 2014, and Google decides the world needs a better way to manage containerized apps. Voilà, Kubernetes is born. Crafted by the same brains that brought you reliable search results for pictures of cats, Kubernetes—fondly dubbed K8s (because counting is hard)—lets you orchestrate your containers like a tech-savvy maestro. Joe Beda, Brendan Burns, and Craig McLuckie are the proud parents of this baby, and it's already taking baby steps towards world domination.

The Version Stampede

Kubernetes doesn't have the attention span for long, drawn-out seasons of development. Nope, it's all about rapid growth. Every few months, there's a new version, sprouting features faster than a teenager outgrows shoes. It's like a TV show with too many episodes to binge. Version 1.0 debuted in 2015, and by the end of 2017, we were already clinking glasses to welcome version 1.9, with goodies like an updated storage API and Windows support slipping in by version 1.14. It's update galore!

Code Jockeying the K8s Way

Ready to tame the container chaos? Kubernetes uses declarations in YAML that are more verbose than a grandpa's stories. No more imperative commands—just describe your desired state, and K8s works like your personal butler to make it happen. You tell it, "I want three of these apps running at all times", and it nods, rolls up its virtual sleeves, and gets to work, making sure everything runs smoother than a caramel latte.

apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: my-super-app
spec:
  replicas: 3
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: my-super-app
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: my-super-app
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: my-super-app
        image: my-super-app:1.0.0

What is the difference between Junior, Middle, Senior and Expert Kubernetes (K8s) developer?

Top 10 Kubernetes (K8s) Related Tech

1. 
   

   YAML Ain't Markup Language (YAML)

   
   

   Meet YAML, the 'not really markup' language that enjoys long walks with Kubernetes manifests. When K8s dreams at night, it's of endless YAML files dictating how containers should behave. Devs often whisper sweet nothings to their deployments and service files before giving them a gentle kubectl push into the cluster.

1. 
   

   Docker - Container Connoisseur

   
   

   Docker strolls into the container party, containers in tow, ready to get packaged for Kubernetes. Dockerfiles are like recipes for crafting the perfect microservice meal, with each command adding a pinch of environment variable or a sprinkle of dependencies.

   
   

   FROM nginx:latest
   COPY ./myapp /usr/share/nginx/html
   EXPOSE 80
   CMD ["nginx", "-g", "daemon off;"]

1. 
   

   Helm - Kubernetes Chart Captain

   
   

   Ahoy! Helm charts navigate the treacherous waters of Kubernetes deployments, packaging applications like seasoned ship captains. One helm install command, and you're sailing smoothly with your application deployed, no map, or treasure-seeking required!

1. 
   

   Kubectl - The Kubernetes Whisperer

   
   

   Armed with kubectl, developers commune with clusters in their native tongue, crafting imperative incantations to control the inner workings of K8s. Apply thy configuration, expose thy service, and logs -f into the matrix of pods.

   
   

   kubectl get pods
   kubectl apply -f deployment.yaml

1. 
   

   Kustomize - The Kubernetes Magician

   
   

   As if by magic, Kustomize transmutes simple YAML bricks into magnificent infrastructural edifices. Feared by environments far and wide for its power to manifest resources out of thin air, using nothing but layer upon layer of declarative alchemy.

1. 
   

   Istio - The Microservice Mesh Maven

   
   

   Istio, the virtuoso of service mesh, leads a symphony of microservices with grace. Envoy proxies bow in awe as Istio conducts traffic, secures communications, and regales tales of observability from atop its control plane podium.

1. 
   

   Prometheus - The Metrics Maestro

   
   

   The maestro of metrics, Prometheus, keeps an ever-watchful eye on Kubernetes clusters, taking note of every performance in its symphonic observability oeuvre. With its trusty sidekick Grafana, they turn numbers into artful dashboards worthy of a data gallery.

1. 
   

   Fluentd - The Log Collector Extraordinaire

   
   

   As the Sherlock Holmes of log collecting, Fluentd dons its deerstalker hat and sifts through a sea of logs with dogged determination. It funnels insights to be deduced, ensuring not a single clue about your cluster's health slips through.

1. 
   

   Terraform - The Infrastructure as Code Wizard

   
   

   With a flick of a Terraform wand, infrastructure springs up like magic beanstalks, ready to scale the clouds. Codified spells in HCL format conjure networks, VMs, and Kubernetes clusters, proving that in the land of the clouds, code is truly king.

1. 
   

   ArgoCD - The GitOps Guru

   
   

   ArgoCD, the sage of GitOps, sits cross-legged, chanting continuous deployment mantras. With each git push, ArgoCD aligns the chakras of your repo and the reality of your cluster, bringing them into GitOps harmony.