Kubernetes & DevOps Dictionary

The worlds of Kubernetes and DevOps are filled full of jargon and acronyms that can be a minefield for everyone, not just newbies! Here’s a handy reference list of some of the most common terms and their meanings. 

Logstash

What is Logstash? Logstash is an open-source data processing pipeline that collects, transforms, and sends data to a variety of destinations. It is a core component of the Elastic Stack (ELK), commonly used to ingest and preprocess log and event data before storing it in Elasticsearch or forwarding it to...
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Microservices

Microservices is an architectural style in software development where an application is broken down into smaller, independent services that work together to fulfill the overall functionality of the system. Each service is self-contained, focuses on a specific business capability, and communicates with other services via well-defined APIs. This approach contrasts...
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Minikube

What is Minikube? Minikube is a lightweight tool that allows you to run a single-node Kubernetes cluster locally on your machine. It is primarily used for development, testing, and learning Kubernetes without requiring access to a full-scale cloud environment. Minikube supports various operating systems, including Linux, macOS, and Windows, making...
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Monolith

A monolith refers to a traditional software architecture where all components of an application are tightly coupled and interconnected, forming a single, unified codebase. In a monolithic architecture, all of the application's functionalities—such as user interface (UI), business logic, and data management—are part of a single, large executable or codebase,...
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Namespaces

What are Namespaces? Namespaces in Kubernetes are virtual clusters within a physical Kubernetes cluster. They provide a way to logically divide and isolate resources, enabling multiple teams or applications to share a single cluster while maintaining separation. Namespaces are commonly used in multi-tenant environments, where different projects or teams need...
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Nginx

What is Nginx? Nginx (pronounced "engine-x") is an open-source, high-performance web server that also functions as a reverse proxy, load balancer, and HTTP cache. Known for its speed, scalability, and efficiency, Nginx is widely used to serve web content, manage traffic, and improve the reliability of web applications. It is...
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Operator

What is an Operator? An Operator in Kubernetes is a method of packaging, deploying, and managing complex, stateful applications. It leverages Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs) and custom controllers to extend Kubernetes' capabilities, automating tasks such as installation, configuration, updates, and scaling of applications. Operators are designed to encapsulate human operational...
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Orchestration

Orchestration in cloud computing refers to the automated coordination and management of complex systems and services to achieve specific tasks and workflows. In cloud environments, orchestration is particularly important because it streamlines the deployment, scaling, and lifecycle management of applications and services across multiple cloud resources. Key Aspects of Orchestration...
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Persistent Volume (PV)

What is a Persistent Volume? A Persistent Volume (PV) in Kubernetes is a storage resource provisioned and managed independently of pods. PVs provide a way to abstract and manage storage in a Kubernetes cluster, enabling applications to persist data beyond the lifecycle of individual pods. PVs can be backed by...
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Persistent Volume Claim (PVC)

What is a Persistent Volume Claim? A Persistent Volume Claim (PVC) in Kubernetes is a request for storage by a user. PVCs enable applications to use persistent storage by dynamically or statically binding to a Persistent Volume (PV). The PVC specifies the amount of storage required, access modes (e.g., read-only...
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Prometheus

Prometheus is an open-source systems monitoring and alerting toolkit designed primarily for reliability and scalability. It is used to collect metrics from applications and infrastructure, store them efficiently, and provide powerful query capabilities to analyze the data. Prometheus is widely adopted in the cloud-native ecosystem and is known for its...
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ReplicaSet

What is a Kubernetes ReplicaSet?A ReplicaSet is a Kubernetes resource used to ensure that a specified number of pod replicas are running at any given time. It helps maintain the desired state of an application by automatically adding or removing pod instances based on the current state of the cluster....
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Reverse Proxy

What is a Reverse Proxy? A Reverse Proxy is a server that sits between client devices and backend servers, forwarding client requests to the appropriate server and returning the server’s response to the client. Unlike a forward proxy, which acts on behalf of clients, a reverse proxy serves as an...
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Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

What is RBAC? Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) is a method for regulating access to resources within a Kubernetes cluster. RBAC uses roles and bindings to define which users or groups can perform specific actions on particular resources. It ensures secure and granular access control, allowing administrators to assign permissions based...
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Rolling Deployment

What is a Rolling Deployment? A Rolling Deployment is a deployment strategy where a new version of an application is gradually rolled out to the production environment, replacing the old version in a step-by-step manner. This approach ensures that some instances of the application remain available to handle user traffic...
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Secret

What is a Secret? A Secret in Kubernetes is an API object used to securely store sensitive data, such as passwords, tokens, SSH keys, or other confidential information. Secrets help protect sensitive information by keeping it separate from application code and configuration files, reducing the risk of accidental exposure. Secrets...
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Service

What is a Kubernetes Service?A Service in Kubernetes is an abstraction that defines a logical set of pods and a policy to access them. It provides a stable, consistent endpoint to access a group of pods, even as the pods are dynamically created or destroyed. Services enable communication between different...
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Service Mesh

What is a Service Mesh? A Service Mesh is a dedicated infrastructure layer designed to manage communication between microservices in a distributed application. It provides features such as service discovery, load balancing, traffic routing, security, and observability, enabling developers to focus on building application functionality rather than managing service-to-service communication....
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Sidecar Proxy Pattern

What is the Sidecar Pattern? The Sidecar Pattern is a design pattern in software architecture where a helper component, known as a "sidecar," runs alongside a main application or service. This sidecar is deployed in the same environment (e.g., a container in Kubernetes) and extends or enhances the functionality of...
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Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC

What is the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)? The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a structured process used by software development teams to design, develop, test, and deliver high-quality software. It outlines a series of stages or phases that guide the development of software applications from concept to deployment...
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