Getting started
This section covers different options to set up and run Kubernetes.
Different Kubernetes solutions meet different requirements: ease of maintenance, security, control, available resources, and expertise required to operate and manage a cluster.
You can deploy a Kubernetes cluster on a local machine, cloud, on-prem datacenter, or choose a managed Kubernetes cluster. You can also create custom solutions across a wide range of cloud providers, or bare metal environments.
More simply, you can create a Kubernetes cluster in learning and production environments.
Learning environment
If you’re learning Kubernetes, use the Docker-based solutions: tools supported by the Kubernetes community, or tools in the ecosystem to set up a Kubernetes cluster on a local machine.
| Community | Ecosystem |
|---|---|
| Minikube | CDK on LXD |
| kind (Kubernetes IN Docker) | Docker Desktop |
| Minishift | |
| MicroK8s | |
| IBM Cloud Private-CE (Community Edition) | |
| IBM Cloud Private-CE (Community Edition) on Linux Containers | |
| k3s |
Production environment
When evaluating a solution for a production environment, consider which aspects of operating a Kubernetes cluster (or abstractions) you want to manage yourself or offload to a provider.
For a list of Certified Kubernetes providers, see “Partners”.
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