Kubernetes Mastery: Hands-On Lessons From A Docker Captain from Udemy

2022 Update: Ready for Apple Silicon (M1 arm64) and Raspberry Pi's. Taught by an award-winning Docker Captain and Kubernetes expert, this Course is the result of a collaboration between Bret Fisher, creator of the #1 Docker & Kubernetes course on Udemy, and Jérôme Petazzoni who is a full-time Kubernetes instructor, as well as one of the original Docker Inc DevOps Engineers. We designed the course to take your Kubernetes skills from first-time user to using K8s in production.

Updates are a thing. You can count on it. Kubernetes is a huge topic and constantly evolving. As a result, this course will get updated and evolve with it.

Just starting out with Kubernetes? Perfect. This course starts out assuming you're new to container orchestration.

[five stars] "Because Bret knows, lives, breaths and loves his technology stack. The passion and belief always comes through in all of his courses which is why I will always recommend his work." Steven Hunt, Udemy Student

Already a Docker Mastery student and want to know what's different between the two courses? This course assumes you know Docker and dives deeper into Kubernetes and the community of tools around it. Unlike Docker Mastery, which starts with container 101 and takes you through a lot of tools like local development setups, docker-compose, registry, Docker Hub, Swarm basics, Kubernetes basics, and general Docker best practices... this course starts with Kubernetes 101 and has you learning and practicing each feature and workflow you'll need for running your own Kubernetes clusters, and like all my courses, it focuses on how to use those features with a DevOps mindset and workflow.

BONUS: This course comes with Slack Chat, Discord Chat and monthly YouTube Live Q&As with me.

"...Bret is amazing. You can tell he knows exactly what he is talking about and enjoys helping others. I have never seen someone so involved with his user base as Bret. ...I would seriously buy any course the Bret puts out because I have no doubts that it will be excellent." -- David Olson, Udemy Course Student

Why should you learn from me? Why trust me to teach you the best ways to use Kubernetes? (Hi, I'm Bret, please allow me to talk about myself for a sec):

I'm A Practitioner. Welcome to the real world: I've got 20 years of sysadmin and developer experience, over 30 certifications, and have been exclusively focused on DevOps and the container ecosystem for my consulting clients and my own companies since Docker's early days. Learn from someone who's helped run thousands of containers across dozens of projects and organizations.
I'm An Educator. Learn from someone who knows how to make a syllabus: I want to help you. People say I'm good at it. For the last few years, I've trained thousands of people on using Docker & Kubernetes in workshops, conferences, and meetups. See me teach at events like DockerCon, O'Reilly Velocity, GOTO Conf, and Linux Open Source Summit.
I Lead Communities. Also, I'm a Docker Captain, meaning that Docker Inc. thinks I know a thing or two about containers and that I do well in sharing it with others. In the real-world: I help run two local meetups in our fabulous tech community in Norfolk/Virginia Beach USA. I help online: usually in Slack, Discord, and Twitter, where I learn from and help others.

"This guy is out of this world. I love his patience and carefulness he puts in all of his lessons." Evan Baird, Udemy Student

Giving Back: a portion of my profit on this course will be donated to supporting open source and protecting our freedoms online. This course is only made possible by the amazing people creating open source. I'm standing on the shoulders of (open source) giants. Donations will be split between my favorite charities like Electronic Frontier Foundation and Free Software Foundation. Look them up. They're awesome.

This is a living course and will be updated as Kubernetes features change.

This course is designed to be fast at getting you started but also to get you deep into the "why" of things. Simply the fastest and best way to learn the latest container skills. Look at the scope of topics in the Session and see the breadth of skills you will learn.

Also included is a private Slack Chat group with 40,000+ students and a Discord server with 12,000+ members for getting help with this course and continuing your Docker and DevOps learning with help from myself and other students.

"I am really loving your approach to training so far. Concepts are really simplified and easy to understand. Thank you." Yemisi Omoijo, Udemy Student

Some of the many cool things you'll do in this course:

Deploy a microservice app using both CLI and YAML
Investigate running apps using CLI, logs, and events
Test out different local Kubernetes installs like Docker Desktop, microK8s, and minikube
Use Stern to view multiple container logs at once
Try different load balancer types with Kubernetes Services
Troubleshoot container and network performance
Create custom labels for controlling load balancer connections
Use the new Server Dry Run to test changes with the API
Recover from a failed update, and rollback updates to previous versions
Test different healthcheck probe types
Use various app config options with built-in Kubernetes features
Quickly patch YAML with a single command
Split up and deploy YAML from git repos using DevOps practices
Deploy the Kubernetes Dashboard web GUI securely
And so much more...

After taking this course, you'll be able to:

Know when to use Kubernetes for solving real-world problems
Step through the proper decisions to make when creating healthchecks
Understand how to test healthchecks to ensure they don't create problems
Know when to use different types of app configuration like args, envs, ConfigMaps, and more
Design a ConfigMap with the Downward API for more flexible deployments
Make Kubernetes YAML manifests and deploy using infrastructure-as-code DevOps methods
Protect your keys, TLS certificates, and passwords with encrypted secrets
Lead your team into the future with the latest Kubernetes container skills.

Extra things that come with this course:

Access to the course Slack team, for getting help/advice from me and other students.
Bonus videos I put elsewhere like YouTube, linked to from this course's resources.
Live Q&A with me on YouTube.
Tons of reference links to supplement this content.
Updates to content as Kubernetes changes the features on these topics.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Learn kubernetes and cluster tools from an award-winning docker captain!
Lead your team into the future with the latest kubernetes & container skills!
Know the right ways to use kubernetes for proper devops workflows

Understand production k8s topics like rolling updates, healthchecks, and failure recovery
Know when to use different types of app configuration like args, envs, and configmaps
Make kubernetes yaml manifests and deploy using infrastructure-as-code methods

Learn kubernetes and cluster tools from an award-winning docker captain!
Lead your team into the future with the latest kubernetes & container skills!
Know the right ways to use kubernetes for proper devops workflows
Understand production k8s topics like rolling updates, healthchecks, and failure recovery
Know when to use different types of app configuration like args, envs, and configmaps
Make kubernetes yaml manifests and deploy using infrastructure-as-code methods

Syllabus

Introduction

How To Take This Course

Course Chat with Students Learning Containers

YouTube Live Q&A with Bret

Questions testing your knowledge after the last few sections.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores Kubernetes, which is standard in modern cloud environments

Taught by award-winning Docker Captain and Kubernetes expert Bret Fisher

Develops skills for using Kubernetes in production, including rolling updates and healthchecks

Identifies the right ways to use Kubernetes for proper DevOps workflows

Demonstrates deploying a microservice app using both CLI and YAML

Students can join a private Slack group to connect with other students and Bret Fisher, enhancing the learning experience

Reviews summary

Kubernetes mastery: hands-on production skills

According to learners, this course is a highly valuable and comprehensive guide to Kubernetes, particularly for those aiming for production-ready skills. Students frequently highlight the instructor's ability to explain complex concepts clearly and the practical, hands-on approach of the labs and examples. The course's emphasis on DevOps workflows, troubleshooting, and failure recovery is consistently praised. Many appreciate the instructor's active engagement through community support (Slack/Discord) and live Q&A sessions. While largely positive, some early learners found the pace challenging or encountered minor initial lab setup complexities.

Course content is regularly updated to remain current with K8s.

"Updates are consistent, keeping the content relevant."

"The updates to content are noticeable and much appreciated."

"This is a living course and will be updated as Kubernetes features change."

Instructor actively engages with students via multiple channels.

"The instructor's engagement on Slack/Discord is a huge bonus, truly responsive and helpful."

"The live Q&A sessions are a unique and valuable addition."

"The Slack community adds immense value and constant engagement with the community is fantastic."

Practical labs and focus on production use cases are key strengths.

"The hands-on labs are incredibly practical and reinforce learning effectively."

"I particularly appreciated the focus on DevOps workflows and production considerations."

"The focus on real-world scenarios is paramount, making it immediately applicable."

Instructor excels at simplifying complex K8s concepts.

"Bret's ability to explain complex Kubernetes concepts in an understandable way is unparalleled."

"This course completely demystified Kubernetes for me. The way Bret breaks down topics like rolling updates and health checks is brilliant."

"Bret doesn't just teach what to do, but why. This depth makes a huge difference."

Some learners experienced minor issues with initial lab environments.

"Some of the earlier lab setups were a bit tricky on my specific environment (Windows WSL2)."

"Sometimes the initial setup on different OS could be smoother, but overall a great learning experience."

"I wish there were more basic explanations for each topic, especially on setting up the environment."

Course pace can be fast, assumes solid Docker knowledge.

"I felt a bit lost initially without stronger Docker experience, even though it said it assumed it."

"While the instructor is knowledgeable, I found the course moved too fast... Not for true beginners despite the claim."

"Good intro to Kubernetes, but I felt a bit lost initially without stronger Docker experience..."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Kubernetes Mastery: Hands-On Lessons From A Docker Captain with these activities:

Practice kubectl commands

Show steps

Getting comfortable with the syntax and commands of kubectl will speed up your learning and practice.

Browse courses on kubectl

Show steps

Review kubectl documentation
Practice using kubectl commands in a local Kubernetes cluster

Show all one activities

Career center

Learners who complete Kubernetes Mastery: Hands-On Lessons From A Docker Captain will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Kubernetes Administrator

Kubernetes Administrators are responsible for managing Kubernetes clusters. They work to ensure that clusters are running smoothly and securely. This course can help Kubernetes Administrators learn about the latest Kubernetes and container technologies, which are essential for managing Kubernetes clusters. The course also covers topics like cluster security and performance tuning, which are important considerations for Kubernetes Administrators.

See salaries and explore the career path for Kubernetes Administrator

Container Security Engineer

Container Security Engineers are responsible for securing container-based systems. They work to identify and mitigate security risks associated with containers. This course can help Container Security Engineers learn about the latest Kubernetes and container technologies, which are essential for securing container-based systems. The course also covers topics like container security best practices and threat modeling, which are important considerations for Container Security Engineers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Container Security Engineer

DevOps Engineer

DevOps Engineers are responsible for bridging the gap between software development and operations. They work to ensure that software is developed and deployed in a way that is both efficient and reliable. This course can help DevOps Engineers learn about the latest Kubernetes and container technologies, which are essential for building and deploying modern applications. The course also covers topics like continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD), which is a key part of the DevOps workflow.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer

Site Reliability Engineer

Site Reliability Engineers are responsible for the reliability of a software system. They work closely with software developers to ensure that systems are designed and implemented in a reliable way. This course can help Site Reliability Engineers learn about the latest Kubernetes and container technologies, which are essential for building and maintaining reliable systems. The course also covers topics like rolling updates, failure recovery, and health checks, which are all critical for ensuring the reliability of Kubernetes systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Site Reliability Engineer

Cloud Engineer

Cloud Engineers are responsible for designing, building, and maintaining cloud-based systems. They work with a variety of technologies, including Kubernetes and containers. This course can help Cloud Engineers learn about the latest Kubernetes and container technologies, which are essential for building and maintaining cloud-based systems. The course also covers topics like cloud security and cost optimization, which are important considerations for Cloud Engineers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Engineer

Software Architect

Software Architects are responsible for designing and implementing software systems. They work closely with software developers to ensure that systems are designed and implemented in a scalable, reliable, and maintainable way. This course can help Software Architects learn about the latest Kubernetes and container technologies, which are essential for building modern software systems. The course also covers topics like microservices and distributed systems, which are important considerations for Software Architects.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Architect

Data Engineer

Data Engineers are responsible for designing and building data pipelines. They work with a variety of technologies, including Kubernetes and containers. This course can help Data Engineers learn about the latest Kubernetes and container technologies, which are essential for building and maintaining data pipelines. The course also covers topics like data security and data governance, which are important considerations for Data Engineers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Engineer

Technical Project Manager

Technical Project Managers are responsible for managing software development projects. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including developers, engineers, and business leaders. This course can help Technical Project Managers learn about the latest Kubernetes and container technologies, which are essential for managing modern software development projects. The course also covers topics like project planning and risk management, which are important considerations for Technical Project Managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Project Manager

Network Engineer

Network Engineers are responsible for designing and implementing computer networks. They work with a variety of technologies, including Kubernetes and containers. This course can help Network Engineers learn about the latest Kubernetes and container technologies, which are essential for building and maintaining modern networks. The course also covers topics like network security and performance tuning, which are important considerations for Network Engineers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Engineer

Infrastructure Engineer

Infrastructure Engineers are responsible for designing and building the infrastructure that supports software systems. They work with a variety of technologies, including Kubernetes and containers. This course can help Infrastructure Engineers learn about the latest Kubernetes and container technologies, which are essential for building and maintaining modern infrastructure. The course also covers topics like infrastructure security and cost optimization, which are important considerations for Infrastructure Engineers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Infrastructure Engineer

Chief Technology Officer

Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) are responsible for leading the technology strategy of an organization. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including the CEO, other executives, and the IT team. This course can help CTOs learn about the latest Kubernetes and container technologies, which are essential for building and maintaining modern technology systems. The course also covers topics like technology trends and innovation, which are important considerations for CTOs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Technology Officer

DevOps Evangelist

DevOps Evangelists are responsible for promoting and educating others about DevOps practices. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including developers, engineers, and business leaders. This course can help DevOps Evangelists learn about the latest Kubernetes and container technologies, which are essential for building and maintaining modern software systems. The course also covers topics like DevOps best practices and change management, which are important considerations for DevOps Evangelists.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Evangelist

Software Development Manager

Software Development Managers are responsible for managing software development teams. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including developers, engineers, and business leaders. This course can help Software Development Managers learn about the latest Kubernetes and container technologies, which are essential for building and maintaining modern software systems. The course also covers topics like team management and project management, which are important considerations for Software Development Managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Development Manager

IT Director

IT Directors are responsible for leading the IT department of an organization. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including the CEO, other executives, and the IT team. This course can help IT Directors learn about the latest Kubernetes and container technologies, which are essential for building and maintaining modern IT systems. The course also covers topics like IT strategy and IT budgeting, which are important considerations for IT Directors.

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Chief Information Officer

Chief Information Officers (CIOs) are responsible for leading the information technology (IT) strategy of an organization. They work with a variety of stakeholders, including the CEO, other executives, and the IT team. This course can help CIOs learn about the latest Kubernetes and container technologies, which are essential for building and maintaining modern IT systems. The course also covers topics like IT trends and innovation, which are important considerations for CIOs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief Information Officer