How to Deploy a Simple App on Kubernetes in 2025?

Deploying applications on Kubernetes has become the go-to choice for developers due to its robust orchestration capabilities and vibrant ecosystem. As we move into 2025, deploying a simple app on Kubernetes remains a streamlined process, though some advancements and best practices have evolved. This guide will walk you through deploying a basic application on Kubernetes step-by-step.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

1. Kubernetes Cluster: You need access to a Kubernetes cluster. This could be a local setup using Minikube or a remote cloud-based solution such as Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), Amazon EKS, or Azure AKS.
2. Kubectl: Ensure you have kubectl installed on your machine to interact with the Kubernetes cluster.
3. Docker: Your application should be containerized using Docker. Install Docker to create and manage your application container.
4. YAML Knowledge: Familiarity with writing YAML files is essential for creating Kubernetes manifests.

Step 1: Containerize Your Application

Ensure your application is containerized. Here’s a simple Dockerfile example:

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# Use a base image
FROM node:16

# Set the working directory
WORKDIR /app

# Copy application files
COPY . .

# Install dependencies
RUN npm install

# Expose the application port
EXPOSE 3000

# Start the application
CMD ["npm", "start"]

Build your Docker image:

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docker build -t yourusername/simple-app:1.0 .

Step 2: Push Your Docker Image to a Registry

Push your Docker image to a container registry so it can be accessed by Kubernetes.

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docker push yourusername/simple-app:1.0

Step 3: Deploy to Kubernetes

Create a deployment YAML file for your application.

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apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: simple-app-deployment
spec:
  replicas: 3
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: simple-app
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: simple-app
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: simple-app
        image: yourusername/simple-app:1.0
        ports:
        - containerPort: 3000

Apply the deployment:

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kubectl apply -f deployment.yaml

Create a service to expose your app:

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apiVersion: v1
kind: Service
metadata:
  name: simple-app-service
spec:
  type: LoadBalancer
  ports:
  - port: 80
    targetPort: 3000
  selector:
    app: simple-app

Apply the service:

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kubectl apply -f service.yaml

Step 4: Verify Deployment

To verify that your application is running, use:

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kubectl get deployments
kubectl get pods
kubectl get services

Access your application via the external IP provided by the LoadBalancer service.

Additional Resources

For more detailed guides and advanced deployment scenarios, consider checking out related guides such as:

• WordPress on Kubernetes Guide for deploying complex applications like WordPress.
• Kubernetes Deployment for adding custom configurations to Helm charts.
• DigitalOcean Kubernetes for deploying apps from GitHub Actions to DigitalOcean Kubernetes.

Conclusion

Deploying a simple app on Kubernetes in 2025 can still be achieved through a few straightforward steps. By following the guidelines outlined in this guide, you can get your simple application up and running on a Kubernetes cluster with ease.

Ensure you stay updated with the latest Kubernetes advancements to take advantage of improved features and capabilities as they continue to develop.