Building a Sample Kubernetes Operator on Minikube: A Step-by-Step Guide

Operators, acting as custom controllers, are a potent tool to enhance Kubernetes functionality. By harnessing the Kubernetes control loop, they handle application lifecycles through declarative custom resources. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through the process of creating a straightforward “Hello” Operator using the Operator SDK, deploying it on Minikube, and observing it in operation.

Prerequisites

Before diving into the creation of your first Kubernetes Operator on Minikube, ensure that your system meets the following requirements:

• Kubernetes Cluster: Make sure you have a Kubernetes cluster set up. For this guide, we will use Minikube, a lightweight Kubernetes implementation that runs on a single machine. If you haven’t installed Minikube yet, you can find the installation instructions on the official Minikube documentation.

• Operator SDK: You will need the Operator SDK installed on your machine to develop Kubernetes Operators efficiently. The Operator SDK provides tools to streamline the process of building, testing, and packaging Operators. You can install the Operator SDK by following the instructions on the Operator Framework website.

• Kubectl: Ensure that you have `kubectl` configured to interact with your Kubernetes cluster. `kubectl` is the command-line tool for running commands against Kubernetes clusters. If you don’t have `kubectl` installed, you can set it up by referring to the official Kubernetes documentation on installing kubectl.

By confirming the above prerequisites, you will be well-prepared to embark on the journey of creating your own Kubernetes Operator on Minikube. Stay tuned for the next steps in our step-by-step guide as we delve into the exciting world of Kubernetes Operators!