Chapter 00Free
Free Kubernetes first contact
Build the first mental model: cluster, object, manifest, Deployment, Pod, Service, Event, EndpointSlice, and proof.
12 focused lessonsApplication Core, true zero to capable practitioner
Kubernetes Application Operations
Deploy and troubleshoot Kubernetes applications from real state and evidence.
Start from zero, operate an application on an existing cluster, and prove each change through Kubernetes state.
No credit card for the free chapter. Preview what the chapter covers.
By the end
Observable skills you will practice.
- Explain desired state, observed state, API objects, and controller reconciliation
- Confirm context and namespace, discover resources, inspect schema, and apply changes safely
- Read Pod conditions, Events, logs, and failure reasons before editing
- Operate Deployments and ReplicaSets through rollout, failure, rollback, and recovery
- Expose applications through Services, ready EndpointSlices, DNS, and basic Ingress
- Configure workloads with ConfigMaps and Secrets without leaking sensitive values
- Operate ordinary Jobs, CronJobs, PVCs, mounts, and StatefulSet identity boundaries
- Build and verify least-privilege ServiceAccount and RBAC access with expected allow and deny checks
- Troubleshoot and hand off an application incident with bounded, redacted evidence
Syllabus
25 chapters from the published course structure.
The focused path contains 84 required lessons. The advanced library remains available when your role needs more depth.
Focused path chapters14 chapters contain the required 84-lesson path.
Chapter 01Full course
Objects, manifests, and desired state
Turn YAML into an API contract with metadata, spec, status, namespaces, labels, annotations, validation, diff, and repair.
7 focused lessons + 3 advanced lessonsChapter 02Full course
kubectl and API discovery
Use context, namespace, API discovery, schema, tables, structured output, Events, logs, dry-run, and diff as deliberate evidence lenses.
5 focused lessons + 6 advanced lessonsChapter 03Full course
Pods as scheduling contracts
Understand the Pod boundary, container process intent, ports, shared storage, initialization, multi-container roles, restart behavior, and temporary identity.
3 focused lessons + 8 advanced lessonsChapter 04Full course
Pod lifecycle, conditions, Events, and logs
Read phases, conditions, container states, scheduling failures, image pull failures, crash loops, termination outcomes, Events, and current versus previous logs.
5 focused lessons + 6 advanced lessonsChapter 05Full course
Deployments, ReplicaSets, and rollout mechanics
Follow the Deployment, ReplicaSet, and Pod ownership chain. Trigger a revision, watch rollout convergence, interpret strategy budgets, and inspect history.
5 focused lessons + 7 advanced lessonsChapter 06Full course
Rollout failure, undo, restart, and image drift
Reproduce a broken rollout, correlate conditions with Events, read ProgressDeadlineExceeded, undo to a pinned revision, and prove recovery.
4 focused lessons + 8 advanced lessonsChapter 07Full course
Labels, selectors, Services, and EndpointSlices
Trace labels and selectors through Service ports to ready EndpointSlices. Diagnose selector or readiness failures and prove repair with a connection result.
7 focused lessons + 5 advanced lessonsChapter 08Full course
DNS, Ingress, and north-south entry
Resolve Service DNS, route HTTP by host and path through an IngressClass, inspect TLS intent, and repair a wrong backend port with before and after evidence.
3 focused lessons + 8 advanced lessonsChapter 09Full course
ConfigMaps, Secrets, env, and mounted config
Inject ConfigMap and Secret data as environment values or files. Prove update timing and repair a missing-key failure without exposing credentials.
4 focused lessons + 7 advanced lessonsChapter 10Full course
Jobs, CronJobs, retries, and completion
Run one-shot and scheduled work, control retries and deadlines, inspect history and concurrency policy, and diagnose a mixed Job and CronJob incident.
5 focused lessons + 6 advanced lessonsChapter 11Full course
Volumes, PersistentVolumes, PVCs, and StatefulSets
Separate temporary volumes from durable claims, diagnose PVC binding, prove mounted data, and use StatefulSet identity with headless DNS and stable storage.
9 focused lessons + 3 advanced lessonsChapter 12Full course
Namespaces, ServiceAccounts, and RBAC
Assign workload identities, build least-privilege Roles and bindings, prove allowed and denied actions with auth can-i, and repair an overbroad grant.
7 focused lessons + 5 advanced lessonsChapter 13Full course
Final professional capstone
Build, expose, configure, authorize, protect, observe, break, repair, and hand off a production-shaped Kubernetes application.
8 focused lessons + 4 advanced lessonsExplore 11 advanced library chapters
These chapters provide optional drills and reference depth. They are not required to complete the focused path.
Library 11Full course
Resource requests, limits, QoS, and node pressure
Read CPU and memory requests and limits, predict scheduler fit from allocatable capacity, diagnose throttling and OOMKilled, classify QoS, explain Pending, read node pressure, reason about eviction, and repair a resource incident with evidence.
12 advanced lessonsLibrary 12Full course
Scheduler fit, affinity, taints, tolerations, and spread
Read scheduler filter, score, and bind decisions, use node labels and affinity, diagnose taint rejection, add tolerations, spread replicas across topology, reason about priority and preemption, and repair a multi-constraint Pending Pod.
11 advanced lessonsLibrary 13Full course
Probes, readiness, liveness, startup, and disruption
Separate alive, ready, and started, tune probe budgets, read readiness gates, protect voluntary disruption with PodDisruptionBudgets, trace graceful termination, and repair a mixed health incident.
13 advanced lessonsLibrary 14Full course
Debugging Pods, exec, copy, and ephemeral containers
Choose the smallest useful debug lens, preserve logs and artifacts, inspect files and processes safely, use port-forward deliberately, debug distroless images with ephemeral containers, and solve a Pod forensics incident.
12 advanced lessonsLibrary 15Full course
Debugging Services and network policy
Diagnose traffic in order from DNS to Service selectors, EndpointSlices, readiness, ports, NetworkPolicy, and application response, then repair layered incidents with evidence.
12 advanced lessonsLibrary 19Full course
Container and Pod security posture
Read securityContext identity, privilege boundaries, Pod Security Standards, capabilities, read-only filesystems, seccomp, image pull policy, imagePullSecrets, namespace admission labels, and a mixed security incident repair.
12 advanced lessonsLibrary 20Full course
Observability, metrics, HPA, Events, and audit thinking
Connect Metrics API availability, kubectl top, resource requests, HPA decisions, conditions, short-lived Events, audit boundaries, and a durable incident timeline.
12 advanced lessonsLibrary 21Full course
Cluster operations, nodes, drain, and upgrade safety
Operate nodes with condition evidence, cordon, drain, disruption budgets, DaemonSet boundaries, static Pod awareness, component responsibility, etcd safety, and maintenance incident repair.
12 advanced lessonsLibrary 22Full course
Helm, Kustomize, and release packaging
Treat packaging as manifest generation: build Kustomize bases and overlays, patch narrowly, render Helm values, diff concrete YAML, manage revisions, roll back deliberately, and repair a packaging incident.
11 advanced lessonsLibrary 23Full course
Custom resources, controllers, and operator pattern
Extend the Kubernetes API with a CRD, create custom resources, follow reconciliation through status and child objects, interpret conditions and generations, trace ownership, handle finalizers, and repair an operator incident.
12 advanced lessonsLibrary 24Full course
Incident gauntlet and production readiness
Diagnose mixed Kubernetes failures by evidence, choose bounded repairs, verify customer-facing recovery, and write an operator-ready handoff.
16 advanced lessonsFull access
Choose access for Kubernetes Application Operations
Every available offer is shown with its exact CAD price and billing model. Checkout opens only after you choose an offer and enter the receipt email.
Questions
Know what to expect before you start.
What can I try for free?
Free Kubernetes first contact is free and contains 12 lessons. No credit card is requested before the free workspace opens.
What experience do I need?
No Kubernetes experience is required. Basic command-line familiarity is helpful.
What does the focused path include?
84 required lessons, with 12 free and 72 included in paid access.
Is there material beyond the focused path?
Yes. The course also includes 211 advanced practice and reference resources. They are available when you need more depth, but they do not lengthen the required path.
Which paid options are available?
Academy Founder Annual: CA$139 per year. Founder Vault: CA$279 one-time.
How is paid access billed?
Academy Founder Annual: Access continues while the annual subscription remains active. Founder Vault: No recurring charge. Coverage includes courses launched during the first 24 months.
How long does it take?
The published estimate is 18 to 24 active hours for the Core Path. Your pace will depend on how much you repeat the practice.
Do I need to install anything?
No installation is required to start the guided free chapter. Later lessons explain the real tools, files, and operating boundaries relevant to the skill.
What technology is covered?
The syllabus and these stated outcomes are the source of truth: Explain desired state, observed state, API objects, and controller reconciliation; Confirm context and namespace, discover resources, inspect schema, and apply changes safely; Read Pod conditions, Events, logs, and failure reasons before editing; Operate Deployments and ReplicaSets through rollout, failure, rollback, and recovery; Expose applications through Services, ready EndpointSlices, DNS, and basic Ingress; Configure workloads with ConfigMaps and Secrets without leaking sensitive values; Operate ordinary Jobs, CronJobs, PVCs, mounts, and StatefulSet identity boundaries; Build and verify least-privilege ServiceAccount and RBAC access with expected allow and deny checks; Troubleshoot and hand off an application incident with bounded, redacted evidence.
Which browsers are supported?
Use a current browser with JavaScript enabled. The free chapter is the quickest compatibility check for your device.
Does the workspace work on mobile?
The reading pages reflow for small screens. Command-heavy practice is more comfortable with a physical keyboard and a larger display.
What happens when I make a mistake?
The practice state is isolated from production systems. Read the resulting evidence, revise the action, and try again.
How do I restore access?
Use the receipt email on the restore-access page. The sign-in link verifies the account before paid entitlements are loaded.