Welcome to the world of Kubernetes! If you’re new to container orchestration, Kubernetes (often abbreviated as K8s) is a powerful tool that automates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. But before diving into Kubernetes, it’s helpful to understand the basics of Docker and containers, as Kubernetes relies heavily on them. This beginner-friendly guide will walk you through setting up Kubernetes locally on Windows using the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2). We’ll start with a quick recap of Docker and containers to ensure you’re ready, then provide clear, step-by-step instructions to install and run Kubernetes with Minikube.

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🐳 Docker and Containers: A Quick Recap

What Is Docker?

Docker is a platform that lets you package and run applications in containers. It simplifies the process of building, shipping, and running applications across different environments.

What’s a Container?

A container is a lightweight, standalone, and executable package that includes everything needed to run a piece of software:

• Code
• Runtime
• System tools
• Libraries
• Settings

Containers are isolated from each other but share the same operating system (OS) kernel, making them much more efficient than traditional virtual machines (VMs).

Analogy: Think of containers as lightweight virtual machines. They’re faster, smaller, and use fewer resources because they don’t need a full OS for each instance.