What is a Pod?

Learn that a Pod is the smallest Kubernetes unit.

What is a pod?

A pod is the smallest unit Kubernetes runs: a group of one or more containers running together on the same node. The containers in a pod share the same IP address and ports (they reach each other via localhost) and can mount volumes in common.

kubectl run deneme --image=nginx:1.27
kubectl get pod deneme -o wide
# NAME     READY   STATUS    IP           NODE
# deneme   1/1     Running   10.244.0.12  minikube

Pods are ephemeral

Pods aren't permanent: if the node crashes, or the pod is deleted or updated, a new pod is created with a new IP. That is why pods are usually created not directly but through controllers that manage them, like a Deployment; a Service gives pods a stable address.

kubectl run deneme --image=nginx:1.27   # a single pod for experiments
kubectl delete pod deneme               # nobody recreates it

Exercise An experiment pod

Write three commands: run a pod named deneme with the nginx:1.27 image; show the pod in wide format; then delete it.

Show example solution

kubectl run deneme --image=nginx:1.27
kubectl get pod deneme -o wide
kubectl delete pod deneme

Test yourself

How do two containers in the same pod reach each other?
- With the host's IP
- They can't
- Via localhost and the port number
- By pod name through DNS
Show answer

Via localhost and the port number — Since the network namespace is shared, both can't listen on the same port.

Run a single pod.

kubectl ____ deneme --image=nginx:1.27

Show answer

kubectl run deneme --image=nginx:1.27

Match.

pod

Smallest unit
shared IP

Access via localhost
Deployment

Manages pods
Service

Stable address

Next lesson: Pod YAML

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