For early-stage startups, adopting Kubernetes can be both exciting and daunting. While Kubernetes offers powerful container orchestration capabilities, it's crucial to implement it correctly from the start. Here's a comprehensive guide to Kubernetes best practices that will help you build a solid foundation.

1. Resource Management

Proper resource management is crucial for both application stability and cost optimization:

  • Always set resource requests and limits for containers
  • Use horizontal pod autoscaling (HPA) based on metrics
  • Implement pod disruption budgets for critical services
  • Monitor resource usage and adjust accordingly

2. Security Best Practices

Security should never be an afterthought:

  • Use Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
  • Implement network policies
  • Regularly scan container images for vulnerabilities
  • Use secrets management for sensitive data

3. High Availability Setup

Ensure your applications remain available even during updates or failures:

  • Use pod anti-affinity rules
  • Implement proper liveness and readiness probes
  • Set up multi-zone clusters
  • Use StatefulSets for stateful applications
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: example-app
spec:
  replicas: 3
  template:
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: app
        resources:
          requests:
            memory: "128Mi"
            cpu: "100m"
          limits:
            memory: "256Mi"
            cpu: "200m"
        livenessProbe:
          httpGet:
            path: /health
            port: 8080
        readinessProbe:
          httpGet:
            path: /ready
            port: 8080

4. Monitoring and Observability

Implement comprehensive monitoring from day one:

  • Set up Prometheus for metrics collection
  • Use Grafana for visualization
  • Implement distributed tracing
  • Set up proper logging infrastructure

Remember, these practices should evolve with your startup's growth. Regular reviews and updates of your Kubernetes infrastructure ensure you're always following the best practices for your current scale.