If you want to make life easier for container developers, consider a web-based management GUI that can alleviate the need to constantly run complicated commands just to spin up a development environment.
Gate. This tool can easily deploy a basic Kubernetes cluster or work with a pre-existing cluster built with MicroK8s. This way, instead of having to create a full Kubernetes cluster with multiple nodes, you can work with a single-node cluster to help your developers get up to speed quickly so they can spend most of their time developing specifically for your cluster in production level and less time to build and manage the clusters themselves.
Think of it this way: you wouldn't have your developers working directly on your production network. Instead, they typically use testnets or single-node machines to serve as development environments. They will build the applications, test, debug, and fix them. Once they are confident that the application or service is ready for full deployment, they move it from the test network to production, where clients, consumers, and consumers can begin using the new application or service.
This is a very traditional and widely used workflow. Given how reliable this process is, why would you want to change it for Kubernetes development? It’s proven, and as the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke… don’t fix it.
With this in mind, you can approach the Kubernetes development environment in two different ways.
MicroK8s
A popular method of deploying a Kubernetes development cluster is to use MicroK8s . This easy-to-deploy Kubernetes tool can be installed easily (like microk8s instant install –classic ). Once installed, all you need to do is enable some services, enable the community repository and then enable Portainer. With just a few quick commands, you'll have a Kubernetes development environment with the added bonus of the Portainer web-based manager. With Portainer managing this Kubernetes cluster, you can work with custom models, namespaces, Helm, application and service deployments, Ingresses, ConfigMaps and secrets, as well as volumes.
With this management platform, your developers can create applications and services with easy-to-use forms and custom manifests, and can even deploy with the help of Helm Package Manager .
This deployment method works with both the community edition and the paid version of Portainer. However, if you don't want to mess with MicroK8s, there is an even easier method.
Because MicroK8s is very easy to install (and also allows for simple Portainer deployment), you can have these container development environments up and running in minutes. With such easy management, you can create reliable, repeatable environments more quickly and easily than you might think.
Once again, your developers will spend exponentially more time doing what you pay for and less time creating their own workflows and environments. They will get more work done, which in turn will help make your company more profitable. Who doesn't want that?
It is, however, important to understand the role Portainer plays in this.
Gate
Imagine, however, if you didn't even have to worry about deploying MicroK8s first, and instead you could open Portainer, navigate to Environments, click Add Environment, select Create Kubernetes Cluster, and click Launch Wizard.
In a matter of minutes, your developers will have access to a complete Kubernetes cluster where they can start building applications and services that can (once fully vetted and tested) eventually be migrated to your production machines. This is all done in the Portainer GUI.
The only caveat when using this method is that all users would need to be administrators to work with this platform. This shouldn't be a problem as it would only be used as a development environment and not for production. Even so, do so knowing that all users of the platform would have full admin rights.
Instead of first installing MicroK8s into the mix, Portainer can be deployed with Docker much easier and then, using the point-and-click Portainer GUI, your team can deploy a complete Kubernetes development environment.
Fewer steps, less work, with all the power and flexibility you need for container orchestration.
Few limitations and all the benefits
If you've worked with Kubernetes, even superficially, you know how powerful the tool can be. At the same time, you also understand how complicated and time-consuming it is to get a Kubernetes environment up and running alongside a GUI management platform. And while you may have a full team of Kubernetes developers who are absolutely comfortable with the kubectl command, chances are good that you also have team members who are more comfortable with the old-fashioned point-and-click of a GUI application. .
Instead of taking the time to get all of your developers on the same page with Kubernetes, why not make it so that each team member can develop however they want – whether through the command line or a GUI? If this sounds like an environment you want to foster, don't waste time deploying full multi-node Kubernetes clusters from the command line and instead take advantage of the power and ease of use offered by tools like Portainer. With this platform, you get all the benefits of containerization without the limitations imposed by using the command line interface.
If Portainer doesn't offer what you need or if you're considering alternatives to Docker, you can always hire a third-party development team to create a web-based container management platform. If you go this route, it would behoove your company and your development teams to request the ability to quickly deploy Kubernetes development environments so your teams can work smarter, not harder.
If you go this route, make sure the team building the tool knows you want to be able to manage things like:
- Containers
- Images
- Namespaces
- Helm Charts
- Volumes
- Secrets
- Environmental variables
- Multiple nodes
- Sizing
- CI/CD
If an outsourced development team can build a tool that includes these features (along with any specific company or team needs) while adhering to best practices, you can be confident that the tool will greatly improve the lives of your developers and DevOps teams. easier.
In the end, the time you save can be better spent than creating multiple Kubernetes developer environments. Once you implement this platform, with integrated Kubernetes services, your teams will feel more comfortable with your products. They will be able to develop and deploy faster, debug applications and services with ease, and won't need to spend a lot of time familiarizing themselves with the tools they need to use. After all, pointing and clicking is almost always more efficient than typing complicated commands.
