Four Easy Ways to Get Started with Kubernetes on Docker

Chances are you’ve heard about Docker, and even started using it. There’s a huge install base and millions of active users. These days, it’s hard not to turn around without also hearing about Kubernetes, an increasingly popular orchestrator for Dockerized applications. There are so many resources out there for learning Kubernetes that it can be a bit daunting to figure out how to get started. And before you can jump in, you have to install and configure a bunch of stuff. Fortunately, there are resources that aim to simplify the process and drive further education around Kubernetes.

Docker for Mac and Docker for Windows

Back in January, Docker released Kubernetes as part of the Edge release Docker for Mac, and has since added it to Docker for Windows. This is the easiest way to get started with Kubernetes with simple installation and operation. Docker for Mac and Docker for Windows install quickly and with everything you need, no additional dependencies. And switching between using Swarm and Kubernetes is a seamless experience.

The documentation for Docker for Mac and Docker for Windows helps with getting started. And Docker for Desktop was recently certified Kubernetes compliant, so you know you’re working with a conformant solution.

Play with Kubernetes

You may already be familiar with Play with Docker, which lets you use Docker in your browser with full command-line capabilities. You may have also seen training.play-with-docker.com, the Play with Docker Classroom which provides more directed tutorials. These are super easy ways to learn Docker without having to install anything.

Well, last summer, Docker also quietly released https://play-with-kubernetes.com, and has just released training.play-with-kubernetes.com, the companion classroom site which has an in-browser workshop that teaches you the basic concepts of Kubernetes on Docker, while giving you full Linux command line access. It’s a great way to pick up the basics of Kubernetes without having to mess with installation.

Docker Enterprise Edition Hosted Trial

Docker Enterprise Edition 2.0 recently included support for unmodified and fully-conformant Kubernetes. Docker Enterprise Edition makes it really easy to use Kubernetes, letting you stick with a lot of the Docker tools you are already familiar with like Docker Compose files, as well as Kubernetes YAML files. And it makes Kubernetes very secure with features like role-based access control (RBAC) and security scanning. Docker has a hosted trial of Enterprise Edition which includes Kubernetes support, so you can try it out for yourself without having to install anything.

Learn from Industry Leaders

One of the biggest conferences for Kubernetes is DockerCon — where Kubernetes launched in 2014. This June in San Francisco, Docker is expecting six thousand people across the community and ecosystem with some of the world’s leading companies speaking about operationalizing Kubernetes. Here are some of the experts speaking in June that will help further your familiarity with Kubernetes and grow your skill set:

• Tim Hockin and Eric Tune from Google will discuss Kubernetes Extensibility, which makes Kubernetes so versatile.
• Alex Mavrogiannis and Guillaume Tardif from Docker will talk about how Docker went about integrating Kubernetes into Docker Desktop and Enterprise.
• Joy Qiao and Lachlan Evenson from Microsoft will discuss how to deploy a distributed Tensorflow training cluster complete with GPU scheduling on Kubernetes.