Compose to Kubernetes Workshop

A hands-on workshop for developers transitioning from Docker Compose to Kubernetes. This workshop is designed for developers familiar with docker-compose.yml and Podman, providing a practical path to understanding Kubernetes fundamentals and advanced operations.

Workshop Overview

Duration: 8 hours total (two 4-hour sessions) Format: Instructor-led with hands-on labs Prerequisites: Docker Compose experience, basic terminal usage

Part 1: Kubernetes Fundamentals (4 hours)

Learn core Kubernetes concepts and resources by comparing them directly to Docker Compose equivalents. Topics include Pods, Deployments, Services, ConfigMaps, Secrets, and Storage.

Part 2: Advanced Kubernetes Operations (4 hours)

Master production-ready Kubernetes skills including advanced kubectl usage, debugging, health probes, deployment strategies, Ingress, Helm, and GitOps with Flux.

Repository Structure

compose-to-kubernetes/
├── setup/                    # Workshop environment setup
│   ├── Dockerfile           # Workshop container image
│   ├── kind/                # Kubernetes cluster configs
│   ├── start-workshop.sh    # Linux startup script
│   └── start-workshop.ps1   # Windows startup script
├── part-1/                  # Part 1: Kubernetes Fundamentals (11 sections)
├── part-2/                  # Part 2: Advanced Operations (8 sections)
├── resources/               # Cheatsheets, bonus materials
├── docker-compose.yml       # Alternative Docker setup
├── Makefile                 # Convenient make commands
├── PREREQUISITES.md         # Detailed setup guide
├── CONTRIBUTING.md          # Contribution guidelines
├── CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md       # Community guidelines
├── SECURITY.md              # Security policy
└── LICENSE                  # MIT License

Getting Started

For Workshop Participants

Follow the detailed setup instructions in PREREQUISITES.md.

Prerequisites:

1. Podman or Docker installed on your system
2. System Requirements: 12-16 GB RAM, 20 GB disk space
3. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/rfaes/compose-to-kubernetes.git
   cd compose-to-kubernetes

Quick Start:

cd setup
./start-workshop.sh    # Linux
# or
.\start-workshop.ps1   # Windows

For Contributors

Dev Container (Recommended):

1. Install VS Code + Remote-Containers extension
2. Clone this repository and open in VS Code
3. Click "Reopen in Container" when prompted
4. All tools pre-installed and ready!

GitHub Codespaces:

• Click "Code" → "Codespaces" → "Create codespace on main"
• Work directly in your browser

See CONTRIBUTING.md for detailed setup options.

Workshop Content

Part 1: Kubernetes Fundamentals

1. Introduction to Kubernetes
2. Environment Setup & First Steps
3. Core Resources: Pods
4. Deployments & ReplicaSets
5. Services & Networking
6. Configuration Management (ConfigMaps & Secrets)
7. Storage in Kubernetes
8. Namespaces & Resource Organization
9. Essential kubectl & k9s Commands
10. Manifests & Best Practices
11. Final Lab: 3-tier application deployment

Part 2: Advanced Operations

1. Ingress Controllers & Advanced Routing
2. Package Management with Helm
3. GitOps with Flux CD
4. Monitoring & Observability (Prometheus, Grafana, Loki)
5. Advanced Deployment Strategies (Blue/Green, Canary)
6. Autoscaling (HPA, VPA, KEDA)
7. Security & RBAC
8. Multi-Cluster Management

Learning Approach

This workshop uses a progressive, hands-on approach:

• Docker Compose → Kubernetes mapping in every section
• Live demonstrations of concepts
• Hands-on labs after each major topic (~45% of workshop time)
• Real-world examples using public container images
• Comprehensive final labs to integrate all concepts

What's Included

• Complete Workshop Materials: Theory, examples, and hands-on labs for all 19 sections
• Presentation Slides: Marp-based slides for Part 1 and Part 2
• Workshop Environment: Dockerfile with all tools (kubectl, kind, k9s, Helm, Flux)
• Cluster Configurations: Three kind setups (simple, multi-node, HA)
• Lab Exercises: Comprehensive labs with step-by-step solutions
• Cheatsheets: kubectl, k9s shortcuts, and compose-to-k8s mapping
• Bonus Materials: YAML basics, networking fundamentals, troubleshooting guides
• CI/CD Integration: GitHub Actions for content validation
• Make Commands: Convenient Makefile for common tasks

Contributing

We welcome contributions! Please read our Contributing Guidelines before submitting:

• Report issues or suggest improvements
• Submit pull requests with fixes or enhancements
• Share feedback after completing the workshop
• Help translate materials to other languages

All contributors must follow our Code of Conduct.

Quick Commands with Make

If you have make installed:

make build          # Build workshop container
make start          # Start workshop environment
make stop           # Stop workshop environment
make clean          # Clean up everything
make validate       # Validate all YAML files
make test           # Run content validation tests
make shell          # Open shell in workshop container
make cluster-simple # Create simple kind cluster

Alternative: Docker Compose

Prefer Docker over Podman?

docker-compose up -d
docker exec -it k8s-workshop bash

Security

This workshop is designed for local learning environments only.

For production use, please review our Security Policy and implement proper security hardening.

License

MIT License - See LICENSE for details.

This workshop is free to use, modify, and distribute.

Acknowledgments

Built with:

• kind - Kubernetes in Docker
• k9s - Kubernetes TUI
• Helm - Kubernetes package manager
• Flux - GitOps toolkit
• Marp - Markdown presentations

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Ready to start? Head to PREREQUISITES.md to set up your environment!