One challenge at a time
Jump into any chapter. Each one includes everything required to begin.
Welcome: Build a Cloud-Native Simple App
Meet the application, the learning path, and the safe practice loop used throughout the tutorial.
Open challenge Chapter 2Cloud Native, Helm, and Stateless Design
Understand containers, Kubernetes reconciliation, reusable Helm values, and the 12-factor stateless process model.
Open challenge Chapter 3Local Setup with Minikube
Install Docker-compatible tooling, kubectl, Helm, and Minikube on macOS, Windows, or Linux, then verify a local cluster.
Open challenge Chapter 4Containerize a Static nginx Page
Build a small immutable nginx image, run it locally, and inspect its HTTP health endpoint.
Open challenge Chapter 5Deploy with the Generic Helm Chart
Load the static image into Minikube and deploy it through IVIA generic chart 4.8.0.
Open challenge Chapter 6Externalize Configuration
Move environment-specific content out of the image with a chart-managed ConfigMap and mounted file.
Open challenge Chapter 7Add Health Probes
Teach Kubernetes when a container is ready, when it should restart, and when startup needs extra time.
Open challenge Chapter 8Add React, Vite, and FastAPI
Replace the static page with a small React frontend and typed FastAPI backend, each built as its own image.
Open challenge Chapter 9Connect Frontend, Backend, CORS, and Ingress
Deploy both images to Minikube, route two hostnames through ingress, and allow the browser origin explicitly.
Open challenge Chapter 10Persist Data with a PVC
Store messages in SQLite on a PersistentVolumeClaim, verify restart survival, and understand stateful scaling tradeoffs.
Open challenge AppendixAppendix: DNS, HTTP, and TCP/IP
Build a practical mental model for names, addresses, ports, connections, requests, and Kubernetes networking.
Open challenge AppendixAppendix: Build and Deploy with GitLab CI
Turn the verified commands into a reviewable pipeline that builds two images and deploys pinned chart version 4.8.0.
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