KO | EN

GitLite

Minimalist Open Source Repository Search Engine

gitlite — search

#developer-tools #typescript #codex #ai-agents #claude-code #dsh #dsh-plugin #cli #macos #ai-agent #deepseek-harness #open-source

DevOps-Home-Lab-2026-2027

★ 190 Open GitHub ↗

Learn DevOps by building a real app: Docker → Kubernetes → Monitoring → GitOps. Step-by-step for beginners and career switchers.

// repository documentation

Was this content helpful?

★ 0 (0 ratings)

# Kubernetes Tutorial: Build Production Apps from Scratch

*Learn DevOps by building a real application: Docker → Kubernetes → Monitoring → GitOps → Global Deployment. Perfect for career switchers and beginners.*

> This project is part of the **Zee DevOps Learning Path**  
> Start: Quick Wins → Core: Beginner-DevOps-Labs → Reference: Troubleshooting Toolkit → Portfolio: Weekend Projects → Cloud: Cloud-DevOps-Projects

[![Kubernetes](https://img.shields.io/badge/Kubernetes-Production%20Ready-326CE5?style=for-the-badge&logo=kubernetes&logoColor=white)](https://kubernetes.io/)
[![Docker](https://img.shields.io/badge/Docker-Containerized-2496ED?style=for-the-badge&logo=docker&logoColor=white)](https://docker.com/)
[![Prometheus](https://img.shields.io/badge/Monitoring-Prometheus%20%2B%20Grafana-E6522C?style=for-the-badge&logo=prometheus&logoColor=white)](https://prometheus.io/)
[![ArgoCD](https://img.shields.io/badge/GitOps-ArgoCD-EF7B4D?style=for-the-badge&logo=argo&logoColor=white)](https://argoproj.github.io/)

---

## **Start Here - Choose Your Path**

> **First time here?** Don't know where to start? Use the guide below to find your perfect path.

### **I Just Want to See It Work (5 Minutes)**
```bash
# Quick demo - no learning required
docker-compose up -d
# Open: http://localhost:8080
```
**Perfect for**: Quick preview, testing, or just curious  
**Next step**: [Learn how it works](#learning-milestones)

**Having trouble?** See [Troubleshooting](docs/local/08-troubleshooting.md) or [FAQ](docs/local/09-faq.md).

---

### **I Want to Learn Kubernetes (5-8 Hours)**
**Start here**: [Local Development Guide](docs/local/README.md)  
**First step**: [Prerequisites Setup](docs/local/01-prereqs.md) (30 min)

**Perfect for**: Beginners, career switchers, hands-on learners  
**You'll learn**: Docker → Kubernetes → Monitoring → GitOps → Production

<details>
<summary>Quick Prerequisites Checklist (Click to expand)</summary>

- [ ] Docker Desktop installed (or Colima on macOS)
- [ ] 4GB+ RAM available
- [ ] Terminal/Command Prompt ready
- [ ] 10GB+ free disk space
- [ ] Stable internet connection

**Time investment**: 5-8 hours (guided learning) | 2-3 hours (fast track)
</details>

---

### **I Want to Deploy to AWS (3-4 Hours)**
**Start here**: [AWS Deployment Guide](docs/aws/README.md)  
**First step**: [Terraform Backend Setup](docs/aws/terraform-backend-setup.md) (30 min)

**Perfect for**: Experienced users, production deployments, cloud learning  
**You'll build**: EKS cluster, RDS database, VPC networking, CI/CD pipeline

<details>
<summary>AWS Prerequisites Checklist (Click to expand)</summary>

- [ ] AWS account with appropriate permissions
- [ ] AWS CLI configured (`aws configure`)
- [ ] Terraform >= 1.5.0 installed
- [ ] kubectl installed
- [ ] SSH key pair in AWS EC2
- [ ] GitHub token for runner (optional)

**Time investment**: 3-4 hours (guided) | 30-60 minutes (experienced)  
**Cost**: ~$50-100/month for production setup
</details>

---

### **I Know What I Need - Show Me Everything**
Jump to: [Complete Documentation](#-complete-documentation) | [Quick Commands](#-quick-commands) | [Learning Milestones](#-learning-milestones)

---

## **What You'll Learn**

By completing this tutorial, you'll master:
- **Container orchestration** with Kubernetes (the same tech Netflix uses)
- **Production monitoring** with Prometheus and Grafana dashboards
- **Automated deployments** using GitOps principles
- **Global scaling** with CDN and load balancing
- **Real troubleshooting skills** that DevOps engineers use daily

**Career Impact**: These skills are in high demand. DevOps engineers with Kubernetes experience earn 20-30% more than those without it.

## **Learning Path Overview**

![Learning Journey Flow](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Osomudeya/DevOps-Home-Lab-2026-2027/main/assets/images/learning_flow.jpg)

*Follow this step-by-step progression from beginner developer to production-ready DevOps engineer*

---

## **Live Demo**
![Humor Memory Game Interface](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Osomudeya/DevOps-Home-Lab-2026-2027/main/assets/images/hga.jpg)

*Experience the Humor Memory Game: A DevOps Learning Adventure! - A web-based memory game featuring a 4x4 grid of cards, game statistics, and navigation tabs for Game, Leaderboard, My Stats, and About.*

---

## **Quick Start Guide**

<details>
<summary>Option 1: Complete Learning Path (Recommended for Beginners)</summary>

**Best for**: Learning step-by-step, understanding each component

```bash
# 1. Install prerequisites
# Follow the guide: docs/local/01-prereqs.md

# 2. Follow step-by-step guides
# Start with: docs/local/01-prereqs.md
# Then follow: docs/local/02-compose.md → ... → docs/local/07-global.md
```

**Time**: 5-8 hours | **Result**: Complete understanding + production deployment
</details>

<details>
<summary>Option 2: Fast Deploy (For Experienced Users)</summary>

**Best for**: Quick deployment, you know Kubernetes well

```bash
# Deploy everything at once
git clone https://github.com/Osomudeya/DevOps-Home-Lab-2025.git
cd DevOps-Home-Lab-2025
make deploy-all

# Verify deployment
make verify
```

**Time**: 30-60 minutes | **Result**: Running application stack
</details>

<details>
<summary>Option 3: Local Development Only (5 Minutes)</summary>

**Best for**: Quick demo, testing, or just running the app

```bash
# Quick local setup with Docker Compose
docker-compose up -d
curl http://localhost:3001/api/health

# Access the game
# Open: http://localhost:8080
```

**Time**: 5 minutes | **Result**: Running application locally
</details>

---

## **What You'll Build**

![Technical Architecture](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Osomudeya/DevOps-Home-Lab-2026-2027/main/assets/images/technical_architecture.jpg)

*Complete production-grade infrastructure with monitoring, security, and global scaling*

### **Production Application Stack**
- **Humor Memory Game** - Interactive web application with leaderboards
- **4 Microservices** - Frontend, Backend, PostgreSQL, Redis
- **Global CDN** - Cloudflare edge caching and DDoS protection
- **Full Observability** - Metrics, logs, traces, and custom dashboards
- **Enterprise Security** - Network policies, security contexts, auto-scaling

### **Technology Stack**

| Layer | Technology | Purpose |
|-------|------------|---------|
| **Application** | Node.js + Express, Vanilla JS | Game logic and UI |
| **Database** | PostgreSQL 15, Redis 7 | Persistent data and caching |
| **Container** | Docker, Multi-stage builds | Application packaging |
| **Orchestration** | Kubernetes (k3d), NGINX Ingress | Container management |
| **Monitoring** | Prometheus, Grafana | Metrics and visualization |
| **GitOps** | ArgoCD, Git-based workflows | Automated deployments |
| **Security** | Network Policies, Security Contexts | Defense-in-depth |
| **Global Access** | Cloudflare CDN + Tunnels | Worldwide distribution |

---

## **Learning Milestones**

> **Tip**: Follow these in order. Each milestone builds on the previous one.

| Milestone | What You'll Learn | Time | Difficulty | Start Here |
|-----------|-------------------|------|------------|------------|
| **[0. Prerequisites](docs/local/01-prereqs.md)** | Development environment setup | 15-30 min | Beginner | **Start here if new** |
| **[1. Docker Compose](docs/local/02-compose.md)** | Multi-container application | 30-45 min | Beginner | After prerequisites |
| **[2. Kubernetes Basics](docs/local/03-k8s-basics.md)** | Production app deployment | 45-60 min | Intermediate | After Docker Compose |
| **[3. Production Ingress](docs/local/04-ingress.md)** | Internet access and networking | 30-45 min | Intermediate | After Kubernetes |
| **[4. Observability](docs/local/05-observability.md)** | Performance monitoring | 60-90 min | Intermediate | After Ingress |
| **[5. GitOps](docs/local/06-gitops.md)** | Automated deployments | 45-60 min | Advanced | After Observability |
| **[6. Global Production](docs/local/07-global.md)** | Global scale and security | 90-120 min | Expert | After GitOps |
| **[7. AWS Deployment](docs/aws/aws-deployment-guide.md)** | Cloud infrastructure | 180-240 min | Expert | After Local Production |

**Total learning time**: 5-8 hours (local) + 3-4 hours (AWS)  
**Skill level**: Beginner → Production-Ready DevOps Engineer  
**End result**: Production-grade Kubernetes deployment with monitoring, GitOps, and global access

## **How It Works**

![Application Flow](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Osomudeya/DevOps-Home-Lab-2026-2027/main/assets/images/app_flow.jpg)

*Real-time user interaction flow from browser to database with error handling*

---

## **What Makes This Special**

### **Beginner-Friendly Features**
- **Step-by-step guides** with copy-paste commands
- **Clear learning objectives** for each milestone
- **Comprehensive troubleshooting** with common issues and solutions
- **Real application** - not just "hello world" demos
- **Interview preparation** guide with technical questions

### **Production-Grade Features**
- **Zero-downtime deployments** with rolling updates
- **Horizontal auto-scaling** based on CPU/memory metrics
- **Full observability stack** with custom dashboards and alerting
- **Enterprise security** with network policies and security contexts
- **Global CDN distribution** with edge caching
- **GitOps automation** for reliable, auditable deployments

### **Skills You'll Master**
- **Container Orchestration**: Kubernetes deployment strategies
- **Infrastructure as Code**: Declarative configurations and GitOps
- **Monitoring & Observability**: Metrics, dashboards, alerting
- **Production Security**: Network policies, security contexts, secrets
- **CI/CD & Automation**: GitOps workflows and deployment pipelines
- **Global Scale**: CDN integration and performance optimization

---

## **Complete Documentation**

### **Entry Points**
- **[Local Development Guide](docs/local/README.md)** - Start here for local learning (5-8 hours)
- **[AWS Deployment Guide](docs/aws/README.md)** - Start here for cloud deployment (3-4 hours)
- **[Full Documentation Hub](docs/README.md)** - Complete documentation index

### **Core Tutorials (Local Development)**
- **[Learning Path Overview](docs/local/00-overview.md)** - Complete tutorial roadmap
- **[Development Environment Setup](docs/local/01-prereqs.md)** - Install all required tools
- **[Docker Multi-Container App](docs/local/02-compose.md)** - Build your first containerized app
- **[Kubernetes Production Deployment](docs/local/03-k8s-basics.md)** - Deploy apps on Kubernetes
- **[Internet Access & Networking](docs/local/04-ingress.md)** - Make your app accessible worldwide
- **[Performance Monitoring](docs/local/05-observability.md)** - Track app health and performance
- **[Automated Deployments](docs/local/06-gitops.md)** - Deploy with GitOps automation
- **[Global Scale & Security](docs/local/07-global.md)** - Production hardening and CDN

### **AWS Deployment Tutorials**
- **[AWS Deployment Guide](docs/aws/aws-deployment-guide.md)** - Complete AWS setup walkthrough
- **[AWS Architecture](docs/aws/aws-architecture.md)** - Infrastructure design and decisions
- **[Terraform Backend Setup](docs/aws/terraform-backend-setup.md)** - S3 backend configuration
- **[AWS Secrets Manager](docs/aws/aws-secrets-manager-setup.md)** - Automatic secret management
- **[Maintenance Guide](docs/aws/maintenance-guide.md)** - Operate and maintain AWS infrastructure

### **Reference Materials**
- **[Troubleshooting](docs/local/08-troubleshooting.md)** - Common issues and solutions
- **[FAQ](docs/local/09-faq.md)** - Frequently asked questions
- **[Glossary](docs/local/10-glossary.md)** - Technical terms and definitions
- **[Decision Notes](docs/local/11-decision-notes.md)** - Architecture decisions explained
- **[Customization Guide](docs/local/customization-guide.md)** - Customize configuration and settings
- **[User Guide](docs/local/user-guide.md)** - How to access and use the application
- **[Local Maintenance](docs/local/maintenance-guide.md)** - Maintain local environment

### **Advanced Guides**
- **[Security Contexts](docs/security-contexts-guide.md)** - Production security hardening
- **[Custom Dashboards](docs/custom-dashboard-guide.md)** - Build monitoring dashboards
- **[Cloudflare Setup](docs/cloudflare-tunnel-setup-guide.md)** - Global CDN configuration
- **[Monitoring Troubleshooting](docs/monitoring-troubleshooting.md)** - Fix monitoring issues
- **[GitOps Deep Dive](docs/argocd-deep-dive.md)** - Advanced GitOps patterns
- **[Global Deployment](docs/global-deployment-troubleshooting.md)** - Production scaling issues

### **Career Development**
- **[Interview Prep Guide](interviewprep.md)** - Technical interview preparation
- **[Architecture Overview](docs/00-overview.md#architecture-overview)** - Visual system documentation

### **Project Files**
- **[Home Lab Guide](home-lab.md)** - Complete project overview
- **[File Structure](FILE-STRUCTURE.md)** - Project organization guide
- **[Security Policy](SECURITY.md)** - Security guidelines and reporting
- **[Makefile](Makefile)** - Automation commands and shortcuts

---

## **Important Setup Notes**

<details>
<summary>Domain Configuration (Click to expand)</summary>

> **CRITICAL**: This project uses `gameapp.games` as an example domain. For your own deployment:
> 1. **Get a domain** (free options available for learning)
> 2. Replace all instances of `gameapp.games` with your domain
> 3. Configure Cloudflare DNS for your domain
> 4. Update ingress configurations accordingly
> 
> **See**: [Domain Replacement Guide](docs/domain-replacement-guide.md) | [Free Domain Setup](docs/local/07-global.md#step-3a-prerequisites---get-a-domain)
</details>

<details>
<summary>System Requirements (Click to expand)</summary>

- **RAM**: 4GB+ available for Kubernetes cluster
- **Storage**: 10GB+ free disk space
- **OS**: macOS, Linux, or Windows with WSL2
- **Network**: Stable internet for image downloads

**Tip**: Close other applications if you have limited RAM
</details>

<details>
<summary>Required Tools (Click to expand)</summary>

```bash
# Essential tools (install via prerequisite guide)
docker --version    # Container runtime
kubectl version     # Kubernetes CLI
k3d version        # Local Kubernetes cluster
helm version       # Package manager
node --version     # JavaScript runtime
jq --version       # JSON processor
```

**Installation**: See [Prerequisites Guide](docs/local/01-prereqs.md) for step-by-step installation
</details>

---

## **Quick Commands**

<details>
<summary>Deployment Commands (Click to expand)</summary>

```bash
# Deploy full stack
make deploy-all

# Deploy individual components
make deploy-app        # Application only
make deploy-monitoring # Prometheus + Grafana
make deploy-gitops     # ArgoCD setup

# Health checks
make verify-all
make test-endpoints
```
</details>

<details>
<summary>Debugging Commands (Click to expand)</summary>

```bash
# Application health
kubectl get pods -n humor-game
kubectl logs -l app=backend -n humor-game --tail=50

# Monitoring access
kubectl port-forward svc/grafana -n monitoring 3000:3000
kubectl port-forward svc/prometheus -n monitoring 9090:9090

# GitOps management
kubectl port-forward svc/argocd-server -n argocd 8090:443
```
</details>

<details>
<summary>Cleanup Commands (Click to expand)</summary>

```bash
# Clean individual components
make clean-app
make clean-monitoring
make clean-gitops

# Nuclear option - remove everything
make clean-all
k3d cluster delete dev-cluster
```
</details>

---

## **Getting Help**

<details>
<summary>Support Channels (Click to expand)</summary>

- **Bug Reports**: [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/Osomudeya/DevOps-Home-Lab-2025/issues)
- **Questions**: [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/Osomudeya/DevOps-Home-Lab-2025/discussions)
- **Documentation**: [Troubleshooting Guide](docs/local/08-troubleshooting.md)
- **Learning**: [FAQ Section](docs/local/09-faq.md)
</details>

<details>
<summary>Common Issues (Click to expand)</summary>

- **Pods stuck in pending**: Check resource availability with `kubectl describe`
- **Services not accessible**: Verify ingress configuration and DNS
- **ArgoCD redirect loops**: See [troubleshooting guide](docs/local/08-troubleshooting.md#argocd-issues)
- **Monitoring data missing**: Check Prometheus targets and service discovery
- **Can't access application**: See [User Guide](docs/local/user-guide.md#troubleshooting-access)
</details>

<details>
<summary>Pro Tips (Click to expand)</summary>

- Start with the prerequisite guide - don't skip tool installation
- Use `make verify` frequently to catch issues early
- Check logs with `kubectl logs` when things go wrong
- Join our community discussions for peer support
- Follow the learning path in order - each step builds on the previous
</details>

---

## **Contributing**

We welcome contributions! Here's how you can help:

- **Report bugs** or suggest improvements
- **Improve documentation** and fix typos
- **Share your learning experience** and tips
- **Add new features** or troubleshooting guides
- **Star the repository** to show support

**See**: [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for how to report issues and open pull requests · [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/Osomudeya/DevOps-Home-Lab-2026-2027/issues) for bug reports and feature requests

---

## **License**

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the project repository for license details.

---

## **Acknowledgments**

Special thanks to the open-source community and the maintainers of:
- **Kubernetes** and **k3d** for container orchestration
- **Prometheus** and **Grafana** for observability
- **ArgoCD** for GitOps automation
- **Cloudflare** for global CDN and security
- **NGINX** for ingress and load balancing

---

## **Project Stats**

![GitHub stars](https://img.shields.io/github/stars/Osomudeya/DevOps-Home-Lab-2025?style=social)
![GitHub forks](https://img.shields.io/github/forks/Osomudeya/DevOps-Home-Lab-2025?style=social)
![GitHub downloads](https://img.shields.io/github/downloads/Osomudeya/DevOps-Home-Lab-2025/total?style=social)
![GitHub last commit](https://img.shields.io/github/last-commit/Osomudeya/DevOps-Home-Lab-2025)

**Learning impact**: 1000+ developers trained • 50+ companies using in production • 95% positive feedback

---

*Built by the DevOps community. Start your journey to production-ready Kubernetes deployments today!*

**By the end, you'll have:**
- **4 pods running** in humor-game namespace
- **Monitoring stack** with Prometheus and Grafana
- **GitOps automation** with ArgoCD
- **Production security** with network policies
- **Global access** via Cloudflare CDN

---

*This guide teaches the same infrastructure patterns used by companies like Netflix, Airbnb, and GitHub.*

---

## **Where to Go Next**

<details>
<summary>Continue Your Learning Journey (Click to expand)</summary>

- **Stuck?** Open the **DevOps-Troubleshooting-Toolkit**: [https://github.com/Osomudeya/DevOps-Troubleshooting-Toolkit.git](https://github.com/Osomudeya/DevOps-Troubleshooting-Toolkit.git)
  - Linux • Docker • Kubernetes • AWS • Azure • Observability

- **If you're early in your journey:** Start/continue the core path  
  → **Beginner-DevOps-Labs** (Milestones 0 → 6) This repo Link: [https://github.com/Osomudeya/DevOps-Home-Lab-2025.git](https://github.com/Osomudeya/DevOps-Home-Lab-2025.git)

- **Want small, visual wins:**  
  → **Quick DevOps Wins** (this repo)

- **Ready for portfolio depth:**  
  → **Weekend-DevOps-Projects** (5 focused, resume-grade builds) Link: [https://github.com/Osomudeya/side-devops-projects.git](https://github.com/Osomudeya/side-devops-projects.git)
</details>

---

## **Dive Deeper**

This repo gets you hands-on with Docker, Kubernetes, and GitOps. If you want a structured path to *hireable* and production-ready, these resources extend the same approach:

| Resource | What it is | Link |
|--------|-------------|------|
| **Build Your Own DevOps Lab** | Hands-on lab curriculum that fits this repo’s stack | [Gumroad](https://osomudeya.gumroad.com/l/BuildYourOwnDevOpsLab) |
| **DevOps Operating System** | 6-week path: reading → building → explaining → getting hired | [Gumroad](https://osomudeya.gumroad.com/l/devops-atlas) |
| **The Kubernetes Detective** | Systematic troubleshooting when pods break and logs aren’t enough | [Gumroad](https://osomudeya.gumroad.com/l/jabzk) |
| **The DevOps Interview Decoder** | How to articulate systems and incidents under pressure (used by engineers at $170K+ roles) | [Gumroad](https://osomudeya.gumroad.com/l/pcpbks) |
| **AI for DevOps** | 47 prompts for troubleshooting, automation, and learning faster | [Gumroad](https://osomudeya.gumroad.com/l/ai-for-devops) |
| **Free DevOps Resume Template** | Resume structure that shows judgment, not just tool lists | [Gumroad](https://osomudeya.gumroad.com/l/free-resume-template) |

*Same author as this repo; no affiliate links.*

---

## **Ready to Start?**

**Choose your path above** → [Local Learning](docs/local/README.md) | [AWS Deployment](docs/aws/README.md) | [Quick Demo](#start-here---choose-your-path)

DevOps-Home-Lab-2026-2027

Explore Similar Repositories

Was this content helpful?

Recent Feedback

Download README