Regardless of the industry, automation is inevitable. More and more businesses seek to innovate and automate their IT processes to keep abreast with the competition.

It is not surprising why the demand for Kubernetes skills has soared in recent years. There is a short supply of IT professionals who can orchestrate containers, cloud-native development, and hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Hence, many IT pros want to learn Kubernetes fast.

Some might think that learning Kubernetes is difficult. This can be the case if you have absolutely zero background in IT. But if you have prior experience or a grasp of containerization concepts, Kubernetes should come easier for you.

Here are five tips that can help you learn Kubernetes quickly.

1.   Read, watch, listen

The good news is that there is a plethora of online resources that you can use to learn Kubernetes. Aside from the official documentation, there are countless free and paid courses, tutorials, videos, podcasts, and more.

But still, the best way to grasp Kubernetes principles is by reading technical books. Cloud Native Computing Foundation has some very useful, illustrated books that simplify technical terms. Even if you’re a complete newbie in Kubernetes, you can access reference materials available in online communities. Likewise, there are interactive sandboxes hosted by sites like Katacoda and online courses delivered by sites like Udacity. While these sites are not official documentation, they can help you grasp Kubernetes faster.

2.   Start with basic concepts

Before you dabble into the complex concepts of the Kubernetes container platform, you need to have a firm understanding of the basic concepts. A quick search over the Internet should give you tons of useful information on the specific things you need to know.

As you start your Kube journey, you should bookmark the Concepts section of the official site. One of the most crucial aspects of the Kubernetes implementation is documentation. Thus, you must be comfortable describing basic resource objects like Services, Pods, and Deployments. You should understand the basic Kubernetes architecture; the importance of Selectors and Labels. Before you even try anything hands-on, you should take time to consume references on the Kubernetes site.

3.   Try free courses

As mentioned above, there are free online courses that can guide you in your Kube journey. Look for the latest courses that will equip you with up-to-date knowledge. Usually, these courses are offered by experts for educational and promotional purposes. And although they are free, they have truly useful content.

These free courses can help you for work – and even if you’re preparing for certification. Through these courses, you can get a feel of containerization technology.

4.   Start using Kube tools

Kubernetes is more than just mastery of theories, but instead, it is about practical knowledge. For starters, it can be difficult to get your hands on a real live Kubernetes cluster, which is often only available in production systems. So, how can you practice your skills?

Some available applications and tools run mature Kubernetes configurations. You can start with these containerized versions to familiarize yourself with the concepts of Kubernetes. By using these systems, you can learn how to use basic principles like declarative templating patterns, parameterization, and modularization. Slowly you can master your Kube skills using existing managed containerized deployments.

A great example is the open-source, single-node Kubernetes cluster called Minikube which can run on your laptop. Other services that provide Kubernetes implementations are Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), and Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS).

There are also commercial platforms that offer free trials or individual accounts, such as Red Hat OpenShift. Regardless of the platform or service, you can maximize these tools for learning.

5.   Join Kubernetes community

You learn more from experts – and you can find them in Kubernetes communities. Aside from online forums, you should also look for and get involved with local organizations where you can gain more tips.

Always remember that IT is constantly changing – this includes containerized technology and Kubernetes. You can keep abreast with the latest changes, recommendations, and best practices through participation in communities. Learning from their actual experiences is the best way to master Kubernetes easily and quickly.