Introduction

Kubernetes is a powerful platform for managing containerized applications. At the heart of Kubernetes is the Pod — the smallest and simplest unit you can deploy. A pod can run one or more containers, and those containers share the same resources, like network and storage. In most cases, a pod runs just a single container. Pods make it easier to manage and run applications by grouping containers that need to work closely together.

In this blog, we’ll show you how to create a basic pod in a Kubernetes cluster using a YAML file and the kubectlcommand-line tool.

PreRequisites

Ensure the following before proceeding:

  • A running Kubernetes cluster (via Minikube, KOPS, or a cloud provider like GKE, EKS, or AKS)
  • kubectl CLI tool installed and configured
  • Basic knowledge of YAML and terminal commands

Steps to Create a Pod in Kubernetes
Step 1: Create a YAML File

Create a file called apache-pod.yaml and paste the following:

apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
name: apache-pod
spec:
containers:
-  name: apache-container
   image: httpd:latest
   ports:
   -  containerPort: 80

This configuration defines a pod name apache-pod that runs an Apache HTTP server on port 80.

Step 2: Deploy the Pod

Run the following command to create the pod:

kubectl apply -f apache-pod.yaml

Expected output:

pod/apache-pod created

Step 3: Verify Pod Status

Check the pod’s current status:

kubectl get pods

Sample output:

NAME          READY   STATUS    RESTARTS   AGE
apache-pod    1/1     Running   0          30s

Step 4: Access the Pod

To access the container shell:

kubectl exec -it apache-pod -- bash

You can now interact with the container, check logs, or test services inside.

Step 5: Delete the Pod

Once you’re done testing, you can clean up with below commands

kubectl delete pod apache-pod

Conclusion:

Creating a Pod in Kubernetes is your first step toward mastering container orchestration. With just a YAML file and a few kubectl commands, you can deploy containers into your cluster.

While individual Pods are great for testing, for real-world production use, it’s better to use higher-level objects like Deployments and ReplicaSets that offer resilience and scaling.

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