Deploying a Node.js API to Kubernetes with Minikube: A Beginner’s Guide

Kubernetes is a powerful tool for managing applications, and Minikube makes it easy to try it out locally. In this beginner-friendly guide, we’ll walk through deploying a simple Node.js API to Kubernetes using Minikube. By the end, you’ll have a running API that says "Hello from Kubernetes!" Let’s dive in!

What You’ll Need

• Node.js: Installed on your computer (version 18 or later recommended).
• Docker: To build and manage container images.
• Minikube: A tool to run Kubernetes locally.
• kubectl: The Kubernetes command-line tool to interact with your cluster.
• A code editor (like VS Code) and a terminal.

Don’t worry if these terms sound new—we’ll explain each step clearly!

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Step 1: Create Your Node.js App

First, let’s build a simple Node.js API using the Express framework.

1. Create a project folder called node-api and navigate to it in your terminal:

   mkdir node-api
   cd node-api
   

2. Initialize a Node.js project:

   npm init -y