Kubernetes Memo: Objects, API Resources and Essential Shortcuts

TL;DR: This Kubernetes memo centralizes all native objects, their API shortcuts (po, svc, deploy) and essential kubectl commands. 82% of container users run Kubernetes in production according to the CNCF Annual Survey 2025. Print this reference.

To master these commands in real conditions, discover the LFS458 Kubernetes Administration training.

---

Kubernetes Objects Table: Full Names and Shortcuts

Key takeaway: Use kubectl api-resources to display all available objects with their shortcuts on your cluster.

---

Essential kubectl Commands

Basic CRUD Operations

# List with shortcuts
kubectl get po -A                    # All pods, all namespaces
kubectl get deploy,svc -n prod       # Deployments + Services
kubectl get no -o wide               # Nodes with IPs

# Create / Apply
kubectl apply -f manifest.yaml       # Create or update
kubectl create deploy nginx --image=nginx:1.27

# Delete
kubectl delete po nginx-7fb9 --grace-period=0 --force
kubectl delete -f manifest.yaml

For deeper debugging, consult our guide Debug a Pod in CrashLoopBackOff.

Output and Filtering Shortcuts

---

Workload Objects: Pod, Deployment, StatefulSet, DaemonSet

Minimal Deployment Structure

apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
name: nginx-deploy
namespace: production
spec:
replicas: 3
selector:
matchLabels:
app: nginx
template:
metadata:
labels:
app: nginx
spec:
containers:
- name: nginx
image: nginx:1.27
ports:
- containerPort: 80
resources:
requests:
memory: "64Mi"
cpu: "100m"
limits:
memory: "128Mi"
cpu: "200m"

According to Spectro Cloud, 80% of organizations run Kubernetes in production with an average of 20+ clusters.

Key takeaway: StatefulSet guarantees a stable DNS name (pod-0.service.namespace.svc.cluster.local).

---

Service and Networking Objects

NetworkPolicies control inter-pod traffic.

Service Types

# ClusterIP (default) - internal only
kubectl expose deploy nginx --port=80 --type=ClusterIP

# NodePort - accessible on each node
kubectl expose deploy nginx --port=80 --type=NodePort

# LoadBalancer - cloud provider LB
kubectl expose deploy nginx --port=80 --type=LoadBalancer

Minimal Ingress (nginx-ingress)

apiVersion: networking.k8s.io/v1
kind: Ingress
metadata:
name: app-ingress
annotations:
nginx.ingress.kubernetes.io/rewrite-target: /
spec:
ingressClassName: nginx
rules:
- host: app.example.com
http:
paths:
- path: /
pathType: Prefix
backend:
service:
name: app-svc
port:
number: 80

---

Configuration and Storage Objects

ConfigMap and Secret

# ConfigMap from file
kubectl create cm app-config --from-file=config.yaml

# ConfigMap from literal
kubectl create cm app-config --from-literal=ENV=prod

# Generic secret
kubectl create secret generic db-creds \
--from-literal=username=admin \
--from-literal=password=s3cr3t

# TLS secret
kubectl create secret tls app-tls --cert=cert.pem --key=key.pem

According to Orca Security 2025, 70% of organizations use Kubernetes in cloud with Helm to manage these configurations.

PersistentVolume and PersistentVolumeClaim

# Dynamic PVC with StorageClass
apiVersion: v1
kind: PersistentVolumeClaim
metadata:
name: data-pvc
spec:
accessModes:
- ReadWriteOnce
storageClassName: standard
resources:
requests:
storage: 10Gi

---

Cluster and RBAC Objects

To become a Kubernetes system administrator, master these cluster-wide objects.

RBAC: Role, ClusterRole, Binding

# Create a Role
kubectl create role pod-reader \
--verb=get,list,watch \
--resource=pods \
-n default

# Bind to a ServiceAccount
kubectl create rolebinding pod-reader-binding \
--role=pod-reader \
--serviceaccount=default:my-sa \
-n default

# ClusterRole for cluster-wide access
kubectl create clusterrole node-reader \
--verb=get,list \
--resource=nodes

Key takeaway: Role = namespaced, ClusterRole = cluster-wide.

---

Quick Diagnostic Commands

IT teams spend an average of 34 days/year resolving Kubernetes issues according to Cloud Native Now. These commands reduce that time.

# Events sorted by date
kubectl get events --sort-by='.lastTimestamp' -A | tail -30

# Logs with context
kubectl logs deploy/nginx --tail=100 -f
kubectl logs nginx-pod -c sidecar --previous

# Describe for troubleshooting
kubectl describe po nginx-pod | grep -A10 "Events:"

# Resources by namespace
kubectl top pods -n prod --sort-by=memory
kubectl top nodes

# Check API state
kubectl api-resources --verbs=list --namespaced=true
kubectl api-versions | grep -E "apps|batch|networking"

Consult our complete kubectl cheatsheet for more commands.

---

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

To migrate from Docker Compose, follow our transition guide. Also discover the best free tools to practice.

---

Recommended kubectl Aliases

# ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
alias k='kubectl'
alias kgp='kubectl get pods'
alias kgs='kubectl get svc'
alias kgd='kubectl get deploy'
alias kga='kubectl get all'
alias kd='kubectl describe'
alias kl='kubectl logs'
alias kex='kubectl exec -it'
alias kaf='kubectl apply -f'
alias kdf='kubectl delete -f'

# Autocompletion
source <(kubectl completion bash)  # or zsh
complete -F __start_kubectl k

Explore more Kubernetes practical tutorials and consult our alternatives comparisons.

---

Accelerate Your Kubernetes Mastery

This memo covers essential objects and shortcuts. To go further with practical labs supervised by experts:

• LFS458 Kubernetes Administration: 4 days to prepare for CKA certification
• LFD459 Kubernetes for Developers: 3 days for CKAD certification
• Kubernetes Fundamentals: 1 day to discover orchestration

Check the session schedule or contact our advisors for a personalized path.