Kubernetes (K8s) β The Complete Guide with MCQs [2025]
π Introduction
In todayβs world of cloud computing and microservices, managing hundreds or thousands of containers is not easy. This is where Kubernetes (K8s) comes in.
Kubernetes is an open-source container orchestration platform designed to automate deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. Originally developed by Google and now maintained by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), Kubernetes has become the de facto standard for container orchestration.
If you are preparing for DevOps, Cloud, or Software Engineering interviews in 2025, knowledge of Kubernetes is a must.
π What is Kubernetes?
Kubernetes is often called βthe operating system of the cloudβ. It manages your containers (like Docker) across multiple machines, ensuring that:
Applications are always running
They can scale up or down automatically
Updates happen without downtime
Failures are self-healed
Simply put: Kubernetes makes sure your app is always available and reliable, no matter the traffic or failures.
π Core Features of Kubernetes
Automated Scheduling & Deployment β Places containers on the best available machine.
Self-Healing β Restarts or replaces failed containers automatically.
Horizontal Scaling β Scale applications up or down with a single command or automatically based on load.
Load Balancing β Distributes traffic evenly between containers.
Service Discovery β Apps inside Kubernetes can talk to each other easily.
Rolling Updates & Rollbacks β Update applications with zero downtime.
Resource Efficiency β Makes the most out of hardware resources.
ποΈ Kubernetes Architecture (Simplified)
A Kubernetes Cluster consists of:
1. Control Plane (Master Node)
Manages the whole cluster. Key components:
API Server β Entry point for all commands (via kubectl).
Scheduler β Decides which node runs a Pod.
Controller Manager β Ensures the cluster state matches the desired state.
etcd β Distributed database that stores cluster data.
2. Worker Nodes
Where applications (Pods) actually run. Each worker node has:
kubelet β Talks to the Control Plane and runs Pods.
kube-proxy β Handles networking.
Pods β Smallest unit in Kubernetes (holds one or more containers).
π οΈ Kubernetes Ecosystem
kubectl β Command-line tool to control Kubernetes clusters.
Helm β Package manager for Kubernetes applications.
Istio / Linkerd β Service meshes for secure service-to-service communication.
β Benefits of Kubernetes
Portability across cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP, on-premise).
Scalability to handle massive workloads.
High availability with automatic failover.
Cost efficiency via optimal resource usage.
Strong ecosystem with thousands of integrations.
π Real-World Use Cases of Kubernetes
Netflix, Spotify, Airbnb β Handling millions of daily requests.
Banks & Fintech β Deploying secure and scalable microservices.
Startups β Rapid scaling without worrying about infrastructure.
π Kubernetes MCQs with Answers (2025)
Q1: Kubernetes was originally developed by:
a) Microsoft b) Google β c) Amazon d) IBM
Q2: The smallest deployable unit in Kubernetes is:
a) Container b) Pod β c) Node d) Deployment
Q3: Which command-line tool is used to interact with Kubernetes clusters?
a) kubeadm b) kubectl β c) helm d) k8
Q4: Which component stores all Kubernetes cluster data?
a) kube-proxy b) etcd β c) kubelet d) API server
Q5: A group of one or more containers that share storage and networking is called:
a) Node b) Pod β c) Deployment d) Service
Q6: Which Kubernetes object ensures that a specific number of Pods are always running?
a) Service b) Deployment β c) ReplicaSet d) ConfigMap
Q7: Kubernetes "Ingress" is used for:
a) Monitoring b) External access to services β c) Scaling containers d) Logging
Q8: Which component is responsible for scheduling Pods to Nodes?
a) kubelet b) kube-scheduler β c) etcd d) kube-proxy
Q9: Kubernetes is primarily used for:
a) Source code versioning b) Container orchestration β c) Cloud storage d) Operating system management
Q10: Helm in Kubernetes is:
a) Security tool b) Package manager β c) Networking tool d) Monitoring system
Kubernetes (K8s) is the most powerful container orchestration platform for modern cloud applications. This complete guide explains Kubernetes architecture, features, benefits, real-world use cases, and includes 10+ MCQs with answers to help you prepare for DevOps and cloud interviews in 2025.