Configuration

ConfigMaps and Secrets for application configuration

Overview

Kubernetes provides two primary mechanisms for configuration: ConfigMaps for non-sensitive data and Secrets for sensitive data. This section covers how to manage application configuration in Kubernetes.

Study Path

1. ConfigMaps - Non-sensitive configuration
2. Secrets - Sensitive data management
3. Configuration Patterns - Best practices

Quick Comparison

Aspect	ConfigMap	Secret
Purpose	Non-sensitive config	Sensitive data
Encoding	Plain text	Base64 (not encrypted by default)
Visibility	Visible to anyone with access	Should be RBAC-protected
Use Case	Config files, environment variables	Passwords, keys, tokens

Quick Reference

Common Commands

# ConfigMaps
kubectl create configmap my-config --from-file=config.yaml
kubectl get configmaps
kubectl describe configmap my-config
kubectl delete configmap my-config

# Secrets
kubectl create secret generic my-secret --from-literal=password=mypass
kubectl get secrets
kubectl describe secret my-secret
kubectl delete secret my-secret

Using in Pods

# As environment variables
envFrom:
- configMapRef:
    name: app-config
- secretRef:
    name: app-secret

# As volumes
volumes:
- name: config
  configMap:
    name: app-config
- name: secrets
  secret:
    secretName: app-secret

Best Practices

1. Never commit Secrets to git
2. Use volume mounts for Secrets (not environment variables)
3. Encrypt Secrets at rest (enable KMS encryption)
4. Rotate Secrets regularly
5. Use RBAC to restrict access

Next Steps

1. Learn ConfigMaps: ConfigMaps
2. Understand Secrets: Secrets
3. Practice: Lab 04: Configuration

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Continue Learning:

• ConfigMaps
• Secrets

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