🚀 Full-Stack Kubernetes Learning Project

A comprehensive microservices architecture project designed for learning Kubernetes concepts in production-like environments. This project implements enterprise-grade security, multi-layered protection, and automated workflows.

🏗️ Architecture Overview

Multi-Machine Setup

• Development Environment: M2 Pro Mac (Code development)
• Kubernetes Cluster: M1 Mac with Rancher Desktop
• Production Access: Cloudflare tunnel + OAuth2 authentication

Infrastructure Stack

Internet → Cloudflare (DDoS/WAF) → Tunnel → macOS Firewall → SSH Port Forward → Rancher Desktop → Traefik → Applications

Core Services

• Database: PostgreSQL 15 with multi-database setup
• Automation Platform: n8n with MCP support and OAuth2
• Ingress Controller: Traefik with security middleware
• Storage: Persistent volumes with local-path provisioner
• Security: NetworkPolicies, RBAC, and multi-layer protection

📁 Project Structure

k8s-fullstack/
├── k8s/
│   ├── namespace.yaml              # Resource namespacing
│   ├── database/                   # PostgreSQL deployment
│   ├── n8n/                        # n8n automation platform
│   ├── traefik/                    # Ingress controller
│   ├── security/                   # Security configurations
│   ├── backend/                    # Future Go API services
│   └── frontend/                   # Future React applications
├── docs/                           # Documentation
├── scripts/                        # Automation scripts
├── .local-test/                    # Local development
└── environments/                   # Environment-specific configs

🎯 Learning Objectives

Kubernetes Core Concepts

• Pod Lifecycle Management: Health checks, restart policies, resource limits
• Service Discovery: ClusterIP, NodePort, and Ingress routing
• StatefulSets vs Deployments: Understanding stateful vs stateless applications
• Storage Management: PVCs, storage classes, and data persistence
• Network Policies: Inter-service communication and security isolation
• RBAC: Service accounts, roles, and security boundaries

Microservices Architecture

• Cross-Namespace Communication: Service discovery with DNS
• Configuration Management: ConfigMaps, Secrets, and environment variables
• Load Balancing: kube-proxy mechanisms and traffic distribution
• Health Monitoring: Liveness and readiness probes

Security Best Practices

• Multi-Layer Security: Cloudflare → Firewall → SSH → K8s → Application
• OAuth2 Integration: Modern authentication with Google OAuth
• Network Isolation: NetworkPolicies for service segmentation
• Secret Management: Secure handling of credentials and API keys

🚀 Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Kubernetes cluster (Rancher Desktop recommended)
• kubectl configured
• PostgreSQL client (optional, for testing)

1. Deploy Core Infrastructure

# Create namespaces
kubectl apply -f k8s/namespace.yaml

# Deploy PostgreSQL database
kubectl apply -f k8s/database/

2. Deploy Traefik Ingress Controller

kubectl apply -f k8s/traefik/

3. Deploy n8n Automation Platform

kubectl apply -f k8s/n8n/

4. Apply Security Policies

kubectl apply -f k8s/security/

🔐 Security Configuration

Multi-Layer Protection

1. Cloudflare Protection: DDoS, WAF, and SSL/TLS termination
2. System Firewall: macOS Application Firewall enabled
3. SSH Tunnel: Encrypted port forwarding for secure access
4. Network Policies: K8s-level service isolation
5. OAuth2 Authentication: Google-based user authentication

Security Checklist

• Remove insecure services
• Implement network isolation policies
• Enable system firewall protection
• Configure OAuth2 authentication
• Use HTTPS with secure cookies
• Implement RBAC for service accounts

📚 Learning Resources

Documentation

• Setup Guide - Initial deployment instructions
• Security Guide - Complete security implementation
• Deployment Order Guide - Resource deployment sequence
• Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions

🤝 Contributing

This project serves as a learning platform for Kubernetes and microservices architecture with focus on:

1. Infrastructure as Code: All configurations are version-controlled
2. Security First: Multiple layers of protection and modern authentication
3. Production Readiness: Real-world practices and enterprise patterns
4. Documentation: Comprehensive guides for learning and reference

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Project Focus: Learning Kubernetes through practical implementation of a secure, scalable microservices architecture.