vD vDan VMware · VCF · NSX · K8S

Kubernetes YAML Explorer

Short answer: this Kubernetes YAML explorer teaches the manifests the CKAD exam expects you to write from memory. It has 42 topics in the order of the CKAD curriculum. They go from a single Pod to Jobs, Deployments, probes, ConfigMaps, Secrets, RBAC, Services, Ingress and NetworkPolicy. A CKA track adds DaemonSets, StatefulSets, scheduling, static Pods and etcd. Every topic shows one manifest with a note on each line, validated against the Kubernetes v1.37 API. Next to it sit the imperative kubectl shortcuts with a copy button, the points to remember, the documentation and a practice exercise. Fifty exam-style study tasks with hints, timer and solutions train the same material. The Field reference tab lists every field of 30 kinds with type, required flag and description, built from the Kubernetes OpenAPI spec. Each manifest line links into it.

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How to use the Kubernetes YAML explorer

  • Manifests by topic. Open a topic and read the manifest. Every line carries a note; switch the notes off with “Notes”. “Copy YAML” copies the clean manifest without the notes. The kubectl commands have a copy button and a link into the kubectl CLI Interactive Mindmap.
  • Study tasks. Fifty exam-style tasks, one or two per topic. Each has a time target and a timer. Hints are revealed one at a time. The solution (commands and a validated manifest) sits behind a reveal button, with a check list and a short “why”. “Random task” picks the next one. “Mark solved” keeps your progress in the browser. The Markdown export writes the tasks with the solutions in collapsible blocks.
  • Field reference and YAML builder. Click any manifest line, or pick a kind in the Field reference tab. You see the field with its type, whether it is required, the full description from the API and the matching kubectl explain command. The tree expands by level and filters by name or description. Tick fields and “Build YAML” writes a skeleton manifest with the required fields filled in.
  • Study plan. Search covers titles, kinds, manifest text, commands and tips. “Domain” and “Track” narrow the list; CKA topics are extras for the administrator exam. “Mark learned” is kept in your browser. “Copy link” gives a URL such as ?topic=probes, ?task=t-deployment or ?kind=Deployment&path=spec.strategy that opens the page on that topic, task or field.

What the Kubernetes YAML examples cover

  • Application Design and Build (20 %). Pod, command and environment, Job, CronJob, emptyDir, PersistentVolume and claim, init containers, sidecars and adapters, ambassador, labels; StorageClass for the CKA track.
  • Application Deployment (20 %). Deployment with rolling update and rollback, HorizontalPodAutoscaler, blue-green, canary, Helm, Kustomize; DaemonSet, StatefulSet and PodDisruptionBudget for the CKA track.
  • Application Observability and Maintenance (15 %). API deprecations and kubectl explain, startup, liveness and readiness probes, kubectl top, events and logs, troubleshooting a Pod.
  • Application Environment, Configuration and Security (25 %). CustomResourceDefinition, ServiceAccount, Role and RoleBinding, projected tokens, requests and limits, ResourceQuota, LimitRange, ConfigMap, Secret, SecurityContext and Pod Security Admission, namespaces.
  • Services and Networking (20 %). Service types, troubleshooting a Service, Ingress, NetworkPolicy.
  • Scheduling and Cluster Operations (CKA). nodeSelector, affinity, taints and tolerations, static Pods, cordon and drain, etcd snapshot and restore.

Frequently asked questions

How do I learn Kubernetes YAML for the CKAD exam?

Work through the topics in curriculum order and read each manifest with its notes until the structure is familiar. Then switch to the study tasks: set the timer, write the YAML or the commands yourself, and only then reveal the solution. Repeat the tasks you could not solve in the target time. The exam is performance-based, so typing speed with kubectl --dry-run=client -o yaml matters as much as knowing the fields.

Which Kubernetes version are the manifests validated against?

The OpenAPI spec of Kubernetes release 1.37, shown in the header pill. The build script checks every topic manifest and every task solution against it: an unknown field or a wrong value type stops the build. The field reference comes from the same spec, so the manifests and the reference never disagree.

Do I have to write YAML from scratch in the CKAD exam?

Rarely. kubectl run, kubectl create and kubectl expose with --dry-run=client -o yaml generate Pods, Deployments, Jobs, CronJobs, ConfigMaps, Secrets, Services, Roles and Ingresses. You edit the generated file. Objects without a generator, such as NetworkPolicy, PersistentVolume, probes, volumes and security contexts, are the ones you must know as YAML. Every topic shows the imperative shortcut when one exists.

Are the CKAD crash course exercises included?

No, they are linked. Each topic carries a “Practice” link to the matching exercise of Benjamin Muschko’s CKAD Crash Course on GitHub, which has its own instructions and solutions. The manifests and the study tasks on this page are written from the Kubernetes documentation for this site.

Can I use the explorer for the CKA exam?

Yes, for the YAML part of it. The CKA track adds DaemonSets, StatefulSets, PodDisruptionBudgets, StorageClasses, scheduling with taints and affinity, static Pods, node maintenance and the etcd backup. Switch the “Track” chip to CKA to see only those topics and tasks. Cluster installation and upgrades with kubeadm are not covered.

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