How to Setup Kubernetes on IBM Cloud?

Kubernetes has emerged as the go-to platform for managing containerized applications, providing a robust and scalable solution for container orchestration. If you're looking to leverage the power of Kubernetes on the IBM Cloud, you're in the right place. In this guide, we'll walk you through the step-by-step process of setting up Kubernetes on IBM Cloud, empowering you to efficiently deploy and manage your containerized workloads.

Prerequisites:
Before diving into the Kubernetes setup process, ensure that you have the following prerequisites in place:
- An IBM Cloud account
- IBM Cloud CLI installed
- Kubernetes CLI (kubectl) installed
- Access to the IBM Cloud Container Registry
Creating a Kubernetes Cluster:
To begin the setup, you'll need to create a Kubernetes cluster on IBM Cloud. Execute the following command in your terminal:
```
ibmcloud ks cluster create --name your-cluster-name
```
This command will initiate the creation of a Kubernetes cluster with the specified name. The process may take a few minutes, so grab a coffee while IBM Cloud does its magic.
Configuring kubectl:
Once the cluster is created, you need to configure kubectl to interact with the cluster. Use the following command:
```
ibmcloud ks cluster config --cluster your-cluster-name
```
This command will update your kubectl configuration to communicate with the newly created Kubernetes cluster.
Verifying the Cluster:
To ensure that your Kubernetes cluster is up and running, execute the following command:
```
kubectl get nodes
```
This command should display a list of nodes in your cluster, indicating that the setup was successful.

Deploying a Sample Application:
Let's test our Kubernetes cluster by deploying a sample application. Create a simple YAML file for a deployment and use kubectl to apply it:

apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: sample-app
spec:
  replicas: 3
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: sample-app
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: sample-app
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: sample-app-container
        image: nginx:latest

Apply the deployment using:

kubectl apply -f your-deployment-file.yaml

Accessing the Application:
To access the deployed application, expose it via a service. Use the following command:
```
kubectl expose deployment sample-app --type=NodePort --port=80
```
IBM Cloud Kubernetes will automatically assign an external IP. You can check it using:
```
kubectl get services
```
Visit the external IP in your browser, and you should see the default Nginx welcome page.