Kubernetes Management Explained: kubectl Commands and YAML Manifests

Kubernetes components can be managed through two main approaches: kubectl, a command-line tool for quick imperative actions, and YAML manifest files for declarative, repeatable configurations. The kubectl tool supports commands like create, delete, get, describe, and logs, but is best suited for simple or one-off operations. YAML manifests, also called Kubernetes configuration files, are preferred for complex setups and consist of three core sections: metadata, spec, and status. While metadata and spec are written by the user, the status field is automatically generated and maintained by Kubernetes using data stored in etcd. Kubernetes continuously compares the desired state defined in the spec against the actual state, enabling its self-healing capability to correct any drift automatically.