Pods vs. Nodes in Kubernetes: A Deep Dive

source : matthewpalmer.net

Imagine a pod as a logical unit that groups one or more containers with shared storage and a network identity. These containers could be different parts of a single application or even independent microservices that need to work together.

• Containers: These are the lightweight, isolated environments that house your application code and dependencies. Think of them as self-contained units that can be easily scaled and replicated.
• Shared Storage: Pods can leverage volumes, which are persistent storage resources, to share data between containers. This ensures that all containers within a pod have access to the same data, even if they are restarted or rescheduled.
• Network Identity: Each pod is assigned a unique IP address, allowing it to communicate with other pods and external services. This network identity simplifies communication within the cluster.

Example: A pod might contain a container running a web application alongside another container that manages a database for that application. Both containers share a volume containing the application data, and the pod is assigned an IP address that the web application uses to serve requests.

Nodes: The Workhorses of the Cluster