kind

kind (Kubernetes-IN-Docker) is a tool for running local Kubernetes clusters using Docker container "nodes".

Because kind was designed primarily for testing Kubernetes itself, it is not suitable for cluster deployments, especially production. It is, however, a viable tool to provision a local development environment for Kubernetes workloads.

Distributed as a single binary, it's quick to install and easy to use, capable of running multiple clusters next to each other, with different Kubernetes versions and a few additional configuration options.

While kind has the advantage of being lighter than Minikube or Docker Desktop, it doesn't provide the isolation of a proper VM, so caution must be taken when deploying certain workloads, such as storage orchestrators. It has a few other limitations and known issues, and may not be the best choice in every case.

At Kiwee, we find kind to be especially handy not only to run local development environments, but also to provide lightweight ephemeral Kubernetes clusters in Continuous Integration pipelines. It is a worthy addition to one's web development toolbox, provided one knows its capabilities, limitations, and associated tradeoffs.