Kubeadm, Kubernetes, and Docker Version Compatibility

Kubernetes is an open-source container orchestration platform that allows you to deploy, scale, and manage containerized applications. It consists of various components, including the Kubernetes API server, etcd, kubelet, kube-proxy, and a container runtime. Docker is one of the most popular container runtimes used with Kubernetes.

When setting up a Kubernetes cluster using kubeadm, it is important to ensure that the versions of kubeadm, Kubernetes, and Docker are compatible with each other. In this article, we will explore the compatibility matrix between kubeadm, Kubernetes, and Docker versions and provide code examples to illustrate the process.

Compatibility Matrix

The following table shows the compatibility matrix between kubeadm, Kubernetes, and Docker versions:

kubeadm version Kubernetes version Docker version
1.21.x 1.21.x 20.10.x
1.20.x 1.20.x 20.10.x
1.19.x 1.19.x 19.03.x - 20.10.x
1.18.x 1.18.x 19.03.x - 20.10.x

Please note that the above matrix is applicable at the time of writing this article and may change in the future. It is always recommended to refer to the official documentation for the latest compatibility information.

Code Example

To illustrate the process of setting up a Kubernetes cluster using kubeadm with the compatible versions of Kubernetes and Docker, let's consider an example.

Prerequisites

Before getting started, make sure you have the following prerequisites:

  • A Linux-based system with Docker installed (compatible with the desired Kubernetes version)
  • kubeadm, kubectl, and kubelet binary installed on the system (compatible with the desired Kubernetes version)

Step 1: Install Docker

First, let's install Docker on the system. Use the appropriate commands depending on your Linux distribution:

# For Ubuntu
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install -y docker.io

# For CentOS
$ sudo yum update
$ sudo yum install -y docker

# For other distributions, refer to the official Docker documentation

Step 2: Install kubeadm, kubectl, and kubelet

Next, let's install kubeadm, kubectl, and kubelet binaries. The following commands install version 1.21.x:

$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install -y apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl
$ curl -s  | sudo apt-key add -
$ echo "deb  kubernetes-xenial main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/kubernetes.list
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install -y kubelet kubeadm kubectl
$ sudo apt-mark hold kubelet kubeadm kubectl

Step 3: Initialize the Cluster

Now, let's initialize the Kubernetes cluster using kubeadm:

$ sudo kubeadm init

Once the initialization is complete, you will see a command to join worker nodes to the cluster. Make sure to save this command for future use.

Step 4: Set Up the Cluster on Worker Nodes

To join the worker nodes to the cluster, execute the command saved from the previous step on each worker node:

$ sudo kubeadm join <cluster-ip>:<port> --token <token> --discovery-token-ca-cert-hash <hash>

Replace <cluster-ip>, <port>, <token>, and <hash> with the appropriate values from the initialization command.

Step 5: Verify the Cluster

Finally, let's verify the cluster using the following command:

$ kubectl get nodes

You should see the master node and worker nodes listed with a "Ready" status.

Conclusion

In summary, it is essential to ensure the compatibility between kubeadm, Kubernetes, and Docker versions when setting up a Kubernetes cluster. Always refer to the official documentation for the latest compatibility matrix and follow the recommended installation steps. By following the guidelines and using the code examples provided in this article, you can set up a Kubernetes cluster with the compatible versions of kubeadm, Kubernetes, and Docker.

journey
    title Kubernetes Cluster Setup using kubeadm
    section Install Docker
    Install Docker on the system
    end

    section Install kubeadm, kubectl, and kubelet
    Install kubeadm, kubectl, and kubelet binaries on the system
    end

    section Initialize the Cluster
    Initialize the Kubernetes cluster using kubeadm
    end

    section Set Up the Cluster on Worker Nodes
    Join the worker nodes to the cluster
    end

    section Verify the Cluster
    Verify the Kubernetes cluster
    end
end

Reference:

  • [Kubernetes Documentation](