What are Kubernetes Namespaces?
Kubernetes namespaces are a powerful feature of Kubernetes that provides a mechanism for isolating and organizing resources within a cluster. They enable users to create multiple virtual clusters within a single physical cluster, each with its own set of resources, policies, and configurations. This isolation supports multi-tenancy and effective scoping of resources.
Each namespace acts like a folder in a file system, where different applications or teams can work independently without interfering with one another. By default, Kubernetes includes a few namespaces such as default, kube-system, and kube-public. Users can create custom namespaces to tailor the environment to specific needs.
Namespaces are especially useful for managing permissions and access controls. Administrators can implement role-based access control (RBAC) to limit what actions users can perform within a namespace. This enhances security and allows teams to collaborate more effectively without compromising the stability of the overall cluster.
Moreover, namespaced resources, such as pods, services, and deployments, can coexist in a single cluster, which simplifies resource management. While resources like nodes and persistent volumes exist at the cluster level, namespaced resources provide a granular approach to resource organization and management within Kubernetes.