Terraform and Kubernetes are two distinct tools with different purposes and scopes within cloud computing and infrastructure management.You can use the Terraform Kubernetes provider to interact with resources supported by Kubernetes. In this tutorial, you will learn how to interact with Kubernetes using Terraform, by scheduling and exposing a NGINX deployment on a Kubernetes cluster.Terraform focuses on network provisioning, whereas Kubernetes focuses on container orchestration. Terraform is in charge of constructing and managing infrastructure components like virtual machines, networks, and databases, whereas Kubernetes controls packaged application installation and flexibility.

What makes Kubernetes different : Kubernetes Features

Numerous capabilities of Kubernetes make it possible to manage K8s clusters automatically, orchestrate containers across different hosts, and optimize resource usage by making better use of infrastructure. Some key characteristics are: Auto-scaling.

Is Terraform still relevant

Terraform is an open-source IaC solution created by HashiCorp and primarily employed by DevOps teams. According to the State of IaC 2023 report, it's the most widely-used solution to manage cloud resources. But before diving into the secrets of Terraform's popularity, let's learn its specific terms.

Why avoid Kubernetes : Moreover, if your application stack is simple, not distributed, or doesn't require advanced features like auto-scaling, self-healing, and service discovery, Kubernetes might be an overkill. Its complexity and overhead may lead to more problems than solutions.

Terraform is not a good choice for the following situations:

1. You need to make immediate changes to your infrastructure.
2. You have a small and simple infrastructure.
3. You are not familiar with IaC.

Becoming a standard: Despite being system-centric, Kubernetes is essential in modern container management. Mandatory understanding: Cloud-centric software delivery makes Kubernetes knowledge crucial for developers.

Is there anything better than Kubernetes

The primary options you can choose instead of Kubernetes are: Container as a Service (CaaS)—services like AWS Fargate and Azure Container Instances, which allow you to manage containers at scale without the complex orchestration capabilities provided by Kubernetes.Disadvantages: Despite its numerous advantages, Kubernetes also poses some challenges: 1. Complexity: Kubernetes has a steep learning curve and requires expertise in containerization, networking, and distributed systems, making it challenging for inexperienced users to deploy and manage effectively.Spacelift [Self-Hosted] is a highly cost-effective Terraform Enterprise alternative that unlocks multi-IaC workflows for Terraform, OpenTofu, Terragrunt, Kubernetes, Ansible, AWS CloudFormation, and Pulumi.

In the 2024 Kubernetes Benchmark Report, Fairwinds analyzed more than 330,000 workloads, reviewing data from hundreds of organizations. The latest report shows Kubernetes users have significantly improved workload efficiency and reliability, though areas for improvement remain.

What is bad about Kubernetes : Hard learning curve. Kubernetes is definitely not for IT newcomers. To start with it, you have to be closely familiar with microservices-based architecture, containers, networking, cloud-native technologies, continuous delivery and integration practices, infrastructure as code, and more.

Why I stopped using Terraform : Terraform is not a good choice for the following situations: You need to make immediate changes to your infrastructure. Terraform is not designed for real-time changes, so it is not a good choice for situations where you need to make quick changes to your infrastructure.

Are people still using Terraform

Most companies will continue to use HashiCorp Terraform because it includes enterprise features, enterprise support, and superior cloud offerings. And they'll be happy to pay because it's a drop in the bucket for them.

They both are powerful tools that serve different infrastructure and application management purposes. Terraform excels at infrastructure provisioning. On the other hand, Kubernetes shines in container orchestration and effectively manages containerised applications.Improved Multi-Cloud and Hybrid Cloud Support

Cluster federation, service meshes, GitOps pipelines and other unifying technologies will improve. By 2028, you'll be able to manage a unified Kubernetes environment spanning on-prem, hybrid and multi-cloud.

Should I learn terraform or Kubernetes : They both are powerful tools that serve different infrastructure and application management purposes. Terraform excels at infrastructure provisioning. On the other hand, Kubernetes shines in container orchestration and effectively manages containerised applications.