DevOps Engineering Bootcamp
Chapter 2
Prerequisites
Required Accounts
GitLab Account — create an account at gitlab.com
Local Environment Setup
Choose one of the following for local Kubernetes setup:
| Tool | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Docker Desktop | All-in-one solution with Kubernetes support for Windows/Mac/Linux | Easiest setup |
| Rancher Desktop | Complete container management solution with built-in Kubernetes | Production-ready environment |
| Minikube | Single-node Kubernetes cluster, good for learning | — |
| Kind (Kubernetes IN Docker) | Lightweight, uses Docker containers as nodes | — |
| k3s | Lightweight Kubernetes for IoT & Edge computing | — |
| k3d | Runs k3s clusters in Docker, good for CI/CD environments | — |
Watch Out
If you choose Minikube, k3s, or another option without a built-in container runtime, you'll need to install one separately. Docker Desktop and Rancher Desktop already include one.