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kubernetes: add section comparing kubeadm and kind provisioners #22104

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Feb 26, 2025
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kubernetes: add section comparing kubeadm and kind provisioners #22104

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kubernetes: add section comparing kubeadm and kind provisioners
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36 changes: 33 additions & 3 deletions content/manuals/desktop/features/kubernetes.md
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -34,10 +34,10 @@
1. Open the Docker Desktop Dashboard and navigate to **Settings**.
2. Select the **Kubernetes** tab.
3. Toggle on **Enable Kubernetes**.
4. Choose your cluster provisioning method. You can choose either **Kubeadm** or **kind** if you are signed in and are using Docker Desktop version 4.38 or later.
4. Choose your [cluster provisioning method](#cluster-provisioning-method).
5. Select **Apply & Restart** to save the settings.

If you select **kind** you can also choose the Kubernetes version and the number of nodes.
5. Select **Apply & Restart** to save the settings. This sets up the images required to run the Kubernetes server as containers, and installs the `kubectl` command-line tool on your system at `/usr/local/bin/kubectl` (Mac) or `C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\Resources\bin\kubectl.exe` (Windows).
This sets up the images required to run the Kubernetes server as containers, and installs the `kubectl` command-line tool on your system at `/usr/local/bin/kubectl` (Mac) or `C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\Resources\bin\kubectl.exe` (Windows).

> [!NOTE]
>
Expand All @@ -51,6 +51,36 @@
$ kubectl version
```

### Cluster provisioning method

Docker Desktop Kubernetes can be provisioned with either the `kubeadm` or `kind`
provisioners.

`kubeadm` is the older provisioner. It supports a single-node cluster, you can't select the kubernetes

Check warning on line 59 in content/manuals/desktop/features/kubernetes.md

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GitHub Actions / vale 

[vale] reported by reviewdog 🐶
[Docker.SentenceLength] Write short, concise sentences. (<=40 words)

Raw Output:
{"message": "[Docker.SentenceLength] Write short, concise sentences. (\u003c=40 words)", "location": {"path": "content/manuals/desktop/features/kubernetes.md", "range": {"start": {"line": 59, "column": 37}}}, "severity": "WARNING"}
version, it's slower to provision than `kind`, and it's not supported by [Enhanced Container Isolation](/manuals/security/for-admins/hardened-desktop/enhanced-container-isolation/index.md) (ECI),
meaning that if ECI is enabled the cluster works but it's not protected by ECI.

`kind` is the newer provisioner, and it's available if you are signed in and are
using Docker Desktop version 4.38 or later. It supports multi-node clusters (for

Check warning on line 64 in content/manuals/desktop/features/kubernetes.md

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GitHub Actions / vale 

[vale] reported by reviewdog 🐶
[Docker.SentenceLength] Write short, concise sentences. (<=40 words)

Raw Output:
{"message": "[Docker.SentenceLength] Write short, concise sentences. (\u003c=40 words)", "location": {"path": "content/manuals/desktop/features/kubernetes.md", "range": {"start": {"line": 64, "column": 45}}}, "severity": "WARNING"}
a more realistic Kubernetes setup), you can choose the Kubernetes version, it's
faster to provision than `kubeadm`, and it's supported by ECI (i.e., when ECI is
enabled, the Kubernetes cluster runs in unprivileged Docker containers, thus
making it more secure). Note however that `kind` requires that Docker Desktop be
configured to use the [containerd image store](containerd.md) (the default image
store in Docker Desktop 4.34 and later).

The following table summarizes this comparison.

| Feature | `kubeadm` | `kind` |
| :------ | :-----: | :--: |
| Availability | Docker Desktop 4.0+ | Docker Desktop 4.38+ (requires sign in) |
| Multi-node cluster support | No | Yes |
| Kubernetes version selector | No | Yes |
| Speed to provision | ~1 min | ~30 seconds |
| Supported by ECI | No | Yes |
| Works with containerd image store | Yes | Yes |
| Works with Docker image store | Yes | No |

### Additional settings

#### Kubernetes dashboard
Expand Down