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In this tutorial, we’ll explore how to install nginx in a Kubernetes cluster using the Gcore Managed Kubernetes service and a Helm chart. The main advantage of Gcore Managed Kubernetes is that you get a ready-made Kubernetes cluster in just a few minutes. You don’t have to worry about managing the underlying infrastructure and a master node; simply run worker nodes and deploy applications on them.
You also don’t need much experience with Kubernetes administration to install nginx using our managed service. This tutorial is based on GUI (graphical user interface) tools, so no manual manipulations are required in the command line.
nginx is an open-source web server used to deliver static and dynamic content over the internet. The solution offers various features such as reverse proxying, load balancing, caching, and SSL/TLS encryption. nginx is often used as a front-end proxy server for web applications to improve performance and distribute traffic across multiple servers.
nginx installation on Kubernetes can be a great way to scale your web applications and achieve high availability. In this tutorial, we’ll use nginx as a sample deployment and won’t go into detailed nginx configuration. However, you can use the tutorial to install any web service on Kubernetes, similar to the nginx installation described here.
Helm is a package manager for Kubernetes that allows you to install, update, and manage applications in a Kubernetes cluster. Using a Helm chart is one of the easiest ways to install an application, such as nginx, on Kubernetes. A Helm chart describes the data set required to create an application instance in a Kubernetes cluster. In other words, a Helm chart is a template that you can use repeatedly to install an application, saving time in the build and deployment process.
First, let’s create a Kubernetes cluster in Gcore Cloud:
Here’s what you’ll see:
Now you need to download the kubeconfig file. It organizes information about clusters, users, namespaces, and authentication mechanisms. You will use this file later to connect to your cluster via OpenLens.
To download the kubeconfig file, select your cluster and click Kubernetes config:
To install nginx via Helm chart, we’ll use OpenLens, an open-source IDE (integrated development environment) for Kubernetes. It allows you to manage a Kubernetes cluster in a GUI without using the command line.
Click Install.
In the right corner of the window, click Install.
In the “Ports” field, click Forward to activate port forwarding and then click Start.
http://<external_ip_address>
For example:
http://45.67.211.154
Press Enter. Here’s what you’ll see:
Congratulations! You have successfully installed nginx via a Helm chart on Kubernetes.
In this tutorial, we explored how to install nginx on Kubernetes using a Helm chart and Gcore Managed Kubernetes. Check out our other articles dedicated to setting up different types of software on Gcore Cloud instances: