https://drive.google.com/file/d/10W-FxaK9hp92ogW4l5q9LusTY0Hc_LwX/view?usp=sharing

🎯 What It Is

A set of real-world, battle-tested practices for using ConfigMaps & Secrets safely and efficiently in production Kubernetes clusters.

✅ Goal: Avoid common pitfalls, ensure security, and enable smooth operations.

💡 Real-World Analogy

Like following building codes for a skyscraper — not glamorous, but keeps everything safe, maintainable, and compliant.

🧪 Example: Secure Production Workflow with External Secrets

Step 1: Store secrets in a secure vault (e.g., HashiCorp Vault)

→ Never in Git.

Step 2: Use External Secrets Operator (ESO) to sync to Kubernetes

# external-secret.yaml
apiVersion: external-secrets.io/v1beta1
kind: ExternalSecret
meta
  name: prod-db-secret
  namespace: app-prod
spec:
  secretStoreRef:
    name: vault-backend
    kind: ClusterSecretStore
  target:
    name: db-creds  # ← Creates a Kubernetes Secret
  data:
  - secretKey: password
    remoteRef:
      key: prod/db
      property: password

Step 3: Use the synced Secret in your app

env:
- name: DB_PASSWORD
  valueFrom:
    secretKeyRef:
      name: db-creds
      key: password

✅ Result:

• Secrets never touch Git or CI/CD logs
• Kubernetes Secrets are auto-synced and rotated
• RBAC controls who can access what

✅ Summary: 6 Golden Rules for Production