Docker Compose to Kubernetes: A Practical Migration Playbook
Your application runs perfectly in Docker Compose locally. Now it needs to scale in production. Here is the practical playbook for migrating to Kubernetes without losing your mind.
Step 1: Audit Your Compose File
Map each Compose service to Kubernetes resources. A typical web app needs Deployment + Service + Ingress. A database needs StatefulSet + PersistentVolumeClaim + Service.
Step 2: Externalize Configuration
# ConfigMap for non-sensitive config
apiVersion: v1
kind: ConfigMap
metadata:
name: app-config
data:
DATABASE_HOST: postgres-service
REDIS_HOST: redis-service
LOG_LEVEL: info
---
# Secret for sensitive data
apiVersion: v1
kind: Secret
metadata:
name: app-secrets
type: Opaque
stringData:
DATABASE_PASSWORD: your-secure-password
JWT_SECRET: your-jwt-secret
Step 3: Health Checks
Kubernetes needs liveness and readiness probes. Add health endpoints to every service. Without them, Kubernetes cannot properly manage rolling updates or route traffic.
Keep Compose for Development
Do not abandon Docker Compose — keep it for local development. Use Skaffold or Tilt to bridge the gap between local Compose and production Kubernetes manifests.