Kubernetes evolves rapidly, with frequent releases that bring new features, security updates, and performance improvements. Keeping your cluster up to date is crucial to maintaining stability, security, and access to the latest functionalities. This blog will guide you through upgrading a Kubeadm-based Kubernetes cluster, including an understanding of Kubernetes versions and the practical steps to perform an upgrade.
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Understanding Kubernetes Versions
Kubernetes follows a semantic versioning format: vX.Y.Z, where:
X (Major Version): Introduces breaking changes.
Y (Minor Version): Adds new features without breaking compatibility.
Z (Patch Version): Provides bug fixes and security updates.
Kubernetes Component Versioning
Kubernetes consists of multiple components, and during an upgrade, not all components are updated at the same time. Below is how versions relate:
kubeadm: Upgraded first, as it manages the control plane.
kube-apiserver, kube-controller-manager, kube-scheduler: These are upgraded together, as they are core control plane components.
