The Kubernetes Kustomize KEP Kerfuffle
Since I was at the core of what the article wrote about I feel the need to jump in. Some of the quotes are from me, after all.<p>kustomize vs Helm is a bit if an improper comparison. Kustomize and the ways to use kubectl are often about configuration management and Helm is about package management. This is an important difference.<p>For example, take Ansible doing configuration management and using Helm to install a package in much the same way you might use an apt package elsewhere.<p>The key question that has to do with configuration management is should kubectl provide configuration management of things outside of the Kubernetes API, such as when you manage the config in git? This is both about scope (is this a Kubernetes concern) and in how to build things (a monolithic CLI?).<p>If kubectl has a configuration management opinion outside of the Kubernetes API what does that mean for configuration management projects like ansible, armada, chef, and the oh so many others? And, who working on Kubernetes gets to choose the opinion on configuration management it has outside the API?<p>At this point imperative vs declarative as a conversation point comes up. In all cases the configuration is declared to the Kubernetes API and stored by Kubernetes in a declarative manner. It becomes a question of how far outside the Kubernetes API do things need to remain declarative. After all, me typing into yaml into a keyboard is imperative.<p>As for the KEP process as a whole and the graduation criteria that was mentioned here, we know it needs work. There are efforts going to get it into better shape with better example guidance. There is actually a PR being worked on for this right now.<p>Projects with a healthy ecosystem and people of strong opinions have to deal with issues of scope. What do you hold onto and where should it go? How do you curate a healthy ecosystem? It&#x27;s not always easy.<p>Having a place to do some experiments outside of a project like Kubernetes is part of the reason the CNCF added sandbox projects. Without being forceful people can work together on something and see how it fairs in the market. Experiments in the ecosystem can happen.<p>In any case, if people have questions please feel free to ask.