Knative on GKE: Getting Started

Are you looking for a way to run serverless functions on Kubernetes? Look no further than Knative on GKE! This powerful combination allows you to easily deploy and manage your functions as a service, without the hassle of managing infrastructure.

In this article, we'll walk you through the steps to get started with Knative on GKE. We'll cover everything from setting up your GKE cluster to deploying your first function. So let's get started!

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the setup process, there are a few prerequisites you'll need to have in place:

• A Google Cloud Platform (GCP) account
• Access to the GCP Console
• Basic knowledge of Kubernetes and serverless computing

If you're new to GCP or Kubernetes, don't worry! We'll provide plenty of guidance along the way.

Setting Up Your GKE Cluster

The first step in getting started with Knative on GKE is to set up your GKE cluster. This will provide the foundation for your serverless functions.

To create a new GKE cluster, follow these steps:

1. Open the GCP Console and navigate to the Kubernetes Engine page.
2. Click the "Create Cluster" button.
3. Choose a name for your cluster and select the desired region and zone.
4. Choose the number of nodes you want in your cluster.
5. Select the machine type for your nodes.
6. Choose the Kubernetes version you want to use.
7. Click the "Create" button to create your cluster.

Once your cluster is created, you'll need to configure kubectl to connect to it. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open the GCP Console and navigate to the Kubernetes Engine page.

2. Click the "Connect" button next to your cluster.

3. Copy the command provided.

4. Open a terminal window and paste the command.

5. Verify that kubectl is connected to your cluster by running the following command:

   kubectl get nodes
   

   This should return a list of the nodes in your cluster.

Installing Knative on GKE

Now that your GKE cluster is set up and connected, it's time to install Knative. Knative is a set of Kubernetes resources that provide a platform for running serverless functions.

To install Knative on GKE, follow these steps:

1. Open a terminal window and run the following command:

   gcloud components install knative
   

   This will install the Knative CLI on your machine.

2. Run the following command to create a new namespace for Knative:

   kubectl create namespace knative-serving
   

3. Run the following command to install Knative:

   kubectl apply --filename https://github.com/knative/serving/releases/download/v0.21.0/serving-crds.yaml
   kubectl apply --filename https://github.com/knative/serving/releases/download/v0.21.0/serving-core.yaml
   

   This will install the Knative Serving resources on your cluster.

4. Verify that Knative is installed by running the following command:

   kubectl get pods --namespace knative-serving
   

   This should return a list of the pods running in the knative-serving namespace.

Deploying Your First Function

With Knative installed on your GKE cluster, it's time to deploy your first function. For this example, we'll deploy a simple "Hello, World!" function.

To deploy your function, follow these steps:

1. Create a new file called hello.yaml with the following contents:

   apiVersion: serving.knative.dev/v1
   kind: Service
   metadata:
     name: hello
   spec:
     template:
       spec:
         containers:
           - image: gcr.io/knative-samples/helloworld-go
             env:
               - name: TARGET
                 value: "World"
   

   This file defines a Knative Service resource that will run the gcr.io/knative-samples/helloworld-go container image.

2. Run the following command to deploy your function:

   kubectl apply --filename hello.yaml
   

   This will create a new Knative Service resource on your cluster.

3. Verify that your function is running by running the following command:

   kubectl get ksvc hello
   

   This should return information about your Knative Service resource, including its URL.

4. Test your function by running the following command:

   curl http://hello.default.example.com
   

   This should return the message "Hello, World!".

Congratulations! You've successfully deployed your first function on Knative on GKE.

Conclusion

Knative on GKE provides a powerful platform for running serverless functions on Kubernetes. With just a few simple steps, you can set up your GKE cluster, install Knative, and deploy your first function.

We hope this article has been helpful in getting you started with Knative on GKE. If you have any questions or feedback, please let us know in the comments below. Happy coding!

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