Why You Need to Use a Kubernetes Validator with YAML Files

Kubernetes is an incredible tool that can be used as the architecture for a range of different cloud-based constructions. While the final products of two projects can look incredibly different, they’ll both share a few common elements. One of these is that the majority of their configurations will be defined by using YAML files.

As a ‘human-centric’ file, which allows developers to read and understand their contents quickly, YAML files are great for optimizing a project. However, they are notoriously difficult to map errors within, especially only with static validation tools.

Due to this, and the popularity of YAML files within the Kubernetes community, developers from around the globe have started to create effective Kubernetes validator tools. In this article, we’ll explain why this has come about, detailing what YAML files are and why validators are needed when working with them.

Let’s get right into it.

What is a Kubernetes Validator?

A Kubernetes validator, sometimes also known as a YAML validator, is a tool that will validate any data within these files. This also allows for data within these files to be copied and pasted, adding further functions to the ecosystem.

Typically, if a developer needs to verify any of their Kubernetes resources or make sure that they are functioning correctly, then they will use a Kubernetes validation tool.

What is a YAML File in Kubernetes?

While YAML files are far from exclusive to Kubernetes, they are commonly associated with this platform simply because YAML files are the most common workload form within this system. Defined as a ‘Human-friendly’ standard for programming languages, the YAML system was created to accommodate for a range of different data sets.

The six most common use cases for YAML are:

• Data Structures – Especially within complex data structures, YAML files are especially efficient.
• Object Persistence – Dictating the extent to which a system can carry on by itself, even when the central system is shut down. This is also sometimes known as object durability.
• Log Files – Any computer-generated logs, holding any data related to activities, patterns, or information usage, will take the YAML format in Kubernetes.
• Interprocess Messaging – Interprocess messaging, also known as interprocess communication, is the method through which different processes directly communicate and can sync up their actions.
• Configuration Files – Initial configurations for your Kubernetes system.
• Cross-Language Data Sharing – From shared storage to connecting different containers, Kubernetes uses a range of cross-language data sharing elements; all of which are enabled by YAML.

As you can see, YAML underpins the vast majority of this system, meaning that shifting towards a YAML validator is vital for using Kubernetes.

What Are the Benefits of YAML Files Within Kubernetes?

YAML is the chosen file for the Kubernetes ecosystem for a vast range of reasons, with this being one of the most flexible file types. Due to the sheer quantity of different applications, platforms, and usages that can be created or deployed within Kubernetes, the flexibility of YAML files make it a great choice.

Going beyond this, here are the top five reasons that YAML files are so effective within this ecosystem:

• Expressive – YAML files detail exactly what’s inside them, making them extremely human-friendly and ensuring that software developers can read them at a glance.
• Portable – Kubernetes is not one-language specific, with data engineers often using a range of different programming languages within this system. YAML files are very easily moved between programming languages, making this fit Kubernetes well.
• Agile – By matching the data structure of other agile languages, YAML files are great for spontaneous and rapid deployment.
• Maintenance is Easy – Within YAML files, if you need to perform any sort of file maintenance, you’re able to add these files directly to the source and track any changes that are made.
• Convenience – Beyond only being flexible, YAML files are also incredibly convenient to use, as you don’t need to add all of your parameters to your command line to access or use them.

These are just a few of the main reasons that Kubernetes has embraced YAML to such a great extent.

What Are the Most Common Usages of Kubernetes Validators?

Within the Kubernetes ecosystem, there are a range of reasons that you may deploy a validator. Especially when related directly to YAML files, there are three areas in which you’ll need a validator tool to ensure that things are running correctly.

These areas for validation fall into three categories:

• Custom Validation – The most advanced form of Kubernetes validation will allow you to write a validation protocol in any programming language that you would like, allowing you to check the functionality of parts of your ecosystem that are constructed using other languages, like JavaScript.
• API Validation – By moving through the YAML manifest, a Kubernetes validator tool will verify that the API is running correctly.
• In-app Checker – If you need to check certain security elements within Kubernetes, then you would use this form of validation.

Due to these distinct usages and functions of validation within this ecosystem, a whole plethora of Kubernetes validator tools have sprung up over the past few years.

Final Thoughts

While YAML files have a range of benefits within Kubernetes, if a developer only used static validation, they wouldn’t be able to catch all the different in-file errors. Equally, if any policies were violated within the YAML files, they would slip through the net, potentially causing massive security issues down the line.

To ensure that all the YAML files within the ecosystem are running correctly and are performing the intended functions, developers will use a specific Kubernetes validator tool. There are a range of different tools available online, with the large community of developers that rally around this system, creating distinct tools for different situations.

No matter what sort of project you’re using Kubernetes to construct, we would always recommend that you have a system of validation tools available to you, helping to ensure the future success of your platform.

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