KevsRobots Learning Platform
Running K3s on Raspberry Pi
5% Percent Complete
Introduction
Preparing Your Raspberry Pi Cluster
Installing K3s
Using Your K3s Cluster
Real-World Deployments
Advanced Topics
Final Project
Summary
Introduction to K3s on Raspberry Pi
Learn what K3s is, why it's a great fit for the Raspberry Pi, and what this course will help you build.
By Kevin McAleer, 2 Minutes
Page last updated May 24, 2025
Welcome to Running K3s on Raspberry Pi!
In this course, you’ll learn how to create a lightweight, fully functional Kubernetes cluster using K3s — all powered by Raspberry Pi single-board computers.
🚀 What Is K3s?
K3s is a lightweight Kubernetes distribution created by Rancher (now part of SUSE). It’s designed for:
- Edge computing
- IoT environments
- Low-resource devices (like Raspberry Pis)
K3s includes all the essential components of Kubernetes, while stripping away features not commonly used outside of large cloud clusters.
🍓 Why Use K3s on Raspberry Pi?
| Benefit | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| 🧠 Learn Kubernetes | Build real clusters with real tools |
| 💡 Low Cost | Great for budget labs and education |
| 🌍 Portable & Scalable | Run anywhere: desk, shed, edge |
| ⚡ Lightweight | K3s runs well on 1GB–4GB RAM devices |
| 🛠️ Real Workloads | Deploy apps, databases, dashboards |
🧰 What You’ll Learn
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Set up a Raspberry Pi cluster from scratch
- Install and configure K3s
- Add nodes and configure networking
- Deploy and manage real-world apps using Kubernetes
- Set up dashboards, storage, ingress, and CI/CD pipelines
- Secure your cluster for production use
📦 What You’ll Need
- 2–4 Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 boards (ideally with 2GB+ RAM)
- microSD cards (32GB+ recommended)
- Ethernet cables and switch/router
- Power supply for each Pi
- USB SSDs (optional, but recommended for reliability)
- A separate computer with
sshandkubectlinstalled - Internet access for your cluster
📋 Course Format
Each lesson in this course builds on the previous one. Lessons include:
- Clear instructions and diagrams
- Code snippets and real terminal commands
- Troubleshooting tips
- Hands-on labs and a final deployment project
Let’s get started by assembling your Raspberry Pi cluster and preparing the OS!
Next up: Hardware Requirements
You can use the arrows ← → on your keyboard to navigate between lessons.
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