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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

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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 ssh and kubectl installed
  • 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

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