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Cover image for Part-101: 🌐Kubernetes NodePort Service in Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
Latchu@DevOps
Latchu@DevOps

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Part-101: 🌐Kubernetes NodePort Service in Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)

#kubernetes #googlecloud #devops #cloud

In Kubernetes, Services expose Pods so they can be accessed reliably. One of the simplest ways to expose a Pod outside the cluster is by using a NodePort Service.

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🔹 What is a NodePort Service?

  • A NodePort Service opens a port (from 30000–32767) on every Kubernetes Node in your cluster.
  • External clients can reach your application using: 
http://<NODE-IP>:<NODE-PORT>
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  • The Service forwards traffic from that port to the Pods behind it.

🔹 When to Use NodePort?

✅ Best for Testing / Learning

  • Quick way to access your app from outside the cluster.
  • Saves money by avoiding Cloud Load Balancers (during dev/test).

❌ Not Recommended for Production

  • Not scalable — relies on node IPs being accessible.
  • Not reliable — node IPs can change.
  • Not secure — exposes cluster nodes directly to the internet.

🔹 Real-World Tip

Think of NodePort like a temporary shortcut to reach your Pods. 🚪

  1. Great for local testing or saving cloud costs during development.
  2. But in production, always prefer:
  • LoadBalancer Service (GCP creates a Cloud Load Balancer)
  • or Ingress (more advanced, supports routing, TLS, etc.).

📝 Summary (Easy to Remember)

  • Port Range: 30000–32767
  • Access: http://NODE-IP:NODEPORT
  • Use Case: Testing, NOT production
  • Production Alternatives: LoadBalancer / Ingress

💡 Mnemonic:

👉 “NodePort = Not for Production”

🌟 Thanks for reading! If this post added value, a like ❤️, follow, or share would encourage me to keep creating more content.

— Latchu | Senior DevOps & Cloud Engineer

☁️ AWS | GCP | ☸️ Kubernetes | 🔐 Security | ⚡ Automation
📌 Sharing hands-on guides, best practices & real-world cloud solutions

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