Before we build clusters and write manifests — let's install the tools and prove they actually work together.
Part four of the local Kubernetes series is the hands-on one: we install Docker, kubectl, k3d, helm, and Tilt on macOS, Linux, and Windows+WSL2, add k9s, and — most importantly — run a smoke test that proves the whole Docker → k3d → kubectl chain works end to end. Most guides tell you how to install the tools, but not how to verify they actually get along. We close that gap: k3d cluster create dev → kubectl get pods -A → see system Pods Running → k3d cluster delete dev.
There's a dedicated section on the classic traps that cost people hours: the Docker daemon isn't running (connection refused), too many open files from inotify limits (fixed with sysctls, covered in k3d issue #803), a Windows repo living in C:\... instead of WSL2 (slow FS and broken Tilt file-sync), permission denied on docker.sock (you're not in the docker group), virtualization disabled in the BIOS, and not enough RAM.
This is the "prep your machine" checkpoint before the build chapters. If you made it to the end and the smoke test is green — you're ready to move on. https://dorokhovich.com/blog/local-k8s-workstation-setup?utm_source=devto&utm_medium=syndication&utm_campaign=local-k8s-workstation-setup
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