Kubernetes is the gold standard in container orchestration, but what if we stripped it down to the basics? Could we build a “mini-Kubernetes” from scratch — and learn something about distributed systems along the way?

In this live-coding session, we’ll do just that. Starting with Go code that runs isolated processes using namespaces and cgroups, we’ll add a simple API server, scheduling logic, and health checking. Piece by piece, we’ll see how orchestrators manage workloads, and why Kubernetes makes the design choices it does.

The goal isn’t to replace Kubernetes, but to demystify it. By understanding how a minimal orchestrator works, you’ll walk away with sharper intuition about scheduling, reconciliation loops, and what really happens when you run kubectl apply.

Learning Outcomes

* Learn how orchestrators build on container runtimes.
* Understand the basics of scheduling, reconciliation, and health checks.
* See how Kubernetes concepts map to simpler building blocks.
* Gain intuition for debugging orchestration issues.
* Inspire your own experiments with systems programming in Go.

Target Audience

* Go developers curious about Kubernetes internals.
* Platform engineers who want a deeper understanding of orchestration.
* Anyone who learns best by seeing systems built from first principles.