Worker Node Components¶
What is a Worker Node?¶
Worker nodes are the machines where your applications actually run.
Each node contains the components needed to execute and manage containers.
Core Components¶
Kubelet¶
The Kubelet is the node agent.
- Receives instructions from API Server
- Ensures containers are running
- Reports node status
Kube Proxy¶
Handles networking for the node.
- Maintains network rules
- Enables communication between services and pods
Container Runtime¶
Responsible for running containers.
Examples:
- containerd
- CRI-O
How It Works¶
graph TD
APIServer --> Kubelet
Kubelet --> ContainerRuntime
Kubelet --> Pods
KubeProxy --> Network
Real-World Implications¶
- If Kubelet stops → Pods stop being managed
- If runtime fails → containers crash
- Networking issues often trace back to kube-proxy
Key Takeaways¶
- Kubelet is the most critical node component
- Nodes execute, Control Plane decides
- Runtime stability is essential for workloads