Kubernetes Deployment Strategies

Recreate Deployment

• Shuts down old pods before creating new ones.

• Best for: Downtime-tolerant applications.

Rolling Update

• Gradually replaces old pods with new ones.

• Best for: Minimal downtime, smooth updates.

Blue-Green Deployment

• Runs two environments (blue = current, green = new). Switch traffic once green is stable.

• Best for: Zero downtime, quick rollback.

Canary Deployment

• Releases the new version to a small subset of users before full rollout.

• Best for: Testing in production with minimal risk.

A/B Testing

• Directs different users to different app versions based on rules (e.g., geography, device).

• Best for: Experimentation, data-driven decision-making.

Shadow Deployment

• Duplicates real traffic to a new version without affecting users.

• Best for: Testing performance and behavior before going live.

Feature Toggles

• Enables or disables features dynamically without redeploying.

• Best for: Gradual feature rollouts, fast rollback.

Rolling with Surge

• Creates extra pods during updates to avoid resource shortages.

• Best for: High-traffic apps needing continuous availability.

Red-Black Deployment (Variant of Blue-Green)

• Keeps both old and new versions running for an extended period before switching traffic.

• Best for: High-traffic, critical applications.

Immutable Deployment