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Multi-Tier WordPress Deployment on Kubernetes with Minikube

Multi-Tier WordPress Deployment on Kubernetes with Minikube

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Aman kant Mahto
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3 min read

Introduction

This guide provides step-by-step instructions on deploying a WordPress application on Kubernetes using MySQL as the database backend. We’ll use Minikube as our Kubernetes environment.

Prerequisites

  • Minikube installed and running.

  • kubectl command-line tool installed and configured.

  • Basic knowledge of Kubernetes concepts like Pods, Services, and Persistent Volumes.

Step 1: Start Minikube

First, start Minikube. This will initialize a single-node Kubernetes cluster on your local machine.

minikube start

Step 2: Create the MySQL Deployment and Service

We’ll set up a MySQL deployment and expose it through a service so that WordPress can connect to it.

Create the MySQL YAML File (mysql.yml)

Create a file named mysql.yml with the following content:

apiVersion: v1
kind: PersistentVolumeClaim
metadata:
  name: mysql-pv-claim
spec:
  accessModes:
    - ReadWriteOnce
  resources:
    requests:
      storage: 20Gi
---
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: mysql
spec:
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: mysql
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: mysql
    spec:
      containers:
        - name: mysql
          image: mysql:5.6
          env:
            - name: MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD
              value: "password"
            - name: MYSQL_DATABASE
              value: "wordpress"
          ports:
            - containerPort: 3306
          volumeMounts:
            - name: mysql-persistent-storage
              mountPath: /var/lib/mysql
      volumes:
        - name: mysql-persistent-storage
          persistentVolumeClaim:
            claimName: mysql-pv-claim
---
apiVersion: v1
kind: Service
metadata:
  name: mysql
spec:
  ports:
    - port: 3306
  selector:
    app: mysql

Explanation:

  • PersistentVolumeClaim: Requests storage to persist MySQL data, preventing data loss if the Pod restarts.

  • Deployment: Defines a MySQL Pod using the official MySQL 5.6 image.

  • Service: Exposes MySQL on port 3306 within the cluster, making it accessible to WordPress.

Apply the MySQL Configuration

Deploy MySQL by applying the mysql.yml configuration:

kubectl apply -f mysql.yml

Verify that the MySQL service and deployment are running:

kubectl get pods
kubectl get svc mysql

Step 3: Create the WordPress Deployment and Service

Now we’ll deploy WordPress and link it to the MySQL service.

Create the WordPress YAML File (wordpress.yml)

Create a file named wordpress.yml with the following content:

apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: wordpress
spec:
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: wordpress
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: wordpress
    spec:
      containers:
        - name: wordpress
          image: wordpress:4.8-apache
          env:
            - name: WORDPRESS_DB_HOST
              value: mysql:3306
            - name: WORDPRESS_DB_PASSWORD
              value: "password"
          ports:
            - containerPort: 80
---
apiVersion: v1
kind: Service
metadata:
  name: wordpress
spec:
  ports:
    - port: 80
  selector:
    app: wordpress
  type: LoadBalancer

Explanation:

  • Deployment: Configures WordPress using the Apache WordPress 4.8 image. Environment variables configure the MySQL host and password.

  • Service: Exposes WordPress on port 80. Setting the type to LoadBalancer provides external access to WordPress when using Minikube’s tunnel feature.

Apply the WordPress Configuration

Deploy WordPress by applying the wordpress.yml configuration:

kubectl apply -f wordpress.yml

Verify the WordPress deployment and service:

kubectl get pods
kubectl get svc wordpress

Step 4: Access the WordPress Site

In Minikube, services with a LoadBalancer type require the use of the minikube tunnel command to create an external IP.

Start Minikube Tunnel

Run minikube tunnel in a separate terminal to create the external IP for accessing WordPress:

minikube tunnel

Get the WordPress Service URL

To get the external URL of the WordPress service, run:

minikube service wordpress --url

This command outputs a URL (e.g., http://<external-ip>:80). Open this URL in your browser to access the WordPress setup page.

Step 5: Complete the WordPress Setup

In the browser, follow the WordPress setup instructions to complete the configuration. Once finished, your WordPress site will be ready for use.

Summary

You have successfully deployed a multi-tier WordPress application on Kubernetes using Minikube. This setup can serve as a base for deploying more complex, multi-tier applications.