Getting Started with K3s Lightweight Kubernetes

By Admin · Mar 1, 2026 · Updated Apr 25, 2026 · 26 views · 1 min read

What Is K3s?

K3s is a certified, lightweight Kubernetes distribution designed for resource-constrained environments. It packages the entire Kubernetes control plane into a single binary under 100 MB, making it ideal for edge computing, IoT, and single-node deployments on a Breeze.

Requirements

A Breeze with at least 1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended)
Ubuntu 22.04 or later
Root or sudo access

Installing K3s

Run the official install script:

curl -sfL https://get.k3s.io | sh -

This installs K3s as a systemd service and configures kubectl automatically.

Verify the Installation

sudo k3s kubectl get nodes
sudo k3s kubectl get pods -A

You should see your node in a Ready state and system pods running.

Configure kubectl Access

mkdir -p ~/.kube
sudo cp /etc/rancher/k3s/k3s.yaml ~/.kube/config
sudo chown $(id -u):$(id -g) ~/.kube/config
export KUBECONFIG=~/.kube/config

Key Features

Built-in Traefik ingress controller
Embedded SQLite (no external etcd needed)
Automatic TLS certificate management
Low memory footprint — runs well on a 1 GB Breeze

Uninstalling K3s

/usr/local/bin/k3s-uninstall.sh

K3s is an excellent starting point for learning Kubernetes without the overhead of a full cluster setup.