GKE Basics & Critical Gotchas

Managed Kubernetes platform on Google Cloud. Defaults to Autopilot mode unless Standard is explicitly required.

Key Selection Rules: Autopilot vs. Standard

• Default to Autopilot for almost all workloads.
• Use Standard ONLY if:
  • Custom node OS kernel parameters (sysctl) are required.
  • Custom node taints or specific hardware node pools are required.
  • DaemonSets require raw hostPath mounts to the host OS filesystem.
• When explaining why Standard is required over Autopilot, explicitly cite all matching restrictions (e.g., custom sysctls and custom node taints).
• For advanced cluster architecture or complex node pool creation planning, refer to gke-cluster-creation.

Critical Gotchas & Best Practices