Kubernetes Training in Japan: Become a Contributor!

We are the organizers of the Kubernetes Upstream Training in Japan. Our team consists of members who actively contribute to Kubernetes, including roles such as Member, Reviewer, Approver, and Chair.

Our goal is to increase the number of Kubernetes contributors and foster community growth. Although the Kubernetes community is friendly and collaborative, newcomers might find the first step towards contributing somewhat challenging. Our training program aims to lower this barrier and create an environment where even beginners can participate smoothly.

What is the Kubernetes Upstream Training in Japan?

Our training began in 2019 and takes place once or twice a year. Initially, the Kubernetes Upstream Training was conducted as an accompanying event to KubeCon (Kubernetes Contributor Summit), but we launched the Kubernetes Upstream Training in Japan to increase the number of Japanese contributors.

Before the pandemic, the training was held on-site, and since 2020 it has been conducted online. The training offers the following content for those who have not yet contributed to Kubernetes:

• Introduction to the Kubernetes community
• Overview of the Kubernetes code and how to create the first PR
• Tips and encouragement to lower participation barriers, such as language barriers
• Setting up the development environment
• Hands-on session with kubernetes-sigs/contributor-playground

At the beginning of the program, we explain why contributing to Kubernetes is important and who can contribute. We emphasize that contributing to Kubernetes has a global impact and the community is waiting for your contributions!

We also explain the Kubernetes community, SIGs, and working groups. Then we explain the roles and responsibilities of Member, Reviewer, Approver, Tech Lead, and Chair. Additionally, we introduce the communication tools we primarily use, such as Slack, GitHub, and mailing lists. Some Japanese-speaking participants may find communication in English a barrier. Moreover, newcomers need to understand where and how communication takes place. We place great emphasis on taking the first step, which is a central aspect of the training!

Next, we go over the structure of the Kubernetes code, the main repositories, how to create a PR, and the CI/CD process with Prow. We explain the process from creating a PR to its merging in detail.

After several lectures, participants have the opportunity to gain practical experience with kubernetes-sigs/contributor-playground, where they can create a simple PR. The goal is for participants to get a feel for the process of contributing to Kubernetes.

At the end of the program, we also provide a detailed explanation of setting up the development environment for contributing to the kubernetes/kubernetes repository, including locally building code, efficiently running tests, and setting up clusters.

Interview with Participants

We conducted interviews with participants of our training program. We asked them about their reasons for participating, their impressions, and their future goals.

Source: Kubernetes Blog