Secrets Management in Minikube: From Basic to Production Patterns#

Secrets in Kubernetes are simultaneously simple (just base64-encoded data in etcd) and complex (getting the workflow right for rotation, RBAC, and git-safe storage requires multiple tools). Setting up proper secrets management locally means you can validate the entire workflow – from creation through mounting through rotation – before touching production credentials.

Kubernetes Secret Types#

Kubernetes has several built-in secret types, each with its own structure and validation: