The kubernetes/website repository serves as the official source for the Kubernetes website and documentation hosted at kubernetes.io. Written primarily in HTML, this repository contains all assets required to build and maintain the comprehensive documentation that supports the Kubernetes container orchestration platform. The project is classified across multiple domains including cluster management, infrastructure, user guides, API reference documentation, service discovery, load balancing, and community resources, reflecting its role as a central hub for Kubernetes knowledge and guidance.
The repository uses Hugo with the extended version as its static site generator, specifically leveraging the Docsy Hugo theme developed by Google. Contributors can run the website locally either through Hugo directly or via container runtime, with the project strongly recommending container deployment for consistency with the live production environment. The build process requires npm, Go, Hugo Extended version, and a container runtime like Docker. The website automatically updates and refreshes in the browser as contributors make changes to source files, enabling rapid iteration during development.
A significant portion of the documentation consists of API reference pages located in content/en/docs/reference/kubernetes-api, which are generated from the Swagger OpenAPI specification using the kubernetes-sigs/reference-docs generator. The generation process involves pulling in the api-ref-generator submodule, updating the Swagger specification, adapting configuration files like toc.yaml and fields.yaml for new Kubernetes releases, and building the pages through automated scripts. This structured approach ensures API documentation stays synchronized with each new Kubernetes release.
The repository demonstrates substantial community engagement and activity.
The project maintains localization support across 16 languages including Bengali, Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese, with dedicated README files for each language community. This extensive localization effort reflects Kubernetes' global user base and commitment to accessibility.
Contributing to the repository follows a standard fork-and-pull-request workflow, with reviewers providing feedback and contributors responsible for addressing that feedback. The project is governed by the CNCF Code of Conduct and is supported by SIG Docs, a special interest group within the Kubernetes community. New Contributor Ambassadors are available to mentor first-time contributors through the Slack channel, and the community maintains active communication through mailing lists and regular meetings.
