Introduction
Kustomize is a Kubernetes-native configuration management tool that enables teams to customize raw YAML manifests without forking or duplicating base configuration files. It provides a clean and declarative way to overlay environment-specific changes—streamlining platform operations while reducing maintenance overhead.
Unlike template-based tools, Kustomize works by composing and patching existing Kubernetes manifests, making it a powerful fit for GitOps workflows and Kubernetes-native tooling. At Cake, Kustomize is used to manage per-environment configurations, enforce consistent resource policies, and reduce drift across clusters.
Key benefits of using Kustomize at Cake include:
Declarative Overlays and Patching: Supports layering configurations for different environments (e.g., dev, staging, prod) using overlays, strategic merge patches, and JSON6902 patches.
No Templates, No DSL: Uses plain Kubernetes YAML with minimal extra syntax—making configurations readable, Kubernetes-native, and easy to validate with existing tools.
Modular and Composable: Encourages reuse of common base configurations while allowing teams to layer on specific changes (e.g., resource limits, labels, secrets).
Seamless GitOps Integration: Natively supported by tools like Argo CD, making Kustomize ideal for declarative deployment pipelines and version-controlled infrastructure.
Simplified Multi-Environment Management: Reduces duplication across environments by allowing targeted overrides without touching the base manifests.
At Cake, Kustomize is used to manage the deployment of workloads and infrastructure components that require per-environment tuning—such as scaling policies, secrets references, and DNS configurations. It integrates smoothly with Argo CD and GitHub Actions, enabling safe, reviewable, and environment-specific changes across the Kubernetes ecosystem.
By using Kustomize, Cake ensures that Kubernetes configurations are clean, consistent, and easy to manage across environments—empowering teams to move fast while maintaining infrastructure hygiene.