Headless Services

A headless Service has no ClusterIP. It returns DNS records for each Pod, which is ideal for StatefulSets.

Typical use

• Databases that need stable Pod addresses
• Replication setups that target specific instances

Example

apiVersion: v1
kind: Service
metadata:
  name: mysql
spec:
  clusterIP: None
  selector:
    app: mysql
  ports:
    - port: 3306
      targetPort: 3306

After creation you can reach: mysql-0.mysql.default.svc.cluster.local

Practical notes

• Start with a quick inventory: kubectl get nodes, kubectl get pods -A, and kubectl get events -A.
• Compare desired vs. observed state; kubectl describe usually explains drift or failed controllers.
• Keep names, labels, and selectors consistent so Services and controllers can find Pods.

Quick checklist

• The resource matches the intent you described in YAML.
• Namespaces, RBAC, and images are correct for the target environment.
• Health checks and logs are in place before promotion.

References

• Headless Services
• DNS for Services and Pods