Which Two Deployment Patterns Are Built into Kubernetes Deployments?

In the modern-day world of high-paced technology, companies require dependable, expandable, and versatile products to handle their applications. That is where Kubernetes comes in. Have you ever wondered how companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook can easily use microservices in Kubernetes or scale their apps without breaking a sweat? It turns out it has everything to do with how Kubernetes deployments operate and, more importantly, the two built-in Kubernetes deployment patterns.

At Neon Cloud, we support organizations to get the best out of cloud-native technologies such as Kubernetes to effectively manage and scale their applications. However, it makes sense to take a step back and make sure we have the background covered first, that is, what Kubernetes is and how it transforms microservices deployment.

A Quick Recap: What is Kubernetes?

Kubernetes (commonly shortened as K8s) is an open-source, container orchestration system that orchestrates the Kubernetes deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. Just picture dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of small application parts (known as containers) that must cooperate. Managing them manually? That’s simply not scalable. Kubernetes does all this lifting on your behalf.

Using Kubernetes, a business would be able to:

• Execute programs on clustered systems of machines
• Autonomously grow because of need
• Deploy updates with minimal downtimes
• Quickly recover from failures to maintain service continuity.

This is why Kubernetes has emerged as the backbone running microservices in the cloud to make them resilient and always accessible.

Why Use Kubernetes for Microservices?

Microservices deployment, in which an application is decomposed into smaller and more independent services, was very difficult and risky before Kubernetes. However, with Kubernetes, an abstraction is made, and therefore, deploying and managing such services and scaling them separately is easy.

Kubernetes allows microservices deployment in the following way:

• Every microservice is executed within its own container, in isolation, and interconnected
• Kubernetes guarantees the communication of the microservices through services and networking
• New changes (updates) can be performed at an individual microservice level without impacting the whole application
• Stability and reliability in Kubernetes deployments are taken care of by built-in patterns

Now, let’s get to the core question: what are those built-in deployment patterns in Kubernetes that make all this possible?

The Two Built-in Deployment Patterns in Kubernetes

When you create a Deployment in Kubernetes, you essentially define how your application should be rolled out or updated. Kubernetes comes with two primary, battle-tested deployment patterns:

1. Rolling Update (The Default and Most Popular)

A Rolling Update is the standard deployment strategy in Kubernetes and often the go-to choice for many DevOps teams. It allows you to update your application gradually, replacing old Pods with new ones in a controlled manner.

How does it work?

• Kubernetes starts deploying new Pods with the updated application version
• At the same time, it gradually terminates old Pods
• The process continues until all old Pods are replaced
• During the update, both old and new versions run side by side

Why is this awesome?
Minimal or zero downtime
Easy rollback if something breaks
Continuous availability during updates

This approach is ideal for microservices Kubernetes deployments, where stability and seamless updates are critical. For businesses relying on Kubernetes DevOps pipelines, rolling updates are a lifesaver, ensuring your customers never notice when your team pushes out a new feature or fix.

2. Recreate Deployment

The Recreate strategy is the more straightforward (but riskier) sibling of Rolling Update. With this pattern, Kubernetes terminates all existing Pods before starting new ones. It’s basically a stop-then-start approach.

How does it work?

• All existing Pods are shut down
• New Pods with the updated version are created
• The application comes back online with the new version

When does this make sense?
While not ideal for high-availability apps, Recreate can be useful in:

• Applications that can’t run multiple versions simultaneously
• When stateful applications require clean restarts
• Testing environments where downtime is acceptable

However, for production workloads — especially those built using Kubernetes microservices — Recreate deployment is rarely recommended because of the downtime involved.

How Neon Cloud Helps You Deploy Microservices in Kubernetes

Deploying microservices in Kubernetes is powerful, but navigating its ecosystem requires expertise. That’s where Neon Cloud comes in. We specialize in cloud solutions that empower businesses to:

• Design, build, and deploy microservices in Kubernetes.
• Automate infrastructure with Kubernetes DevOps best practices.
• Optimize resource usage and costs in Kubernetes environments.
• Ensure security, scalability, and high availability for your applications.

With our Kubernetes experts on your side, you can confidently adopt modern deployment strategies and enjoy the reliability and flexibility Kubernetes offers.

Bonus Tip: Other Deployment Patterns in the Kubernetes Ecosystem

Although Rolling Update and Recreate are the two built-in deployment patterns with Kubernetes Deployments, the Kubernetes ecosystem offers more advanced strategies, often implemented through additional controllers or tools:

• Blue-Green Deployments — Run two identical environments (blue and green) and switch traffic when ready.
• Canary Deployments — Gradually roll out updates to a small subset of users before full deployment.
• A/B Testing Deployments — Route traffic to different versions to compare performance or user experience.

At Neon Cloud, we can help you explore and implement these advanced patterns tailored to your business needs.

Final Thoughts

Kubernetes revolutionized how businesses manage modern applications. Understanding its built-in deployment patterns — Rolling Update and Recreate — is key to leveraging its full potential for microservices Kubernetes architectures.

Whether you’re building scalable SaaS products, deploying complex microservices, or modernizing legacy apps, Kubernetes has your back. And with Neon Cloud as your trusted partner, navigating the world of Kubernetes deployments becomes simpler, faster, and more reliable.

Ready to modernize your infrastructure?
Let’s make your Kubernetes journey seamless — talk to the experts at Neon Cloud today.