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Documentation Content Guide

This page contains guidelines for adding content to the Kubernetes documentation. If you have questions about allowed content, join the Kubernetes Slack #sig-docs channel and ask! Use your best judgment, and feel free to propose changes to this document in a pull request.

For additional information on creating new content for the Kubernetes docs, follow the instructions in the Style guide.

• Contributing content
• What's next

Contributing content

The Kubernetes documentation comprises the content of the kubernetes/website source repository. Located in the kubernetes/website/content/<language_code>/docs folder, the majority of the Kubernetes documentation is specific to the Kubernetes project. The Kubernetes documentation may also include content from projects in the kubernetes and kubernetes-sigs GitHub organizations if those projects do not have their own documentation. Linking to active kubernetes, kubernetes-sigs, and (CNCFCloud Native Computing Foundation ) projects from the Kubernetes documentation is always allowed, but linking to vendor-specific products is not. Check the CNCF project lists (Graduated/Incubating, Sandbox, Archived) if you are unsure of a project’s CNCF status.

Dual-sourced content

Kubernetes documentation does not include duplicate content sourced from multiple locations (dual-sourced content). Dual-sourced content requires duplicated effort from project maintainers and tends to become outdated more quickly. Before adding content, ask yourself this:

• Is the content about an active CNCF project OR a project in the kubernetes or kubernetes-sigs GitHub organizations?
  • If yes, then:
    • Does the project have its own documentation?
      • if yes, link to the project’s documention from the Kubernetes documentation
      • if no, add the content to the project’s repository if possible and then link to it from the Kubernetes documentation
  • If no, then:
    • Stop!
      • Adding content about vendor-specific products is not allowed
      • Linking to vendor-specific documentation and websites is not allowed

What is and isn’t allowed

There are some scenarios in which the Kubernetes documentation includes content from non-Kubernetes projects. Below are general categories of non-Kubernetes project content along with guidelines of what is and is not allowed:

1. Instructional content involving non-Kubernetes projects during setup or operation of Kubernetes
   • Allowed:
     • Referring to or linking to existing documentation about a CNCF project or a project in the kubernetes or kubernetes-sigs GitHub organizations
       • Example: for installating Kubernetes in a learning environment, including a prerequisite stating that successful installation and configuration of minikube is required and linking to the relevant minikube documentation
     • Adding content for kubernetes or kubernetes-sigs projects that don’t have their own instructional content
       • Example: including kubadm installation and troubleshooting instructions
         
   • Not Allowed:
     • Adding content that duplicates documentation in another repository
       • Examples:
         • Including minikube installation and configuration instructions; minikube has its own documentation that provides those instructions
         • Including instructions for installing Docker, CRI-O, containerd, and other container runtimes on various operating systems
         • Including instructions for installing Kubernetes on production environments using various projects:
           • Kubernetes Rebar Integrated Bootstrap (KRIB) is a vendor-specific project and content belongs in the vendor’s documentation
           • Kubernetes Operations (kops) has installation instructions and tutorials in its GitHub repository
           • Kubespray has its own documenation
             
     • Adding a tutorial that explains how to perform a task using a vendor-specific product or an open source project that is not a CNCF project or a project in the kubernetes or kubnetes-sigs GitHub organizations
     • Adding a tutorial on how to use a CNCF project or a project in the kubernetes or kubnetes-sigs GitHub organizations if the project has its own documentation

2. Detailed technical content about how to use a non-Kubernetes project or how that project is designed

   Adding this type of content to the Kubernetes documentation is not allowed.

3. Content that describes a non-Kubernetes project

   • Allowed:
     
     • Adding a brief introductory paragraph about a CNCF project or a project in the kubernetes or kubernetes-sigs GitHub organizations; the paragraph may contain links to the project
       
   • Not Allowed:
     
     • Adding content describing a vendor-specific product
     • Adding content describing an open source project that is not a CNCF project or a project in the kubernetes or kubnetes-sigs GitHub organizations
     • Adding content that duplicates documentation from another project, regardless of source repository
       • Example: adding Kubernetes in Docker (KinD) documentation to the Kubernetes documentation

4. Content that simply links to information about a non-Kubernetes project

   • Allowed:
     
     • Linking to projects in the kubernetes and kubernetes-sigs GitHub organizations
       • Example: linking to Kubernetes in Docker (KinD) documentation, which resides in the kubernetes-sigs GitHub organization
     • Linking to active CNCF projects
       • Example: linking to the Prometheus documentation; Prometheus is an active CNCF project
   • Not Allowed:
     
     • Linking to vendor-specific products
     • Linking to archived CNCF projects
     • Linking to inactive projects in the kubernetes and kubernetes-sigs GitHub organizations
     • Linking to open source projects that are not CNCF projects or do not reside in the kubernetes or kubernetes-sigs GitHub organizations

5. Content about training courses

   • Allowed:
     
     • Linking to vendor-neutral Kubernetes training courses offered by the CNCF, the Linux Foundation, and the Linux Academy, which is a partner of the Linux Foundation
       • Example: linking to Linux Academy courses such as Kubernetes Quick Start and Kubernetes Security
         
   • Not Allowed:
     
     • Linking to online training outside of the CNCF, the Linux Foundation, or the Linux Academy; the Kubernetes documentation does not link to third-party content
       • Example: linking to Kubernetes tutorials or courses on Medium, KodeKloud, Udacity, Coursera, learnk8s, and similar websites
     • Linking to vendor-specific tutorials regardless of the training provider
       • Example: linking to Linux Academy courses such as Google Kubernetes Engine Deep Dive and Amazon EKS Deep Dive

If you have questions about allowed content, join the Kubernetes Slack #sig-docs channel and ask!

What's next

• Read the Style guide.

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