Simplifying Kubernetes for Developers

Calvin Hendryx-Parker, CTO

Six Feet Up

The Problem: Developer Inner Loop

Docker workflow we love: - docker build → docker run → test → iterate

Kubernetes reality: - docker build → docker push → kubectl apply → wait → debug → repeat

What Developers Actually Want

Fast feedback loops (seconds, not minutes)
Simple mental models (npm start, flask run)
Clear visibility into what’s running
Kubernetes benefits without the friction

Our Solution: Scaf + Tilt

# Bootstrap a complete project with Tilt built-in
$ scaf myproject

# Generated Tiltfile (already configured!)
docker_build('my-app', '.')
k8s_yaml('k8s/deployment.yaml')
k8s_resource('my-app')

$ tilt up

From zero to full-stack Kubernetes in minutes.

What You Get with Scaf

Complete project template includes: - Django backend + optional Next.js frontend - Kubernetes manifests (dev/staging/prod) - Tilt configuration for instant development - CI/CD pipelines, monitoring, database setup

Development workflow: - Edit Django code → live reload in K8s cluster - Unified dashboard for all services and logs

The Real Problem Wasn’t Complexity

Kubernetes isn’t too complicated.
It was missing bootstrapping and developer experience.