Module 06 — Run It Locally

Verify that a local MiniKube cluster can host the full Make the Lamp Nod runtime.

Goal

Reuse the Kubernetes course for the canonical MiniKube home. This module does not re-teach MiniKube install, Pod creation, or Deployment management. The learner must already know Pods, Deployments, Services, ConfigMaps, Secrets, namespaces, controllers, and reconciliation.

Local architecture

MiniKube hosts the complete runtime on one developer workstation:

Developer Workstation
+-----------------------------------------------+
| MiniKube                                      |
|                                               |
| Crossplane                                    |
| Open Engineering resources                    |
| Manifold                                      |
| Pico runtime                                  |
| event/messaging infrastructure                |
| Home Assistant integration                    |
| observability                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------+
                       |
                       | LAN / Wi-Fi
                       v
                    ESP32
                       |
                       v
                   74HCT245
                       |
                       v
                    AX-12A
                       |
                       v
                     Lamp

See MiniKube for installation, profiles, and cluster management. Everything inside the dashed box runs in MiniKube; the ESP32 connects over the local network.

Validation commands

These commands verify that the prerequisites for this course are present. They do not install anything – they confirm what the Kubernetes course already set up.

Kubernetes cluster

kubectl cluster-info

Expected: the control plane URL is reported and the cluster is reachable.

kubectl get nodes

Expected: at least one node in Ready state.

Crossplane

kubectl get pods -n crossplane-system

Expected: the Crossplane pod is Running.

kubectl get provider

Expected: the Kubernetes Provider is Installed and Healthy.

Pico CLI

which pico
pico --version

Expected: the pico binary resolves on PATH and reports a version.

Tip

If any of these checks fail, return to the prerequisite course for the relevant technology and resolve it before continuing. The Kubernetes course is the canonical source for cluster setup; the Crossplane course covers Crossplane installation.

Exercise

Run every validation command above and confirm the expected output. If any command fails, identify which prerequisite course covers the fix and complete that step before proceeding to Module 07.

Next

Module 07 – Bring the Pico Alive