# Welcome to KubeStellar

KubeStellar is a Kubernetes-native multi-cluster orchestration platform that enables organizations to deploy and manage applications consistently across multiple Kubernetes clusters, cloud providers, and edge environments through a unified control plane.

Designed for scalability and flexibility, KubeStellar simplifies multi-cluster application delivery while preserving the familiar Kubernetes experience.

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## Why KubeStellar?

Managing applications across multiple Kubernetes clusters introduces challenges such as workload placement, configuration management, and operational consistency. KubeStellar addresses these challenges with a declarative, Kubernetes-native approach that enables centralized management without sacrificing cluster independence.

With KubeStellar, you can:

- Deploy applications across multiple Kubernetes clusters from a single control plane.
- Define placement policies that automatically determine where workloads should run.
- Customize deployments for individual clusters without maintaining multiple copies of manifests.
- Operate consistently across cloud, on-premises, hybrid, and edge environments.
- Continue using familiar Kubernetes APIs, tooling, and workflows.

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## Key Capabilities

| Capability | Description |
|------------|-------------|
| **Multi-Cluster Deployment** | Deploy and manage workloads across multiple Kubernetes clusters from a unified control plane. |
| **Policy-Based Placement** | Automatically schedule workloads using flexible placement policies and cluster selection rules. |
| **Cluster Customization** | Apply cluster-specific configuration while maintaining a single source of application manifests. |
| **Edge and Hybrid Cloud Support** | Manage applications consistently across cloud, on-premises, and edge infrastructure. |
| **Kubernetes-Native Architecture** | Built entirely on standard Kubernetes APIs and declarative resource definitions. |
| **Scalable Operations** | Simplify large-scale application management across distributed Kubernetes environments. |

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## Architecture Overview

KubeStellar separates application management from workload execution, allowing platform teams to define application deployment policies centrally while individual clusters remain independently managed.

A typical KubeStellar deployment includes:

- A centralized management plane
- One or more workload clusters
- Policy-based workload placement
- Automated synchronization between management and workload clusters

This architecture enables scalable, secure, and consistent application delivery across distributed Kubernetes environments.

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## Get Started

Choose the documentation that best matches your use case.

| Documentation | Description |
|---------------|-------------|
| **KubeStellar Core** | Learn how to install, configure, and operate the KubeStellar platform. |
| **Quick Start Guide** | Deploy your first multi-cluster application in just a few steps. |
| **Architecture** | Understand the architecture, core concepts, and design principles behind KubeStellar. |
| **User Guide** | Explore features, configuration options, and operational workflows. |
| **Reference Documentation** | Detailed API, configuration, and command reference. |

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## Components

KubeStellar consists of several projects that work together to provide a complete multi-cluster management solution.

| Component | Purpose |
|-----------|---------|
| **KubeStellar Core** | Primary multi-cluster orchestration platform. |
| **kubectl-multi Plugin** | Extend kubectl with multi-cluster management capabilities. |
| **KubeFlex** | Flexible Kubernetes control plane management. |
| **Console** | Web-based interface for managing KubeStellar environments. |
| **A2A (Application-to-Application)** | Application-level multi-cluster communication and management. |

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## Documentation

Explore the documentation to learn more about KubeStellar.

- Installation Guide
- Quick Start
- Architecture
- User Guide
- API Reference
- Contributing Guide
- Community
- Release Notes

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## Community

KubeStellar is an open-source project, and contributions from the community are welcome.

Whether you're reporting bugs, improving documentation, proposing new features, or contributing code, your participation helps improve the project.

- GitHub Repository
- GitHub Issues
- Slack Community
- Mailing List

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## Next Steps

If you are new to KubeStellar, we recommend the following learning path:

1. Install KubeStellar using the **Installation Guide**.
2. Complete the **Quick Start** tutorial.
3. Learn the core concepts in the **Architecture** documentation.
4. Explore advanced deployment scenarios in the **User Guide**.
5. Join the community and contribute to the project.

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## Need Help?

If you encounter issues or have questions:

- Search existing GitHub Issues.
- Join the KubeStellar Slack community.
- Ask questions on the mailing list.
- Reach out through the community channels.

We are always happy to help new users get started with KubeStellar.