Kustomize
Kustomize is a Kubernetes-native configuration management tool that allows developers to customize Kubernetes manifests without modifying the original YAML files. It uses a declarative approach with overlays and patches to manage environment-specific configurations, enabling the reuse of base configurations across multiple deployments. It is integrated into kubectl as a subcommand, making it a standard tool in the Kubernetes ecosystem.
Developers should learn Kustomize when working with Kubernetes to manage configuration variations for different environments (e.g., dev, staging, prod) without duplicating YAML files, reducing errors and maintenance overhead. It is particularly useful for GitOps workflows, where configuration changes are tracked in version control, and for teams needing a simple, template-free alternative to Helm for Kubernetes deployments.