Kubernetes HPA [Horizontal Pod Autoscaler] Guide & Examples

Kubernetes' Horizontal Pod Autoscaler (HPA) is a feature that dynamically scales Deployments and StatefulSets based on utilization changes, ensuring high availability and consistent performance of workloads. HPA automatically adjusts the replica counts of these components to match user demand, creating new Pod replicas during peak times and reducing them when load decreases. This strategy improves reliability, availability, and operational efficiency for Kubernetes workloads. Key use cases include handling fluctuations in traffic or workload by adding or removing pod replicas, scaling workloads based on complex conditions, and increasing overall efficiency by ensuring the correct number of Pods are always running to support service requirements.