How to Self-Host MicroK8s: Snap-Based Kubernetes

What Is MicroK8s?

MicroK8s is Canonical’s minimal Kubernetes distribution, installed as a snap package. It runs the full Kubernetes API with containerd, and adds functionality through addons — enable DNS, dashboard, ingress, storage, or GPU support with a single command. It’s designed for developers, edge computing, and IoT.

Prerequisites

A Linux server with snap support (Ubuntu recommended, works on 42+ distros)
540 MB of RAM minimum (4 GB recommended for workloads)
20 GB of free disk space
2 CPU cores (practical minimum)
Root or sudo access

Installation

# Install MicroK8s
sudo snap install microk8s --classic --channel=1.35/stable

# Add your user to the microk8s group (avoids sudo for commands)
sudo usermod -a -G microk8s $USER
newgrp microk8s

# Wait for MicroK8s to be ready
microk8s status --wait-ready

Verify the installation:

microk8s kubectl get nodes
microk8s kubectl get pods -A

Initial Setup

Enable Essential Addons

MicroK8s starts minimal. Enable the addons you need:

# DNS (required for most workloads)
microk8s enable dns

# Storage (local path provisioner)
microk8s enable hostpath-storage

# Dashboard (web UI)
microk8s enable dashboard

# Ingress (nginx controller)
microk8s enable ingress

# Metrics server (for kubectl top)
microk8s enable metrics-server

Configure kubectl Alias

# Option 1: Use the built-in alias
alias kubectl='microk8s kubectl'

# Option 2: Export kubeconfig for standard kubectl
microk8s config > ~/.kube/config

Access the Dashboard

# Get the dashboard token
microk8s kubectl create token default

# Port-forward to access
microk8s kubectl port-forward -n kube-system svc/kubernetes-dashboard 10443:443

Access at https://localhost:10443 with the token.

Deploy Your First Application

microk8s kubectl create deployment nginx --image=nginx:1.27
microk8s kubectl expose deployment nginx --port=80 --type=NodePort
microk8s kubectl get svc nginx

Configuration

Available Addons

Addon	Command	Purpose
`dns`	`microk8s enable dns`	CoreDNS for cluster DNS
`dashboard`	`microk8s enable dashboard`	Kubernetes Dashboard UI
`ingress`	`microk8s enable ingress`	Nginx ingress controller
`hostpath-storage`	`microk8s enable hostpath-storage`	Local storage provisioner
`metallb`	`microk8s enable metallb:10.0.0.100-10.0.0.200`	Load balancer (bare metal)
`cert-manager`	`microk8s enable cert-manager`	TLS certificate automation
`helm3`	`microk8s enable helm3`	Helm package manager
`prometheus`	`microk8s enable prometheus`	Monitoring stack
`registry`	`microk8s enable registry`	Private image registry (localhost:32000)
`gpu`	`microk8s enable gpu`	NVIDIA GPU support
`rbac`	`microk8s enable rbac`	Role-based access control
`community`	`microk8s enable community`	Access community addons

Multi-Node Cluster

On the first node, generate a join token:

microk8s add-node

This outputs a join command. On each additional node:

# Install MicroK8s on the new node first
sudo snap install microk8s --classic --channel=1.35/stable

# Join the cluster
microk8s join <master-ip>:25000/<token>

Using Helm

microk8s enable helm3
microk8s helm3 repo add bitnami https://charts.bitnami.com/bitnami
microk8s helm3 install my-app bitnami/wordpress

Private Registry

MicroK8s includes a built-in registry addon:

microk8s enable registry

# Push images to localhost:32000
docker tag myimage localhost:32000/myimage
docker push localhost:32000/myimage

# Use in deployments
# image: localhost:32000/myimage

Advanced Configuration (Optional)

High Availability

Enable HA for multi-node clusters:

microk8s enable ha-cluster

Requires 3+ nodes. Uses Dqlite (distributed SQLite) for consensus.

GPU Workloads

For AI/ML workloads with NVIDIA GPUs:

# Install NVIDIA drivers first
sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall

# Enable GPU addon
microk8s enable gpu

Cilium Networking

Replace the default Calico CNI with Cilium:

microk8s enable community
microk8s enable cilium

Custom Configuration

MicroK8s stores configuration in /var/snap/microk8s/current/args/:

# Edit kube-apiserver arguments
sudo nano /var/snap/microk8s/current/args/kube-apiserver

# Restart after changes
microk8s stop && microk8s start

Backup

# Export cluster state
microk8s kubectl get all -A -o yaml > cluster-backup.yaml

# Back up persistent data
sudo tar czf microk8s-data.tar.gz /var/snap/microk8s/common/

# Back up Dqlite (HA mode)
sudo cp -r /var/snap/microk8s/current/var/kubernetes/backend/ ./dqlite-backup/

For a full strategy, see Backup Strategy.

Troubleshooting

MicroK8s Status Shows “Not Running”

Symptom: microk8s status shows services not running.

Fix: Inspect and restart:

microk8s inspect
microk8s stop && microk8s start

Check /var/snap/microk8s/common/var/log/ for component logs.

DNS Not Working

Symptom: Pods can’t resolve service names.

Fix: Ensure the DNS addon is enabled:

microk8s enable dns
microk8s kubectl get pods -n kube-system -l k8s-app=kube-dns

If pods show errors, restart:

microk8s kubectl rollout restart deployment/coredns -n kube-system

Storage PVC Stuck in Pending

Symptom: PersistentVolumeClaims stay in Pending state.

Fix: Enable the storage addon:

microk8s enable hostpath-storage

Verify the storage class:

microk8s kubectl get sc

Snap Refresh Breaks Cluster

Symptom: After a snap auto-refresh, MicroK8s stops working.

Fix: Hold the snap to prevent auto-updates:

sudo snap refresh --hold microk8s

Manually update when ready:

sudo snap refresh microk8s --channel=1.35/stable

Resource Requirements

RAM: 540 MB minimum (MicroK8s only), 4 GB for running workloads
CPU: 2 cores recommended
Disk: 20 GB recommended (snap + images + data)

Verdict

MicroK8s is a solid Kubernetes distribution with a unique addon-based architecture. The microk8s enable commands make it easy to add functionality incrementally. However, the snap dependency is a dealbreaker for some — it doesn’t work on distros without snap, and snap auto-updates can break your cluster.

Use MicroK8s if: You’re on Ubuntu and want a Kubernetes distribution with easy addon management. The built-in registry, GPU support, and HA clustering are well-integrated.

Consider k3s instead if: You want a lighter, snap-free Kubernetes distribution that works on any Linux. k3s uses fewer resources and installs without package manager dependencies. See k3s vs MicroK8s.

FAQ

Does MicroK8s require snap?

Yes. MicroK8s is distributed exclusively as a snap package. There’s no APT/YUM/binary option.

Can MicroK8s run on Raspberry Pi?

Yes. MicroK8s supports ARM64 and runs on Raspberry Pi 4 and later with Ubuntu.

Is MicroK8s production-ready?

Yes, with caveats. Canonical positions MicroK8s for production edge computing. For multi-node production clusters, enable HA and disable snap auto-refresh.