Always Set Resource Limits in Kubernetes
Without resource limits, one runaway pod can starve your entire cluster.
What
Kubernetes resource requests and limits tell the scheduler how much CPU and memory your pods need (requests) and the maximum they're allowed to consume (limits). Without them, a single misbehaving pod can consume all available resources and crash neighboring workloads.
Why It Matters
In production, resource limits are your safety net. They prevent noisy-neighbor problems, enable the scheduler to make smart placement decisions, and let you plan cluster capacity. Skipping them is a leading cause of unexpected outages in Kubernetes.
Example
# In your pod spec or deployment YAML:
resources:
requests:
memory: "128Mi"
cpu: "250m"
limits:
memory: "256Mi"
cpu: "500m"
# requests = guaranteed minimum
# limits = hard ceiling (OOMKilled if exceeded)Common Mistake
Setting limits but not requests. Without requests, the scheduler doesn't know what your pod actually needs and may pack too many pods onto one node.
Quick Fix
Always set BOTH requests and limits. A good starting point: set requests to your pod's average usage and limits to 2x the requests. Monitor and adjust from there.
Key Takeaways
- 1No resource limits = ticking time bomb
- 2requests: what your pod needs (guaranteed)
- 3limits: maximum allowed (hard ceiling)
- 4Always set BOTH requests AND limits
- 5Start at 2x requests for limits, then tune
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