Learn CROSSPLANE with Real Code Examples
Updated Nov 27, 2025
Architecture
Crossplane control plane runs in Kubernetes
Providers implement cloud-specific APIs
Managed resources represent cloud services
Compositions define reusable infrastructure blueprints
Kubernetes controllers reconcile desired state with actual cloud state
Rendering Model
CRDs define cloud resources and abstractions
Controllers reconcile Kubernetes and cloud states
Compositions define reusable infrastructure patterns
Claims provision composite resources on demand
Events and conditions track resource state changes
Architectural Patterns
Kubernetes-native infrastructure orchestration
Controller-driven reconciliation loops
Composable multi-resource abstractions
Provider-agnostic cloud provisioning
GitOps integration for automated deployments
Real World Architectures
Multi-cloud Kubernetes-native infrastructure
GitOps-driven cloud provisioning pipelines
Reusable application stack compositions
Dynamic environment creation for dev/test/prod
Enterprise multi-team infrastructure orchestration
Design Principles
Kubernetes-native API and CRDs
Declarative infrastructure as code
Composable and reusable infrastructure blueprints
Multi-cloud and provider-agnostic design
GitOps-first automation philosophy
Scalability Guide
Use multiple Kubernetes clusters for multi-region deployment
Deploy multiple controllers for high-scale reconciliation
Namespace isolation to manage multiple teams
Leverage compositions for reusable infrastructure stacks
Monitor cloud API quotas and Crossplane controller performance
Migration Guide
Convert existing cloud IaC scripts to Crossplane manifests
Define compositions for reusable patterns
Use provider CRDs for cloud-specific resources
Store credentials securely in Kubernetes secrets
Deploy via GitOps pipelines for repeatable automation