secrets

ConfigMaps store non-sensitive configuration as key-value pairs. Secrets store sensitive data like passwords, tokens, and certificates in base64 encoding. Both can be consumed as environment variables or mounted as files. ConfigMaps created with kubec

Environment variables configure applications without code changes. The twelve-factor app methodology stores config in the environment. .env files provide local defaults—never commit them to Git. dotenv libraries load .env files in development. Product

Integrate HashiCorp Vault with Kubernetes for dynamic secrets management. Use the Vault Agent sidecar injector to automatically inject secrets into pods, configure KV secret engines, and set up Kubernetes authentication. Eliminate hardcoded secrets fr