Get started with Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) basics

This guide provides resources to help you learn the basics of Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS).

For most production workloads, start with AKS Automatic. AKS Automatic is the recommended production-ready default in AKS and provides preconfigured best-practice defaults for scaling, security, networking, monitoring, and upgrades.

Use AKS Standard when you need deeper control over platform configuration and lifecycle operations.

AKS cluster modes

AKS supports two cluster modes:

• AKS Automatic (recommended default): Best for most production workloads and faster time to value with preconfigured production-ready defaults.
• AKS Standard: Best when you require advanced customization for networking, identity, node topology, or upgrade behavior.

For detailed differences, see AKS Automatic and AKS Standard feature comparison.

Note

AKS Automatic is the recommended starting point for most production-ready AKS workloads. If your requirements demand deeper infrastructure customization, AKS Standard remains fully supported.

Learn the basics of AKS

The resources in the following sections provide an introduction to AKS fundamentals and common platform areas.

AKS fundamentals

• What is AKS?
• What is AKS Automatic?
• Core concepts
• Deploy clusters with AKS Automatic lab
• Kubernetes and AKS fundamentals lab
• Create an AKS cluster
  • Create a Linux-based AKS Automatic cluster
  • Create a Linux-based AKS cluster
  • Create a Windows-based AKS cluster

Networking

• AKS networking overview
• AKS networking best practices video
• Istio service mesh on AKS lab

Access and identity

• Access and identity concepts
• Workload identity lab

Storage

• Storage concepts
• Advanced storage concepts lab

Next steps

• Create an AKS Automatic cluster
• Learn about advanced AKS concepts