# Pod

URL: https://softwaredictionary.org/terms/kubernetes-pod
Category: DevOps & Cloud
Last updated: 2026-09-30

In short: A pod is the smallest deployable unit in Kubernetes: one or more containers that share a network address and storage and are scheduled together on one node.

## What is a pod in Kubernetes?

In Kubernetes, you don't run containers directly; you run pods. A pod wraps one or more containers that always run together on the same machine, called a node, and share the same network identity and storage volumes. Most pods contain a single application container, and Kubernetes creates, moves, and deletes pods as its basic unit of scheduling.

All containers in a pod share one IP address and port space, so they can talk to each other on `localhost`, and they can mount the same volumes to share files. This makes pods a good fit for the sidecar pattern, where a helper container, such as a log shipper or a service mesh proxy, runs next to the main app. Pods are designed to be disposable: if a pod crashes or its node fails, it is not repaired but replaced by a new pod with a new name and IP address, which is why traffic is sent through a Service, a stable address that routes to whichever pods are currently healthy.

In practice you rarely create pods by hand. You define a Deployment, StatefulSet, or Job, and that controller creates and maintains the right number of pods from a template, replacing any that fail and rolling out new versions gradually. A pod is like a shared apartment for containers: the roommates share one address and one kitchen, and when the lease ends, everyone moves out together.

A pod is often confused with a container. A container is a single packaged process with its own image, while a pod is the Kubernetes wrapper around one or more containers that adds shared networking, storage, and a lifecycle. A pod is also not a node: a node is the virtual or physical machine, and one node typically runs many pods.

## Key takeaways

- A pod is the smallest unit that Kubernetes schedules and manages.
- Containers in the same pod share an IP address, `localhost`, and volumes.
- Most pods run one container; helper containers in the same pod are called sidecars.
- Pods are disposable and are replaced, not repaired, when they fail.
- Controllers such as Deployments create and manage pods; Services give them a stable address.

## Example: A pod with an app container and a sidecar

```yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
  name: web
  labels:
    app: web
spec:
  containers:
    - name: app              # the main application container
      image: registry.example.com/web:1.4.2
      ports:
        - containerPort: 8080
    - name: log-shipper      # sidecar: same IP address and localhost as the app
      image: registry.example.com/log-shipper:2.0
```

## Frequently asked questions

**What is the difference between a pod and a container?**

A container is one isolated process packaged from an image. A pod is a Kubernetes object that holds one or more containers, gives them a shared IP address and storage, and is scheduled onto a node as a single unit.

**Why does a pod's IP address change?**

Pods are disposable, so when one is replaced, the new pod gets a new IP address. Applications should reach pods through a Kubernetes Service, which keeps a stable name and address and forwards traffic to the current healthy pods.

**Should I put multiple containers in one pod?**

Only when they are tightly coupled and must run together on the same node, such as an app and its logging or proxy sidecar. Separate services, like a web app and its database, belong in separate pods so they can be scaled and updated independently.

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