I recently published an article on The New Stack about the Kubernetes operator pattern and how we use it at Hydrolix.

Read the full article: Understanding the Kubernetes Operator Pattern

Overview

In the article, I cover:

  • What is an operator? An operator is a piece of software that extends Kubernetes capabilities to manage a specific application automatically.

  • Why use operators? The operator transforms the process of deploying a cluster from a complicated checklist into a one-stop, declarative operation. By using an operator, even non-Kubernetes experts can deploy and run the platform.

  • Real-world use case at Hydrolix: Hydrolix isn’t a single service; it’s a suite of over 30 microservices (such as ingestion, query and merge) plus databases and third-party components. The operator pattern allows us to drastically simplify installation and configuration of clusters.

  • The state of operators in 2025: In the Kubernetes ecosystem of 2025, operators are no longer a niche idea; they’re a proven tool for reliability.

If you’re managing complex applications on Kubernetes or looking to simplify your deployment workflows, I hope you find this article useful.