Blog: Enhancing Kubernetes one KEP at a Time

Author: Ryler Hockenbury (Mastercard) Did you know that Kubernetes v1. 24 has 46 enhancements ? That’s a lot of new functionality packed into a 4-month release cycle. The Kubernetes release team coordinates the logistics of the release, from remediating test flakes to publishing updated docs. It’s a ton of work, but they always deliver. The release team comprises around 30 people across six subteams - Bug Triage, CI Signal, Enhancements, Release Notes, Communications, and Docs. Each of these subteams manages a component of the release. This post will focus on the role of the enhancements subteam and how you can get involved. Great question. We’ll get to that in a second but first, let’s talk about how features are managed in Kubernetes. Each new feature requires a Kubernetes Enhancement Proposal - KEP for short. KEPs are small structured design documents that provide a way to propose and coordinate new features. The KEP author describes the motivation, design (and alternatives), risks, and tests - then community members provide feedback to build consensus.