ConfigMaps & Secrets

Summary

ConfigMaps store non-sensitive configuration data, Secrets store sensitive values (base64-encoded, not truly encrypted by default) — both let you decouple configuration from your container images.

• 1Create a ConfigMap and mount it as environment variables in a Pod.
• 2Create a Secret and reference it in a Deployment, and note it's only base64-encoded, not encrypted.
• 3Learn why a real production setup often pairs Secrets with a dedicated secrets manager (Phase 12) for actual encryption.