What is Kubernetes EndpointSlice?

Question

Accepted Answer

**EndpointSlice** — scalable, efficient way to track network endpoints.

```yaml
apiVersion: discovery.k8s.io/v1
kind: EndpointSlice
metadata:
  name: myapp-abc12
  namespace: production
  labels:
    kubernetes.io/service-name: myapp
addressType: IPv4
ports:
- name: http
  port: 80
  protocol: TCP
endpoints:
- addresses:
  - "10.0.1.5"
  conditions:
    ready: true
    serving: true
    terminating: false
  nodeName: node-1
  zone: us-west-2a
  hints:
    forZones:
    - name: us-west-2a
- addresses:
  - "10.0.2.8"
  conditions:
    ready: true
    serving: true
    terminating: false
  nodeName: node-2
  zone: us-west-2b
```

```bash
# Commands
kubectl get endpointslice -n production
kubectl describe endpointslice myapp-abc12 -n production

# Check service endpoints
kubectl get endpoints myapp -n production

# Verify endpoint slice size (max 100 endpoints per slice)
kubectl get endpointslice -l kubernetes.io/service-name=myapp
```

**Advantages over Endpoints:**
- Scalable: multiple slices per Service.
- Efficient: only changed slices are updated.
- Topology-aware routing hints.
- Zone-aware load balancing.

DevOps: What is Kubernetes EndpointSlice?