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ConfigMap with Optional Values in Kubernetes

Alex Vazquez
3 min readSep 17, 2024

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Kubernetes ConfigMaps are a powerful tool for managing configuration data separately from application code. However, they can sometimes lead to issues during deployment, particularly when a ConfigMap referenced in a Pod specification is missing, causing the application to fail to start. This is a common scenario that can lead to a CreateContainerConfigError and halt your deployment pipeline.

Understanding the Problem

When a ConfigMap is referenced in a Pod’s specification, Kubernetes expects the ConfigMap to be present. If it is not, Kubernetes will not start the Pod, leading to a failed deployment. This can be problematic in situations where certain configuration data is optional or environment-specific, such as proxy settings that are only necessary in certain environments.

Making ConfigMap Values Optional

Kubernetes provides a way to define ConfigMap items as optional, allowing your application to start even if the ConfigMap is not present. This can be particularly useful for environment variables that only need to be set under certain conditions.

Here’s a basic example of how to make a ConfigMap optional:

apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
name: example-pod
spec:
containers:
- name

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Alex Vazquez
Alex Vazquez

Written by Alex Vazquez

PSG Senior Architect at TIBCO Software with a focus on Cloud Development, Event Processing and Enterprise Integration

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