Introduction: CI/CD for Kubernetes, by Kubernetes

The "Serverless" CI

Think of a traditional CI server like a restaurant kitchen that's always fully staffed — even at 3am when no orders are coming in. Every chef, every station, every light is on and consuming resources regardless of demand. Tekton flips this model: it's more like a catering service that spins up exactly the staff and equipment needed for each event, then packs everything away when done.

Tekton is a Kubernetes-native CI/CD framework. "Kubernetes-native" means it doesn't just run on Kubernetes — it is Kubernetes. Tekton extends the Kubernetes API by installing Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs), which teach your cluster new object types like Task, Pipeline, and PipelineRun. A small controller process watches for these objects and acts on them, just like the built-in Deployment controller watches for Deployment objects.

The practical consequences of this design are significant:

• No persistent master process: There is no Jenkins-style "master" node sitting idle. The Tekton controller is lightweight and event-driven.
• Serverless execution: When a build runs, Tekton creates a Kubernetes Pod. When the build finishes, the Pod terminates. Zero builds = zero compute cost beyond the controller itself.
• Declarative by default: Pipelines are defined as YAML, version-controlled alongside your application code, and applied with kubectl — the same workflow you already use for Deployments and Services.
• Composable primitives: Tekton provides low-level building blocks (Tasks, Pipelines, Triggers) rather than an opinionated end-to-end product. This is why it serves as the engine underneath higher-level tools like Jenkins X, Red Hat OpenShift Pipelines, and Shipwright.