Kubernetes solves genuine problems at scale. It also introduces genuine complexity. The question is not whether Kubernetes is good — it is whether your problem is the kind Kubernetes was built to solve.
The complexity is not free
A cluster is infrastructure you must operate: upgrades, networking, storage, security, and observability. That operational load is justified when it buys you something you need. It is pure overhead when it does not.
Match the tool to the problem
If you run a handful of services with predictable load, a simpler platform — managed containers, a PaaS, or plain virtual machines with good automation — may deliver the same outcome with far less to maintain.
When Kubernetes earns its place
Many services, dynamic scaling, complex deployment patterns, and a team with the capacity to operate it well — these are the conditions where Kubernetes pays back its complexity.
Adopt deliberately
If you do adopt it, do so with observability, security, and cost controls from the start. A neglected cluster is worse than no cluster.
Choose boring infrastructure until the problem clearly demands more. Complexity should be earned, not defaulted to.