Pi-Controller Documentation

Comprehensive Kubernetes management platform for Raspberry Pi clusters

Get Started View on GitHub

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Overview

Pi-Controller is a single-binary platform that provides:

• Automated Discovery: Find and register Raspberry Pi nodes automatically via mDNS
• K3s Management: Deploy and manage lightweight Kubernetes clusters
• GPIO-as-a-Service: Control hardware through Kubernetes Custom Resources
• High Availability: Raft consensus for fault-tolerant cluster operations
• Zero Dependencies: Embedded SQLite, runs anywhere

Quick Start

# Download and install
curl -L https://github.com/dsyorkd/pi-controller/releases/latest/download/pi-controller-linux-arm64 -o pi-controller
chmod +x pi-controller

# Start the controller
./pi-controller start

# Access the dashboard
open http://localhost:8080

Documentation Structure

Getting Started

Start here to set up your development environment and understand basic concepts.

System Overview

High-level architecture and component overview.

Architecture

Deep dive into technical architecture:

• Control Plane: Core management and API gateway
• Clustering & Raft: High-availability consensus protocol

Deployment

Deployment strategies and migration guides:

• Portable Mode: Client-only mode for remote management
• Raft Migration: Zero-downtime migration from systemd to DaemonSet

Configuration

Unified configuration system for all deployment modes.

Security

Comprehensive security implementation:

• Security Implementation: Best practices and measures
• TLS Setup: Secure communication configuration
• Certificate Authority: PKI infrastructure

API Reference

Complete API documentation:

• REST API: RESTful HTTP interface
• gRPC API: High-performance RPC communication
• WebSocket API: Real-time event streaming

Advanced Topics

Specialized features and integrations:

• Node Discovery: Automatic node detection
• MCP Server Integration: AI-assisted operations
• CI/CD Requirements: Pipeline container specifications

Key Features

Single Binary Architecture

One simple binary for all nodes - no separate agent/controller binaries. Simplified deployment and maintenance.

Portable Mode

Run pi-controller from your laptop/workstation to manage remote clusters without joining the Raft cluster.

Raft Clustering

Built-in high availability using HashiCorp Raft for distributed consensus and state replication.

GPIO Control

Manage hardware through Kubernetes CRDs - no custom controller needed.

Support

• GitHub Issues: Report bugs and request features
• Documentation: You’re reading it!
• Source Code: github.com/dsyorkd/pi-controller

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