# Part 2: Using Secrets

This is Part 2 of a multi-part, self-paced quick start exercise.

Note: This exercise requires MicroK8s and uses `alias kubectl='microk8s kubectl'`. If you do not have these already installed and running, see [Prerequisites](https://docs.rafay.co/learn/quickstart/kubernetes/prerequisites/).

---

## What Will You Do

In part 2, you will:

- Use a Secret to store a password.

**Estimated Time**: Estimated time for this exercise is 5 minutes.

## Using Secrets

Kubernetes Secrets let you store and manage sensitive information, such as passwords, OAuth tokens, and SSH keys. Strong confidential information in a Secret is safer and more flexible than putting it verbatim in a Pod definition or in a container image.

### Secret YAML file

Create a secret using a YAML file, which is a configuration file. You could create a YAML file from the command line, but for this exercise, you can just use a text editor. Or you can download the secret YAML file from this public [Git repository](https://github.com/RafaySystems/getstarted/tree/master/kubernetes).

1. Open the Terminal.
2. Navigate to the Downloads folder.

```
   cd ./Downloads
   ```

3. Use the following command to create an empty YAML file in your Downloads folder.

```
   touch secret.yaml
   ```

4. Use the nano text editor in the Terminal.

```
   nano secret.yaml
   ```

5. Copy and paste the configuration below into the text editor.
6. Press **Cmd + X**, then type **Y** and press **Return** to save the secret.yaml file.

---

### Add a Secret

1. In the Terminal or Command Prompt, add the secret to your environment using a YAML file.

```
   kubectl create -f secret.yaml
   ```

2. List the secrets.

```
   kubectl get secrets
   ```

---

## secret.yaml

This YAML file contains:
- A metadata name, **mysql-pass**, that is used in the MySQL and WordPress deployments.
- A type set to **Opaque**, which means it is arbitrary, user-defined data.
- A password, **admin123**, that is encoded in base64.

```yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Secret
metadata:
  name: mysql-pass
type: Opaque
data:
  password: YWRtaW4xMjM= # echo -n "admin123" | base64 -
```