> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.latitude.sh/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# LKS

> Managed Kubernetes on Latitude.sh bare metal

Latitude Kubernetes Service (LKS) is managed Kubernetes on bare metal. Latitude.sh runs the Control Plane; you run your Workloads on Node Pools. You get a conformant, upstream Kubernetes Cluster and a kubeconfig, then manage your applications with standard Kubernetes tooling.

> [!NOTE]
>
> LKS is in preview. Features and defaults may change. During the preview, LKS is managed from the dashboard; API, CLI, and SDK support is coming.

## What Latitude.sh manages

* **Control Plane.** The API server and etcd run as a managed, highly available Control Plane. You don't size, access, or patch it.
* **Networking.** Cilium is the Cluster CNI, configured and maintained for you. The Pod, Service, and Node IP ranges have defaults you can override when you create a Cluster. See [Cluster networking](https://www.latitude.sh/docs/lks/clusters.md#cluster-networking).
* **LoadBalancer IPs.** A `Service` of type `LoadBalancer` is assigned a Latitude Elastic IP announced over BGP. See [Exposing Workloads](https://www.latitude.sh/docs/lks/exposing-workloads.md).
* **Node images.** Node operating system images are provided by Latitude.sh and roll out through Node Pool upgrades.

## What you manage

* **Workloads.** Your applications, their manifests, and their lifecycle.
* **Node Pools.** The plan, size, Labels, and Taints of each Node Pool. See [Node Pools](https://www.latitude.sh/docs/lks/node-pools.md).
* **Ingress and gateways.** LKS load balancing is L4. Bring your own Ingress or Gateway controller for HTTP routing.
* **Observability, backups, and upgrades.** You run your monitoring stack, back up your data, and choose when to upgrade Kubernetes versions.

## Getting started

Follow [Getting started](https://www.latitude.sh/docs/lks/getting-started.md) to create a Cluster, connect with `kubectl`, and run your first Workload.

## Shared responsibility

For the full breakdown of what Latitude.sh operates and what you operate across the Cluster lifecycle, see [Shared responsibility](https://www.latitude.sh/docs/lks/shared-responsibility.md).


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