k8s-docker-registry-cache-bypass

Local registry mirrors cache image layers, causing Kubernetes to ignore repeated pushes using the same tag. Bypass this cache by referencing the image digest instead of the mutable tag in your deployment manifests.

To bypass the Kubernetes image cache, push your image, obtain its specific digest, and update your deployment manifests and Terraform or K8s configurations to reference that exact digest. Restart the deployment to ensure the exact image version is used.

Setting imagePullPolicy: Always can fail to refresh the image when local registry mirrors are involved. Using the specific image digest instead of a mutable tag ensures the exact image version is pulled, overriding the cache effectively.

You update a deployment manifest by replacing the mutable image tag with the specific image digest obtained after pushing. Modify your K8s or Terraform configurations to reference this digest, then restart the deployment to apply the exact image version.

Yes, using image digests with containerd ensures the exact image version is pulled even when local registry mirrors cache layers. This approach overrides the cache bypass limitations that occur when repeatedly pushing images with the same tag.