# ROOT Pilot Curriculum — Authoritative Manifest

This is the single authoritative answer to "what are we actually teaching in the first paid
pilot." It uses honest READY / PARTIAL / DEFERRED / NOT IN PILOT labels — nothing here is
marketed as more finished than it is. See
[`docs/ROOT_PILOT_READINESS_STANDARD.md`](ROOT_PILOT_READINESS_STANDARD.md) for what READY
means and [`docs/ROOT11_DEVOPS_PLATFORM_SCOPE.md`](ROOT11_DEVOPS_PLATFORM_SCOPE.md) for the
ROOT 11 scope decision referenced below.

## Pilot delivery mode: instructor-led (cohort-based)

The first pilot is scoped as **instructor-led**, not fully self-paced. Every module below that
is marked READY meets the self-paced bar (no "your instructor will explain this" gaps). A
smaller set of modules — flagged explicitly — are READY for instructor-led delivery only,
because they are dense hands-on practice banks whose sibling module in the same course already
carries the taught concept; running them live lets an instructor supply framing a self-paced
student wouldn't get. Fully self-paced delivery of those specific modules is deferred to a
future phase pending an authored teaching layer for each. See Section 16 discussion below.

## Program: ROOT_ (root-kubernetes-foundations)

| Course | Pilot status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ROOT 01 Computing & Linux Foundations | **IN PILOT** (added Phase 6D) | Fully authored, READY — 6 modules, real hands-on Linux Labs, a wired assessment. See `docs/PHASE6D_ROOT_FOUNDATIONS.md`. |
| ROOT 02 Linux Administration & Networking | **NOT IN PILOT** | Architecture designed (`docs/ROOT_FOUNDATIONS_ARCHITECTURE.md`), content not yet authored. |
| ROOT 03 Git & Collaborative Development | **NOT IN PILOT** | Architecture designed, content not yet authored. |
| ROOT 04 Containers & Docker | **NOT IN PILOT** | Architecture designed; its platform extension (nested Docker Engine) is built and tested, content not yet authored. |
| ROOT 05 Kubernetes Foundations | **IN PILOT** | See modules below. |
| ROOT 06 Kubernetes Application Workloads | **IN PILOT** | See modules below. |
| ROOT 07 Kubernetes Networking & Configuration | **IN PILOT** | See modules below. |
| ROOT 08 Kubernetes Storage & Scheduling | **DEFERRED — optional supplementary** | Does not gate the capstone (`rootnode-path.json`'s six stages never included storage/scheduling). Both modules remain PARTIAL (lesson+knowledge-check only, no demo/guided/reflection). Offer as optional supplementary content to instructors who want it; do not count it in the pilot's required completion path. |
| ROOT 09 Kubernetes Security | **IN PILOT** | See modules below. |
| ROOT 10 Kubernetes Troubleshooting & Observability | **IN PILOT** | See modules below. |
| ROOT 11 DevOps & Platform Engineering | **IN PILOT — orientation only** | Lesson-only closing module. Hands-on GitOps/CI-CD/IaC/Observability content explicitly deferred; see scope doc. |
| ROOT 12 Real Ops | **IN PILOT** | READY. |
| ROOT Capstone | **IN PILOT** | READY. |

## Module-level detail (courses IN pilot only)

### ROOT 01 — Computing & Linux Foundations (added Phase 6D)
| Module | Status | Prerequisite | Outcome | Delivery | Required/Optional | Labs/Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| root-01-m01-how-computers-run-software | READY | none (program entry point) | Explain the hardware/kernel/application layering; inspect a real machine's resources | Self-paced or instructor-led | 4 required | 1 lab |
| root-01-m02-linux-and-the-shell | READY | m01 | Read exit codes; use tab completion/history/man pages | Self-paced or instructor-led | 6 required | 1 lab |
| root-01-m03-navigating-the-filesystem | READY | m02 | Navigate absolute/relative paths; explain top-level directories | Self-paced or instructor-led | 6 required | 1 lab |
| root-01-m04-files-and-text | READY | m03 | Manipulate files; filter text with grep/pipes/redirection | Self-paced or instructor-led | 6 required | 1 lab |
| root-01-m05-processes | READY | m04 | Inspect and correctly terminate a real process | Self-paced or instructor-led | 6 required | 1 lab |
| root-01-m06-users-and-permissions-foundations | READY | m05 | Apply rwx permissions and the least-privilege principle | Self-paced or instructor-led | 7 required | 1 lab + **ROOT 01 Linux Foundations Assessment** (6-scenario timed exam) |

### ROOT 05 — Kubernetes Foundations
| Module | Status | Prerequisite | Outcome | Delivery | Required/Optional | Labs/Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| root-05-m00-kubernetes-mental-model | READY | none | Explain desired vs. actual state; run first kubectl commands | Self-paced or instructor-led | 6 required | 1 lab |
| root-05-m01-pods-and-kubectl-basics | READY | m00 | Broad kubectl command fluency (labels, JSONPath, patch, dry-run, etc.) | Self-paced or instructor-led (lesson+reflection added Phase 6C) | 22 required | 20 labs/MCQs |

### ROOT 06 — Kubernetes Application Workloads
| Module | Status | Prerequisite | Outcome | Delivery | Required/Optional | Labs/Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| root-06-m02-deployments-scaling-updates | READY | ROOT 05 | Scale and roll out/back Deployments with confidence | Self-paced or instructor-led | 7 required | 1 lab |
| root-06-m03-jobs-cronjobs-daemonsets | READY | m02 | Choose the correct workload primitive for a given job | Self-paced or instructor-led (upgraded Phase 6C) | 7 required | 2 labs |
| root-06-m01-deployments-and-workloads | **PARTIAL — instructor-led only** | ROOT 05 | Deeper Deployment practice bank (8 tasks, no bookending lesson) | **Instructor-led only this pilot**; self-paced deferred | 8 required | 8 labs |

### ROOT 07 — Kubernetes Networking & Configuration
| Module | Status | Prerequisite | Outcome | Delivery | Required/Optional | Labs/Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| root-07-m03-services-and-service-discovery | READY | ROOT 06 | Explain Service types and discovery | Self-paced or instructor-led | 6 required | 1 lab |
| root-07-m02-configuration-and-secrets | READY | m03 | Choose ConfigMap vs. Secret vs. env var vs. volume correctly | Self-paced or instructor-led (new lesson/demo/KC/guided/reflection Phase 6C) | 10 required | 5 labs |
| root-07-m04-ingress-networkpolicy-foundations | READY | m02 | Trace request routing through Ingress; plan network isolation | Self-paced or instructor-led (upgraded Phase 6C) | 7 required | 2 labs |
| root-07-m01-services-and-networking | **PARTIAL — instructor-led only** | ROOT 06 | Deeper Services/networking practice bank (4 tasks, no bookending lesson) | **Instructor-led only this pilot**; self-paced deferred | 4 required | 4 labs |

### ROOT 09 — Kubernetes Security
| Module | Status | Prerequisite | Outcome | Delivery | Required/Optional | Labs/Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| root-09-m01-security-model-and-securitycontext | READY | ROOT 07 | Harden a Pod's SecurityContext with reasoning, not memorization | Self-paced or instructor-led | 9 required + 3 optional | labs |
| root-09-m02-serviceaccounts-and-rbac | READY | m01 | Write least-privilege RBAC | Self-paced or instructor-led (upgraded Phase 6C) | 10 required + 1 optional | 6 labs |
| root-09-m03-network-and-supplychain-security | READY | m02 | Apply default-deny NetworkPolicy and supply-chain controls | Self-paced or instructor-led (upgraded Phase 6C) | 9 required + 2 optional | 6 labs |
| root-09-m04-cluster-hardening-and-runtime | READY (survey depth, documented exception) | m03 | Survey-level exposure to runtime/cluster hardening topics, checked with a real assessment | Self-paced or instructor-led | 4 required + 2 optional | 4 labs + **RootNode Kubernetes Security Assessment** (9-scenario timed exam) |

### ROOT 10 — Kubernetes Troubleshooting & Observability
| Module | Status | Prerequisite | Outcome | Delivery | Required/Optional | Labs/Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| root-10-m01-health-probes-and-troubleshooting | READY | ROOT 09 | Configure and diagnose liveness/readiness probes | Self-paced or instructor-led | 6 required + 1 optional | 1 required lab + 1 optional lab (readiness-probe-task, wired Phase 6C) |
| root-10-m03-troubleshooting-framework | READY | m01 | Apply the seven-step Observe→Evidence→...→Prevent-Recurrence framework to novel failures | Self-paced or instructor-led (upgraded Phase 6C) | 7 required | 2 labs |
| root-10-m02-general-troubleshooting | **PARTIAL — instructor-led only** | m01 | Deeper troubleshooting practice bank (6 tasks, no bookending lesson) | **Instructor-led only this pilot**; self-paced deferred | 6 required | 6 labs |

### ROOT 11 — DevOps & Platform Engineering
| Module | Status | Prerequisite | Outcome | Delivery | Required/Optional | Labs/Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| root-11-m01-devops-platform-thinking | PARTIAL (honest, lesson-only by design) | ROOT 10 (course-level gate) | Name DevOps/platform engineering practices already exercised in ROOT 05-10/12; understand what's still missing for GitOps/CI-CD/IaC/observability | Self-paced or instructor-led | 3 required | none — orientation only |

### ROOT 12 — Real Ops
| Module | Status | Prerequisite | Outcome | Delivery | Required/Optional | Labs/Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| root-12-m01-real-ops-incidents | READY (documented exception — deliberately unguided by design) | ROOT 10 | Run structured incident response without a hint system | Instructor-led recommended for first exposure; self-paced viable given deliberate design | 6 required | 4 incident labs |

### ROOT Capstone
| Module | Status | Prerequisite | Outcome | Delivery | Required/Optional | Labs/Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| root-capstone-m02-capstone-readiness | READY | ROOT 12 | Confirm readiness before attempting the capstone | Self-paced or instructor-led | 4 required | checklist/prep activities |
| root-capstone-m01-operate-and-recover | READY (documented exception — the capstone IS the module) | m02 + capstone unlock gate | Operate and recover a production-like environment under real ops discipline | Instructor-observed recommended | 1 required | capstone exam |

## Instructor prep requirements

Every module marked "instructor-led only" or "instructor-led recommended" above requires the
instructor to have read that module's Instructor Notes section (timing, misconceptions,
discussion prompts) before delivering it live — this content already exists for every upgraded
module (see `docs/ROOT_PILOT_READINESS_STANDARD.md` checklist item 6). No additional
instructor-only prep material was created outside the per-activity Instructor Notes.

## What is intentionally NOT in the first pilot

- ROOT 02-04 (architecture designed in Phase 6D, content not yet authored — ROOT 01 IS now in
  the pilot, added Phase 6D).
- ROOT 08 Kubernetes Storage & Scheduling (non-capstone-gating; both modules remain PARTIAL).
- ROOT 11 modules 2-7 (GitOps, CI/CD, IaC, hands-on Observability, hands-on Reliability) — see
  scope doc.
- Fully self-paced delivery of root-06-m01, root-07-m01, and root-10-m02 specifically — these
  three run instructor-led in the first pilot; self-paced delivery for exactly these three
  modules is deferred pending an authored teaching layer for each.
- `cluster-upgrade-mcq` and `etcd-backup-mcq` (Cluster Administration category) — no current
  ROOT module teaches kubeadm-based cluster administration or etcd backup/restore; these two
  scenarios stay unwired pending a future Cluster Administration module, not due to neglect.

## Bottom line

Every module the pilot's required completion path depends on (ROOT 01, 05-07, 09-10, 12,
Capstone) meets the READY bar for instructor-led delivery, and ROOT 01's self-paced readiness
was verified explicitly (see `docs/PHASE6D_ROOT_FOUNDATIONS.md`). Three specific modules run
instructor-led only this pilot. ROOT 02-04, ROOT 08, and most of ROOT 11 are explicitly out of
the required path. Given that scope, the pilot curriculum, delivered instructor-led, is ready.