rootnode-academy/docs/ROOT_PILOT_CURRICULUM.md

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 for what READY means and docs/ROOT11_DEVOPS_PLATFORM_SCOPE.md for the ROOT 11 scope decision referenced below.

Pilot delivery mode: instructor-led (cohort-based), with a fully self-paced foundation

The first pilot is scoped as instructor-led as its recommended default, not because most of the curriculum requires it — as of Phase 6E, ROOT 01-04 (the entire foundational half) and every Kubernetes/security/troubleshooting/real-ops/capstone module EXCEPT three specific practice-bank modules meet the full self-paced bar (no "your instructor will explain this" gaps, verified programmatically). Those three flagged modules — dense hands-on practice banks whose sibling module in the same course already carries the taught concept — are READY for instructor-led delivery only; 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	IN PILOT (added Phase 6E)	Fully authored, READY — 6 modules, real hands-on Linux/networking Labs, a wired assessment. See docs/PHASE6E_ROOT_FOUNDATIONS_COMPLETION.md.
ROOT 03 Git & Collaborative Development	IN PILOT (added Phase 6E)	Fully authored, READY — 6 modules, real local-Git Labs (including a real merge conflict and a real local-bare-remote push), a wired assessment.
ROOT 04 Containers & Docker	IN PILOT (added Phase 6E)	Fully authored, READY — 8 modules using the nested Docker Engine (built Phase 6D), real hands-on container Labs, a wired assessment.
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 02 — Linux Administration & Networking (added Phase 6E)

Module	Status	Prerequisite	Outcome	Delivery	Required/Optional	Labs/Assessment
root-02-m01-linux-system-administration	READY	ROOT 01	Answer the five-question service checklist for a real service	Self-paced or instructor-led	7 required	2 labs
root-02-m02-storage-and-filesystems	READY	m01	Distinguish df from du; find real disk usage	Self-paced or instructor-led	6 required	1 lab
root-02-m03-networking-mental-model	READY	m02	The critical networking model — no lab by design	Self-paced or instructor-led	5 required	none (conceptual)
root-02-m04-linux-network-inspection	READY	m03	Use ip/ss/getent/curl to answer specific diagnostic questions	Self-paced or instructor-led	6 required	1 lab
root-02-m05-dns-and-http	READY	m04	Categorize a failure as DNS/routing/TCP/application	Self-paced or instructor-led	6 required	1 lab
root-02-m06-linux-troubleshooting	READY	m05	Apply the RootNode framework to a real Linux failure	Self-paced or instructor-led	7 required	1 lab + ROOT 02 Linux Administration & Networking Assessment (6-scenario timed exam)

ROOT 03 — Git & Collaborative Development (added Phase 6E)

Module	Status	Prerequisite	Outcome	Delivery	Required/Optional	Labs/Assessment
root-03-m01-why-version-control-exists	READY	ROOT 02	Explain what version control gives you beyond copying files	Self-paced or instructor-led	3 required	none (conceptual)
root-03-m02-git-mental-model	READY	m01	The working-tree/staging/repository model — no lab by design	Self-paced or instructor-led	5 required	none (conceptual)
root-03-m03-everyday-git	READY	m02	init/status/add/commit/log/diff fluently	Self-paced or instructor-led	6 required	1 lab (real repository state)
root-03-m04-branching-and-merging	READY	m03	Cause and resolve a real merge conflict	Self-paced or instructor-led	6 required	1 lab (real conflict)
root-03-m05-remote-repositories	READY	m04	Clone/commit/push to a real local-bare remote	Self-paced or instructor-led	6 required	1 lab
root-03-m06-engineering-git-workflow	READY	m05	Small-commit/review/protect-main discipline; bridge to CI/CD/GitOps	Self-paced or instructor-led	4 required	none (conceptual) + ROOT 03 Git & Collaborative Development Assessment (5-scenario timed exam)

ROOT 04 — Containers & Docker (added Phase 6E)

Module	Status	Prerequisite	Outcome	Delivery	Required/Optional	Labs/Assessment
root-04-m01-why-containers-exist	READY	ROOT 03	The dependency-inconsistency problem; VM vs. container	Self-paced or instructor-led	4 required	none (conceptual)
root-04-m02-images-and-containers	READY	m01	The image/container distinction precisely	Self-paced or instructor-led	5 required	none (conceptual)
root-04-m03-docker-cli	READY	m02	run/exec/ps/logs/inspect/stop/rm fluently	Self-paced or instructor-led	6 required	1 lab
root-04-m04-container-networking	READY	m03	Diagnose and fix a real "unreachable from host" failure	Self-paced or instructor-led	6 required	1 lab
root-04-m05-container-storage	READY	m04	Prove volume persistence with a real destroy/recreate cycle	Self-paced or instructor-led	6 required	1 lab
root-04-m06-dockerfile-and-image-build	READY	m05	Write a real Dockerfile; build a real image	Self-paced or instructor-led	6 required	1 lab
root-04-m07-docker-compose	READY	m06	Run a real multi-service application declaratively	Self-paced or instructor-led	6 required	1 lab
root-04-m08-containers-to-kubernetes	READY	m07	Explain what Kubernetes adds beyond Docker — the explicit bridge to ROOT 05	Self-paced or instructor-led	3 required	none (conceptual) + ROOT 04 Containers & Docker 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 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

The ROOT_ pilot now runs a complete, beginning-to-advanced path: ROOT 01-04 (Linux → networking → Git → containers), ROOT 05-07/09-10 (Kubernetes), ROOT 12 (Real Ops), and the Capstone — every module in that path meets the READY bar, and ROOT 01-04's self-paced readiness was verified explicitly this phase (real API tests, a real-Lab rehearsal covering real Linux/Docker/Git actions, and a programmatic scan for instructor-deferral language across every module). Three specific practice-bank modules (root-06-m01, root-07-m01, root-10-m02) run instructor-led only this pilot. ROOT 08 and most of ROOT 11 are explicitly out of the required path. Given that scope, the pilot curriculum — genuinely self-paced-capable end to end, with instructor-led as the recommended default for a first cohort — is ready.