ConfigMap
In plain terms
A Kubernetes object holding non-secret configuration data.
Going deeper
A ConfigMap stores configuration as key-value data that pods consume as env vars or files, separating config from images. It externalizes settings.
Under the hood
For non-sensitive data (Secrets handle sensitive); decouples config so images stay environment-agnostic.
Examples
App config, feature flags, environment settings, mounted config files.
Think of it like...
Like a settings file handed to the app at runtime instead of baked into it.