Which of the following best describes Kubernetes?

Kubernetes is best described as an open-source platform for managing containerized applications. It is designed to automate the deployment, scaling, and operation of application containers across clusters of hosts. Kubernetes helps in managing the lifecycle of containers, which can include activities such as load balancing, service discovery, and automated rollouts and rollbacks.

This orchestration tool allows developers to deploy applications quickly and efficiently, making it highly valued in the realm of cloud computing and microservices architectures. Its capability to manage resources and maintain application availability in production environments is what makes it a critical component of modern application development and IT infrastructure.