Kubernetes is a powerful tool for managing distributed systems, but its initial setup can be challenging. The article explores setting up a production-ready Kubernetes cluster using Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (Amazon EKS) and Terraform, an infrastructure as code (IaC) solution that allows for defining cloud infrastructure configurations. The guide details creating a Terraform configuration to provision an Amazon EKS cluster and an AWS Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), and explains the process of using Terraform commands to deploy and authenticate the cluster. Additionally, it introduces the CircleCI aws-eks orb, a tool that simplifies the creation and management of EKS clusters by automating the process through pre-packaged configuration code. This method is contrasted with the manual Terraform approach, highlighting the efficiency and ease of use that CircleCI offers. The article encourages hands-on experimentation with both methods to better understand Kubernetes cluster creation and management.