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Updated Feb 10, 2026
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Chapter 53: Dapr Core - Sidecar Building Blocks

Dapr abstracts infrastructure behind portable HTTP/gRPC APIs. You build the dapr-deployment skill, deploy Dapr to Kubernetes, and refactor the Part 6 Task API to use Dapr building blocks instead of direct clients.

Goals​

  • Understand the Dapr sidecar architecture and components
  • Deploy Dapr to Kubernetes via Helm
  • Use Dapr building blocks: state, pub/sub, service invocation, bindings, jobs, secrets, config
  • Swap infrastructure backends by updating component YAML instead of code
  • Capture the patterns in a reusable Dapr skill

Lesson Progression​

LessonFocus
L00Build Your Dapr Skill (skill-first)
L01-L02Sidecar pattern, building blocks, components
L03-L08Deploy Dapr; state, invocation, pub/sub, bindings, jobs, secrets/config
L09Capstone: Dapr-enabled Task API
L10Finalize the Dapr skill

Each lesson ends with a reflection to test, find gaps, and improve the skill.

Outcome & Method​

You finish with the Task API running through Dapr (state, pub/sub, invocation, bindings, jobs, secrets) plus a Dapr deployment skill. The chapter uses the 4-Layer approach: concepts → collaboration on components → spec-driven capstone → skill finalization.

Prerequisites​

  • Chapter 3 skills tooling
  • Chapters 49-51 (Docker, Kubernetes, Helm)
  • Chapter 52 (Kafka mental model for pub/sub abstraction)
  • Part 6 Task API (async FastAPI)

Technology Stack​

  • Dapr: 1.14+ (latest stable)
  • Python SDK: dapr-client, dapr-ext-fastapi
  • State Store: Redis (simple, familiar pattern)
  • Pub/Sub: Redis (simpler than Kafka for learning Dapr)
  • Platform: Docker Desktop Kubernetes
  • Helm: For Dapr control plane deployment

Looking Ahead​

This chapter covers Dapr's core building blocks. Chapter 59 adds stateful patterns:

  • Dapr Actors for agent state management
  • Dapr Workflows for long-running orchestration
  • Virtual actors pattern for distributed agent systems

Skill-First Learning​

This chapter follows the Skill-First Learning Pattern:

  1. L00: Build your dapr-deployment skill FIRST using official docs
  2. L01-L08: Learn each building block while improving your skill
  3. L09: Apply everything in a real capstone project
  4. L10: Finalize your skill as a sellable Digital FTE component

Every lesson (L01-L09) ends with a "Reflect on Your Skill" section where you update your skill based on what you learned.