To learn and understand the basics of Kubernetes smoothly and efficiently, you need to have a fundamental knowledge of containerization and how containers function. With this knowledge, you can focus fully on Docker containers. However, if you are new to this field, you can start with understanding the basics, like virtualization, and then move on to advanced concepts. It is also helpful if you have some knowledge and experience with YAML (Yet Another Markup Language), Linux platform, and command-line interface. Strong basics make it much easier for you to understand the more complex topics, thereby saving your efforts and time learning Kubernetes.