In a cloud-based project, the team faces performance bottlenecks due to inefficient resource allocation. How would you utilize specific technologies or tools to optimize resource usage and improve performance?

Kubernetes Horizontal Pod Autoscaler (HPA) automatically adjusts the number of replica pods in a Kubernetes cluster based on resource usage metrics, such as CPU and memory utilization. By dynamically scaling resources up or down, HPA ensures efficient resource allocation, optimizes application performance, and maintains reliability during peak loads. Its integration with Kubernetes' declarative configuration simplifies management and enables seamless scalability for cloud-native applications.