kubectl is the command-line tool for controlling Kubernetes clusters. Manage resources, deployments, services, and troubleshoot issues.
Installation
Linux
# Download kubectl
curl -LO "https://dl.k8s.io/release/$(curl -L -s https://dl.k8s.io/release/stable.txt)/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl"
chmod +x kubectl
sudo mv kubectl /usr/local/bin/
# Verify installation
kubectl version --client
macOS
# Using Homebrew
brew install kubectl
# Download directly
curl -LO "https://dl.k8s.io/release/$(curl -L -s https://dl.k8s.io/release/stable.txt)/bin/darwin/amd64/kubectl"
chmod +x kubectl
sudo mv kubectl /usr/local/bin/
# For Apple Silicon
curl -LO "https://dl.k8s.io/release/$(curl -L -s https://dl.k8s.io/release/stable.txt)/bin/darwin/arm64/kubectl"
Windows
# Using Chocolatey
choco install kubernetes-cli
# Using Scoop
scoop install kubectl
# Download from official source
# https://dl.k8s.io/release/v<VERSION>/bin/windows/amd64/kubectl.exe
Cluster & Context
| Command | Description |
|---|
kubectl cluster-info | Display cluster endpoint |
kubectl config view | Show current kubeconfig |
kubectl config current-context | Get current context |
kubectl config use-context [context] | Switch context |
kubectl config get-contexts | List all contexts |
kubectl config set-context [name] --cluster=[cluster] --user=[user] | Create context |
kubectl config delete-context [name] | Remove context |
kubectl version | Show kubectl and server version |
Nodes
| Command | Description |
|---|
kubectl get nodes | List all nodes |
kubectl get nodes -o wide | List nodes with details |
kubectl describe node [name] | Show node details |
kubectl top nodes | Show node resource usage |
kubectl label node [name] key=value | Add label to node |
kubectl taint node [name] key=value:NoSchedule | Add taint to node |
kubectl cordon [node] | Mark node as unschedulable |
kubectl drain [node] | Drain node (remove pods) |
kubectl uncordon [node] | Mark node as schedulable |
Namespaces
| Command | Description |
|---|
kubectl get namespace | List all namespaces |
kubectl get ns | Short form for namespace |
kubectl create namespace [name] | Create namespace |
kubectl delete namespace [name] | Delete namespace |
kubectl config set-context --current --namespace=[name] | Set default namespace |
kubectl get pods -n [namespace] | Get pods in namespace |
kubectl get all -n [namespace] | Get all resources in namespace |
Pods
| Command | Description |
|---|
kubectl get pods | List pods in current namespace |
kubectl get pods -A | List pods in all namespaces |
kubectl get pods -o wide | List pods with node/IP info |
kubectl describe pod [name] | Show pod details |
kubectl logs [pod-name] | View pod logs |
kubectl logs -f [pod-name] | Follow pod logs (streaming) |
kubectl logs [pod-name] -c [container] | View specific container logs |
kubectl exec -it [pod-name] /bin/bash | Interactive shell in pod |
kubectl exec [pod-name] -- [command] | Execute command in pod |
kubectl port-forward [pod-name] [local]:[remote] | Forward port to pod |
kubectl delete pod [name] | Delete pod |
kubectl delete pods --all | Delete all pods |
Deployments
Creating & Viewing
# Create deployment
kubectl create deployment [name] --image=[image] --replicas=3
# Get all deployments
kubectl get deployments
# Describe deployment
kubectl describe deployment [name]
# Get deployment in YAML
kubectl get deployment [name] -o yaml
# Export deployment to file
kubectl get deployment [name] -o yaml > deployment.yaml
Scaling & Updating
# Scale deployment
kubectl scale deployment [name] --replicas=5
# Set image (update)
kubectl set image deployment/[name] [container]=[image:tag]
# Rollout status
kubectl rollout status deployment/[name]
# Rollout history
kubectl rollout history deployment/[name]
# Rollback to previous version
kubectl rollout undo deployment/[name]
# Rollback to specific revision
kubectl rollout undo deployment/[name] --to-revision=2
# Pause rollout
kubectl rollout pause deployment/[name]
# Resume rollout
kubectl rollout resume deployment/[name]
Deleting
# Delete deployment
kubectl delete deployment [name]
# Delete deployment and pods
kubectl delete deployment [name] --cascade=foreground
# Delete by filename
kubectl delete -f deployment.yaml
Services & Ingress
Services
# Get all services
kubectl get services
# Get service details
kubectl describe service [name]
# Create service
kubectl expose deployment [name] --type=LoadBalancer --port=80 --target-port=8080
# Create NodePort service
kubectl expose deployment [name] --type=NodePort --port=80
# Delete service
kubectl delete service [name]
# Get service endpoints
kubectl get endpoints [name]
Port Forwarding
# Forward to pod
kubectl port-forward pod/[name] 8080:8080
# Forward to service
kubectl port-forward svc/[name] 8080:8080
# Forward from specific address
kubectl port-forward --address 0.0.0.0 svc/[name] 8080:8080
ConfigMaps & Secrets
ConfigMaps
# Create ConfigMap from file
kubectl create configmap [name] --from-file=[file]
# Create ConfigMap from literal
kubectl create configmap [name] --from-literal=key=value
# Get ConfigMap
kubectl get configmap [name]
# View ConfigMap data
kubectl get configmap [name] -o yaml
# Edit ConfigMap
kubectl edit configmap [name]
# Delete ConfigMap
kubectl delete configmap [name]
Secrets
# Create secret from file
kubectl create secret generic [name] --from-file=[file]
# Create Docker secret
kubectl create secret docker-registry [name] --docker-server=[server] --docker-username=[user] --docker-password=[pass]
# Get secrets
kubectl get secrets
# Describe secret
kubectl describe secret [name]
# Base64 decode secret value
kubectl get secret [name] -o jsonpath='{.data.[key]}' | base64 -d
# Delete secret
kubectl delete secret [name]
Resources Management
Applying & Creating
# Apply resource from file (create or update)
kubectl apply -f [file.yaml]
# Apply all YAML files in directory
kubectl apply -f [directory]/
# Create from stdin
cat deployment.yaml | kubectl apply -f -
# Diff before applying
kubectl diff -f [file.yaml]
Getting Resources
# Get all resources
kubectl get all
# Get specific resource type
kubectl get [resource-type]
# Get with labels
kubectl get [resource] -l key=value
# Get with column sorting
kubectl get pods --sort-by=.metadata.name
# Export as YAML
kubectl get [resource] [name] -o yaml
# Export as JSON
kubectl get [resource] [name] -o json
# Custom output columns
kubectl get pods -o custom-columns=NAME:.metadata.name,STATUS:.status.phase
Editing & Patching
# Edit resource in editor
kubectl edit [resource] [name]
# Patch resource
kubectl patch [resource] [name] -p '{"spec":{"replicas":3}}'
# Set resource fields
kubectl set [field] [resource/name] [value]
# Delete resource
kubectl delete [resource] [name]
# Delete with grace period
kubectl delete pod [name] --grace-period=10
Troubleshooting
Debugging
# View pod events
kubectl describe pod [name]
# View cluster events
kubectl get events --sort-by='.lastTimestamp'
# View pod logs
kubectl logs [name]
# Follow pod logs
kubectl logs -f [name]
# View previous logs (crash)
kubectl logs [name] --previous
# Debugging pod
kubectl debug pod/[name]
# Copy files from pod
kubectl cp [namespace]/[pod-name]:[path] [local-path]
# Copy files to pod
kubectl cp [local-file] [namespace]/[pod-name]:[path]
Resource Usage
# View node resource usage
kubectl top nodes
# View pod resource usage
kubectl top pods
# View pod resource with sorting
kubectl top pods --sort-by=memory
# View specific namespace usage
kubectl top pods -n [namespace]
Useful Aliases
# Add to .bashrc or .zshrc
alias k='kubectl'
alias kg='kubectl get'
alias kgp='kubectl get pods'
alias kgd='kubectl get deployments'
alias kgs='kubectl get services'
alias kgn='kubectl get nodes'
alias kd='kubectl describe'
alias kdp='kubectl describe pod'
alias kl='kubectl logs'
alias klf='kubectl logs -f'
alias kex='kubectl exec -it'
alias ka='kubectl apply -f'
alias kdel='kubectl delete'
alias kctx='kubectl config current-context'
Best Practices
- Use namespaces to organize resources
- Always set resource requests and limits
- Use health checks (liveness, readiness probes)
- Tag images with versions, not latest
- Use RBAC for access control
- Implement network policies
- Monitor cluster health and resource usage
- Keep kubeconfig files secure
- Use kubectl apply (declarative) over kubectl create (imperative)
- Regularly back up persistent data
Resources
Last updated: 2026-03-30
