Top 10 Kubernetes CLI Tools Every DevOps Engineer Should Know
As Kubernetes continues to dominate the container orchestration landscape, DevOps engineers need powerful command-line tools to efficiently manage production workloads. While kubectl remains the foundation, the ecosystem has evolved with specialized tools that enhance productivity, provide better visibility, and streamline troubleshooting. Here are the top 10 Kubernetes CLI tools that every DevOps engineer should have in their toolkit.
The official Kubernetes CLI - Required for interacting with cluster resources.
kubectl is the essential starting point for any Kubernetes interaction. It provides the core functionality for managing resources, viewing logs, executing commands in pods, and more. While powerful, it can be verbose and complex for daily operations.
Key Features:
- Resource management (create, update, delete)
- Log viewing and debugging
- Port forwarding and proxy access
- Resource inspection and validation
Terminal UI to interact with your cluster in real-time. Lightweight and intuitive.
k9s transforms the terminal into an interactive dashboard, providing real-time views of pods, services, deployments, and other resources. It’s perfect for monitoring cluster health and quickly identifying issues.
Key Features:
- Real-time resource monitoring
- Interactive pod log viewing
- Resource scaling and management
- Custom views and filters
- Keyboard shortcuts for efficiency
Installation:
# macOS
brew install k9s
# Linux
wget https://github.com/derailed/k9s/releases/latest/download/k9s_Linux_amd64.tar.gz
tar -xzf k9s_Linux_amd64.tar.gz
sudo mv k9s /usr/local/bin/
Switch contexts and namespaces quickly from the CLI.
Managing multiple clusters and namespaces can be cumbersome with standard kubectl commands. kubectx and kubens provide simple, fast switching between Kubernetes contexts and namespaces.
Key Features:
- Quick context switching
- Namespace switching
- Tab completion support
- Interactive selection mode
Installation:
# macOS
brew install kubectx
# Linux
sudo git clone https://github.com/ahmetb/kubectx /opt/kubectx
sudo ln -s /opt/kubectx/kubectx /usr/local/bin/kubectx
sudo ln -s /opt/kubectx/kubens /usr/local/bin/kubens
Usage:
# Switch contexts
kubectx minikube
kubectx production-cluster
# Switch namespaces
kubens default
kubens monitoring
Adds current context and namespace info to your shell prompt.
Never lose track of which cluster and namespace you’re working in. kube-ps1 enhances your shell prompt to display the current Kubernetes context and namespace, preventing costly mistakes.
Key Features:
- Context and namespace display
- Customizable prompt format
- Color coding for different environments
- Easy enable/disable toggle
Installation:
# Add to your shell profile (.bashrc, .zshrc, etc.)
source <(kubectl completion bash)
source ~/.kube-ps1.sh
PS1='[\u@\h \W $(kube_ps1)]\$ '
Multi-pod log tailing with filters and coloring — ideal for debugging live systems.
When debugging distributed applications, you need to monitor logs from multiple pods simultaneously. stern makes this easy with intelligent filtering and color-coded output.
Key Features:
- Multi-pod log streaming
- Regex-based pod selection
- Color-coded output by pod
- Real-time filtering
- Support for multiple containers
Installation:
# macOS
brew install stern
# Linux
wget https://github.com/stern/stern/releases/latest/download/stern_linux_amd64.tar.gz
tar -xzf stern_linux_amd64.tar.gz
sudo mv stern /usr/local/bin/
Usage:
# Follow logs from all pods with "api" in the name
stern api
# Follow logs with specific label
stern -l app=frontend
# Follow logs from specific namespace
stern -n production api
Clean up verbose kubectl output for human-readable inspection.
kubectl output can be overwhelming with default fields and metadata. kubectl-neat removes unnecessary fields and formats output for better readability.
Key Features:
- Removes default fields and metadata
- Preserves important information
- YAML and JSON output support
- Customizable field filtering
Installation:
# Using krew
kubectl krew install neat
# Manual installation
wget https://github.com/itaysk/kubectl-neat/releases/latest/download/kubectl-neat_linux_amd64.tar.gz
tar -xzf kubectl-neat_linux_amd64.tar.gz
sudo mv kubectl-neat /usr/local/bin/
Usage:
# Clean up pod output
kubectl get pod my-pod -o yaml | kubectl neat
# Clean up deployment output
kubectl get deployment my-deployment -o yaml | kubectl neat
# Clean up service output
kubectl get service my-service -o yaml | kubectl neat
# Clean up configmap output
kubectl get configmap my-config -o yaml | kubectl neat
Cluster sanitizer that scans for misconfigurations and hygiene issues.
popeye performs comprehensive cluster scans to identify potential issues, misconfigurations, and best practice violations. It’s essential for maintaining cluster health and security.
Key Features:
- Comprehensive cluster scanning
- Security best practice checks
- Resource utilization analysis
- Detailed reporting with scores
- Custom rule configuration
Installation:
# macOS
brew install popeye
# Linux
wget https://github.com/derailed/popeye/releases/latest/download/popeye_Linux_amd64.tar.gz
tar -xzf popeye_Linux_amd64.tar.gz
sudo mv popeye /usr/local/bin/
Usage:
# Scan entire cluster
popeye
# Scan specific namespace
popeye -n production
# Generate HTML report
popeye --out html --output-file report.html
View hierarchical ownership relationships between Kubernetes resources.
Understanding resource relationships in Kubernetes can be complex. kubectl-tree visualizes the ownership hierarchy, making it easier to understand dependencies and troubleshoot issues.
Key Features:
- Hierarchical resource display
- Owner reference tracking
- Custom resource support
- Multiple output formats
- Dependency visualization
Installation:
# Using krew
kubectl krew install tree
# Manual installation
wget https://github.com/ahmetb/kubectl-tree/releases/latest/download/kubectl-tree_linux_amd64.tar.gz
tar -xzf kubectl-tree_linux_amd64.tar.gz
sudo mv kubectl-tree /usr/local/bin/
Usage:
# Show pod ownership tree
kubectl tree pod my-pod
# Show deployment tree
kubectl tree deployment my-deployment
# Show all resources in namespace
kubectl tree all -n production
# Show tree with custom format
kubectl tree pod my-pod --graphviz
Estimate resource cost by namespace or pod using OpenCost metrics.
Understanding the cost implications of your Kubernetes workloads is crucial for budget management. kubectl-cost provides cost estimates based on resource usage and pricing data.
Key Features:
- Cost estimation by namespace/pod
- Historical cost analysis
- Resource allocation insights
- Integration with OpenCost
- Custom pricing configuration
Installation:
# Using krew
kubectl krew install cost
# Manual installation
wget https://github.com/kubecost/kubectl-cost/releases/latest/download/kubectl-cost_linux_amd64.tar.gz
tar -xzf kubectl-cost_linux_amd64.tar.gz
sudo mv kubectl-cost /usr/local/bin/
Usage:
# Show costs by namespace
kubectl cost namespace
# Show costs by pod
kubectl cost pod
# Show historical costs
kubectl cost namespace --historical
Smart wrapper around kubectl apply with templating, config reuse, and dry-run.
kubeapply enhances the standard kubectl apply command with advanced features like templating, configuration reuse, and improved dry-run capabilities.
Key Features:
- Template rendering
- Configuration inheritance
- Enhanced dry-run mode
- Environment-specific configs
- Validation and linting
Installation:
# Using Go
go install github.com/creasty/kubeapply@latest
# Manual installation
wget https://github.com/creasty/kubeapply/releases/latest/download/kubeapply_linux_amd64.tar.gz
tar -xzf kubeapply_linux_amd64.tar.gz
sudo mv kubeapply /usr/local/bin/
Usage:
# Apply with templating
kubeapply -f manifests/ -e production
# Dry run with validation
kubeapply -f manifests/ --dry-run --validate
# Apply with specific config
kubeapply -f manifests/ -c config.yaml
Many of these tools can be installed using krew, the kubectl plugin manager:
# Install krew
(
set -x; cd "$(mktemp -d)" &&
OS="$(uname | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')" &&
ARCH="$(uname -m | sed -e 's/x86_64/amd64/' -e 's/\(arm\)\(64\)\?.*/\1\2/' -e 's/aarch64$/arm64/')" &&
KREW="krew-${OS}_${ARCH}" &&
curl -fsSLO "https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/krew/releases/latest/download/${KREW}.tar.gz" &&
tar zxvf "${KREW}.tar.gz" &&
./"${KREW}" install krew
)
# Add krew to PATH
export PATH="${KREW_ROOT:-$HOME/.krew}/bin:$PATH"
# Install plugins
kubectl krew install neat
kubectl krew install tree
kubectl krew install cost
Use different contexts and namespaces to separate development, staging, and production environments.
Integrate these tools into your CI/CD pipelines for automated health checks and cost monitoring.
Establish team standards for which tools to use and how to configure them consistently.
Ensure tools with elevated permissions are used carefully and audited regularly.
Keep tools updated to benefit from new features and security patches.
These CLI tools significantly enhance kubectl’s functionality, transforming it from a basic CLI tool into a powerful, extensible platform for Kubernetes management. The plugins outlined above provide essential capabilities for context management, resource analysis, security auditing, and productivity enhancement.
Start with the core plugins (ctx, ns, neat) and gradually expand your toolkit based on your specific needs and workflows. Remember that the best tool is the one that fits your workflow and helps you solve real problems efficiently.
For teams managing multiple clusters or complex environments, consider creating standardized plugin configurations and documentation to ensure consistency across your organization. The Krew ecosystem continues to grow, so stay updated with new plugins that might benefit your workflow.
For more information about Kubernetes CLI tools and best practices, visit the official Kubernetes documentation.