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K9s: Terminal UI for Managing Kubernetes Clusters

K9s is a terminal-based user interface (TUI) that helps you interact with your Kubernetes clusters in a fast and efficient way. It provides a real-time, interactive view of your cluster resources, making it easier to monitor and manage workloads without leaving your terminal.

What is K9s?​

  • K9s is an open-source TUI for Kubernetes.
  • It connects to your cluster using your kubeconfig and displays resources in a navigable, interactive interface.
  • Designed to improve productivity for developers and operators working with Kubernetes.

Key Features​

  • Real-Time Monitoring: View and manage pods, deployments, services, and other resources live.
  • Interactive Navigation: Quickly drill down into namespaces, logs, events, and resource details.
  • Resource Management: Delete, edit, and describe resources directly from the UI.
  • Log Viewing: Tail and filter logs for containers and pods.
  • Shortcuts: Extensive keyboard shortcuts for fast navigation and actions.
  • Custom Plugins: Extend K9s with your own commands and plugins.

Why Use K9s?​

  • Increases efficiency for Kubernetes troubleshooting and management.
  • Reduces context switching between terminal and browser-based dashboards.
  • Lightweight and fast, works in any terminal.
  • Great for both beginners and advanced users.

Basic Usage​

  • Install K9s (macOS example): 
    brew install derailed/k9s/k9s
  • Start K9s: 
    k9s
  • Use arrow keys, / to filter, :q to quit, and ? for help and shortcuts.

Further Reading​