Introduction to kubectl [page]deterministic

reference

kubectl is a command-line tool for interacting with Kubernetes clusters, using the Kubernetes API. Use it to deploy applications, inspect resources, and manage workloads.

While this Book is focused on using kubectl to declaratively manage applications in Kubernetes, it also covers other kubectl functions.

## Command Families

Most kubectl commands typically fall into one of a few categories:

| Type | Used For | Description | |----------------------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------------------------------| | Declarative Resource Management | Deployment and operations (e.g. GitOps) | Declaratively manage Kubernetes workloads using resource configuration | | Imperative Resource Management | Development Only | Run commands to manage Kubernetes workloads using Command Line arguments and flags | | Printing Workload State | Debugging | Print information about workloads | | Interacting with Containers | Debugging | Exec, attach, cp, logs | | Cluster Management | Cluster operations | Drain and cordon Nodes |

## Declarative Application Management

The preferred approach for managing resources is through declarative files called resource configuration used with the kubectl *Apply* command. This command reads a local (or remote) file structure and modifies cluster state to reflect the declared intent.

Apply is the preferred mechanism for managing resources in a Kubernetes cluster.

## Printing State about Workloads

Users will need to view workload state.

Printing summarize state and information about resources
Printing complete state and information about resources
Printing specific fields from resources
Query resources matching labels

## Debugging Workloads

kubectl supports debugging by providing commands for:

Printing Container logs
Printing cluster events
Exec or attaching to a Container
Copying files from Containers in the cluster to a user's filesystem

## Cluster Management

On occasion, users may need to perform operations to the Nodes of cluster. kubectl supports commands to drain workloads from a Node so that it can be decommissioned or debugged.

## Porcelain

Users may find using resource configuration overly verbose for *development* and prefer to work with the cluster *imperatively* with a shell-like workflow. kubectl offers porcelain commands for generating and modifying resources.

Generating + creating resources such as Deployments, StatefulSets, Services, ConfigMaps, etc.
Setting fields on resources
Editing (live) resources in a text editor

Porcelain commands are time saving for experimenting with workloads in a dev cluster, but shouldn't be used for production.

Sources

reference/kubectl/introduction.md · doc — “Introduction to kubectl”

Related (6)

part_of Command Families — describes conf=1

part_of Declarative Application Management — describes conf=1

part_of Printing State about Workloads — describes conf=1

part_of Debugging Workloads — describes conf=1

part_of Cluster Management — describes conf=1

part_of Porcelain — describes conf=1

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