Must-know Kubernetes commands for power users.

 

Cluster Management

• kubectl cluster-info # Displays information about the cluster
• kubectl get nodes # Lists nodes in the cluster
• kubectl describe node [node-name] # Shows details of a node
• kubectl drain [node-name] # Drains a node of pods before maintenance
• kubectl cordon [node-name] # Marks a node as unschedulable
• kubectl uncordon [node-name] # Marks a node as schedulable
• kubectl top nodes # Shows resource usage statistics for nodes

Pod Management

• kubectl get pods # Lists all pods in the current namespace
• kubectl get pods --all-namespaces # Lists all pods across all namespaces
• kubectl describe pod [pod-name] # Shows details of a pod
• kubectl logs [pod-name] # Displays the logs of a pod
• kubectl exec -it [pod-name] -- /bin/sh # Runs a command inside a pod
• kubectl delete pod [pod-name] # Deletes a pod
• kubectl run [pod-name] --image=[image] # Creates a pod with a specific image
• kubectl port-forward [pod-name] [local-port]:[pod-port] # Forwards ports from the pod to your machine
• kubectl top pod [pod-name] # Displays resource usage of a pod

Deployments Management

• kubectl get deployments # Lists all deployments
• kubectl describe deployment [deployment-name] # Shows details of a deployment
• kubectl apply -f [deployment-file.yaml] # Applies changes from a YAML deployment file
• kubectl delete deployment [deployment-name] # Deletes a deployment
• kubectl rollout status deployment [deployment-name] # Checks the status of a deployment
• kubectl rollout undo deployment [deployment-name] # Reverts the last deployment update
• kubectl scale deployment [deployment-name] --replicas=[number] # Scales a deployment
• kubectl set image deployment/[deployment-name] [container]=[new-image] # Updates the image of a container in a deployment

Services Management

• kubectl get services # Lists all services
• kubectl describe service [service-name] # Shows details of a service
• kubectl expose deployment [deployment-name] --type=[type] --port=[port] # Exposes a deployment as a service
• kubectl delete service [service-name] # Deletes a service
• kubectl port-forward service/[service-name] [local-port]:[service-port] # Forwards ports from the service

Namespace Management

• kubectl get namespaces # Lists all namespaces
• kubectl create namespace [namespace-name] # Creates a new namespace
• kubectl delete namespace [namespace-name] # Deletes a namespace
• kubectl config set-context --current --namespace=[namespace-name] # Sets the current namespace

ConfigMaps and Secrets Management

• kubectl get configmaps # Lists all ConfigMaps
• kubectl describe configmap [configmap-name] # Shows details of a ConfigMap
• kubectl create configmap [configmap-name] --from-file=[file] # Creates a ConfigMap from a file
• kubectl delete configmap [configmap-name] # Deletes a ConfigMap
• kubectl get secrets # Lists all secrets
• kubectl describe secret [secret-name] # Shows details of a secret
• kubectl create secret generic [secret-name] --from-literal=[key]=[value] # Creates a secret from literal values
• kubectl delete secret [secret-name] # Deletes a secret

Volumes and Storage Management

• kubectl get pv # Lists all persistent volumes (PVs)
• kubectl describe pv [pv-name] # Shows details of a PV
• kubectl get pvc # Lists all persistent volume claims (PVCs)
• kubectl describe pvc [pvc-name] # Shows details of a PVC
• kubectl delete pvc [pvc-name] # Deletes a PVC

Roles and Access Management (RBAC)

• kubectl get roles # Lists all roles
• kubectl get rolebindings # Lists all role bindings
• kubectl describe role [role-name] # Shows details of a role
• kubectl create role [role-name] --verb=[action] --resource=[resource] # Creates a role
• kubectl delete role [role-name] # Deletes a role
• kubectl get clusterroles # Lists all cluster-level roles
• kubectl describe clusterrole [clusterrole-name] # Shows details of a cluster role
• kubectl create clusterrole [clusterrole-name] --verb=[action] --resource=[resource] # Creates a cluster role
• kubectl delete clusterrole [clusterrole-name] # Deletes a cluster role

Jobs and CronJobs Management

• kubectl get jobs # Lists all jobs
• kubectl describe job [job-name] # Shows details of a job
• kubectl create job [job-name] --image=[image] # Creates a job
• kubectl delete job [job-name] # Deletes a job
• kubectl get cronjobs # Lists all cronjobs
• kubectl describe cronjob [cronjob-name] # Shows details of a cronjob
• kubectl create cronjob [cronjob-name] --schedule="*/5 * * * *" --image=[image] # Creates a cronjob with a schedule
• kubectl delete cronjob [cronjob-name] # Deletes a cronjob

Verification and Debugging

• kubectl get events # Lists all events in the cluster
• kubectl describe [resource] [resource-name] # Shows details of any resource
• kubectl get all # Lists all resources in the current namespace
• kubectl explain [resource] # Displays the documentation of a resource
• kubectl diff -f [file.yaml] # Compares a YAML file with the current state
• kubectl api-resources # Lists all available API resources
• kubectl api-versions # Lists all API versions
• kubectl version # Displays the version of kubectl and the server

Other Useful Commands

• kubectl edit [resource] [resource-name] # Edits a resource live
• kubectl patch [resource] [resource-name] --patch '{...}' # Applies a patch to a resource
• kubectl label [resource] [resource-name] [label]=[value] # Adds a label to a resource
• kubectl annotate [resource] [resource-name] [annotation]=[value] # Adds an annotation to a resource
• kubectl rollout restart deployment [deployment-name] # Restarts a deployment
• kubectl taint nodes [node-name] [key]=[value]:[effect] # Adds a taint to a node
• kubectl wait --for=condition=[condition] pod/[pod-name] # Waits for a resource to reach a condition