Kubectl Cheatsheat¶

This isn't just a list of commands; it's a collection of the workflows you use every day. From switching contexts to debugging crashed pods, this reference cuts through the noise.

Setup & Configuration¶

Before you do anything, make sure you are talking to the right cluster.

Action	Command
List Contexts	`kubectl config get-contexts`
Switch Cluster	`kubectl config use-context <context_name>`
Switch Namespace	`kubectl config set-context --current --namespace=<ns>`
View Config	`kubectl config view --minify`
Who Am I?	`kubectl auth can-i create pods` (Check your own permissions)

Pro Tip

Install kubectx and kubens. Stop typing long commands. Use these standard tools:

kubectx my-cluster (Switch cluster)
kubens my-namespace (Switch namespace)

Inspection & Observation¶

The "Read" operations. Most of your day is spent here.

Object	Command	Notes
Pods	`kubectl get pods -o wide`	Shows Node IP and Pod IP.
All Namespaces	`kubectl get pods -A`	The "God View" of the cluster.
Watch Live	`kubectl get pods -w`	Live stream of status changes.
Events	`kubectl get events --sort-by=.metadata.creationTimestamp`	Crucial: Shows errors chronologically.
Labels	`kubectl get pods --show-labels`	Debug Selector issues.
Resource Usage	`kubectl top pod --containers`	Requires metrics-server.

Debugging (The "Fix It" Phase)¶

When things go red, run these in order.

Scenario	Command	Why use it?
Why did it die?	`kubectl describe pod <pod>`	Read the "Events" section at the bottom.
App Logs	`kubectl logs <pod>`	Standard output of the app.
Previous Logs	`kubectl logs <pod> --previous`	Gold. See logs of the container before it crashed.
Specific Container	`kubectl logs <pod> -c <sidecar>`	For multi-container pods (like Service Mesh).
Shell Access	`kubectl exec -it <pod> -- /bin/sh`	Jump inside to check files/network.
Distroless Debug	`kubectl debug -it <pod> --image=busybox --target=<container>`	Attaches a shell to a locked-down pod.

Creation & Modification¶

The "Write" operations.

Action	Command
Apply YAML	`kubectl apply -f my-app.yaml`
Restart App	`kubectl rollout restart deployment/my-app` (Zero downtime!)
Scale Up	`kubectl scale deployment/my-app --replicas=5`
Edit Live	`kubectl edit svc/my-service` (Opens in VI/Nano)
Force Delete	`kubectl delete pod <pod> --grace-period=0 --force` (Use responsibly!)
Quick Job	`kubectl create job manual-job --image=busybox -- echo "Done"`

Power User Tricks (JSONPath)¶

Stop using grep. Use native filtering to get exactly the data you need.

1. Get only the Pod IPs:

kubectl get pods -o jsonpath='{.items[*].status.podIP}'

2. List all images running in the cluster:

kubectl get pods -A -o jsonpath='{.items[*].spec.containers[*].image}'

3. Find which node a specific pod is on:

kubectl get pod my-pod -o jsonpath='{.spec.nodeName}'

4. Decode a Secret instantly:

kubectl get secret my-secret -o jsonpath='{.data.password}' | base64 -d

Housekeeping¶

Keep your cluster clean.

Command	Description
`kubectl delete pod --field-selector=status.phase=Failed -A`	Delete all "Evicted" or "Failed" pods.
`kubectl api-resources`	List every object type your cluster supports.
`kubectl explain pod.spec.containers.livenessProbe`	Documentation: Read the manual for any field without leaving the terminal.

Shell Aliases (Save Your Fingers)¶

Add these to your .bashrc or .zshrc. You will thank yourself later.

alias k="kubectl"
alias kg="kubectl get"
alias kgp="kubectl get pods"
alias kga="kubectl get pods -A"
alias kd="kubectl describe"
alias kdel="kubectl delete"
alias klogs="kubectl logs"
alias kex="kubectl exec -it"

Now you can just type: kex my-pod -- bash