Kubernetes Pod Debugging

Kubernetes Pod Debugging

Methodology for identifying and fixing CrashLoopBackOff and OOMKilled in K8s.

When to use

• When operating in the devops domain.
• When resolving incidents related to kubernetes pod debugging.

When not to use

• If the issue requires manual human intervention.
• If the domain does not apply.

Triggers

• Pattern: kubernetes-pod-debugging
• Keywords: devops, kubernetes

Inputs

• Context from the current user session or incident report.

Steps

1. Step 1

Check pod status with kubectl get pods and identify the failing pod.

2. Step 2

Inspect previous logs with kubectl logs <pod-name> --previous to find the panic or exception.

3. Step 3

Check pod events using kubectl describe pod <pod-name> to look for OOMKilled or readiness probe failures.

4. Step 4

If OOMKilled, review resource limits in the deployment manifest and suggest an increase based on current usage estimates.

Success signals

• The task is resolved without regressions.
• Logs confirm the procedure was successfully applied.

Failure modes

• Incorrect application of the steps leading to side effects.

Safety notes

• Always verify changes in a staging environment before applying to production.
• Do not execute destructive commands without explicit authorization.