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Kubectl CLI by dataknifeai — Agent Skill

Name: Kubectl CLI
Author: DataKnifeAI

Kubectl CLI

Uses kubectl to inspect and change Kubernetes clusters: resources, logs, exec, port-forward, rollouts, and apply. Apply when the user works with pods, deployments, services, namespaces, events, or cluster debugging from a shell.

DataKnifeAI 7f56b5d 3.0 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

kubectl (`kubectl`)

When to use

List, describe, create, update, or delete API resources (pods, deployments, services, configmaps, secrets, CRDs, etc.).
Stream logs, run commands in containers (exec), or port-forward to workloads.
Inspect rollouts, scale workloads, or diff/apply manifests.
Troubleshoot with events, describe, metrics (top), or debug sessions.

Prerequisites

kubectl installed (kubectl version --client). Documentation: kubectl reference.
Cluster access: valid kubeconfig (default ~/.kube/config, or KUBECONFIG with one or more files).
Context: kubectl config current-context; switch with kubectl config use-context or pass --context per command.
Namespace: use -n <namespace> or -A / --all-namespaces when not using default.

Patterns

Help: kubectl --help, kubectl <cmd> --help, kubectl explain <resource>[.<fieldPath>].
Output: -o wide, -o yaml, -o json, -o jsonpath='...' for scripts; --show-labels when labels matter.
Selection: -l key=value, resource/name arguments, -f file or -k dir (kustomize).
Dry run: kubectl apply --dry-run=server|client (and kubectl delete/create dry-run flags per command help) before destructive changes.
Imperative vs declarative: quick edits with kubectl edit / kubectl patch; repeatable changes with manifests + kubectl apply.

Core commands (orienting)

Area	Examples
Discovery	`kubectl api-resources`, `kubectl get ns`, `kubectl get pods -n <ns>`
Inspect	`kubectl describe <type> <name> -n <ns>`, `kubectl get all -n <ns>`
Logs	`kubectl logs <pod> -n <ns>`, `kubectl logs -f ...`, `kubectl logs <pod> -c <container>`
Exec	`kubectl exec -it <pod> -n <ns> -- <cmd>`
Port forward	`kubectl port-forward svc/<name> <local>:<remote> -n <ns>`
Apply	`kubectl apply -f manifest.yaml`, `kubectl apply -k overlays/prod`
Rollout	`kubectl rollout status deployment/<name> -n <ns>`, `kubectl rollout undo ...`
Cluster	`kubectl cluster-info`, `kubectl top nodes`, `kubectl top pods -n <ns>`

Safety

Secrets: avoid printing secret contents in logs; redact tokens in command output shared with users.
Destructive: delete, drain, replace --force, and some apply/patch operations can disrupt workloads—match intent to the user’s request.
Production: prefer explicit --context and -n in shared scripts to avoid the wrong cluster or namespace.

References

Official documentation: kubectl reference
Local help: kubectl help, kubectl <cmd> --help, kubectl explain <resource> (authoritative for your installed kubectl version)

---name: kubectl-clidescription: Uses kubectl to inspect and change Kubernetes clusters: resources, logs, exec, port-forward, rollouts, and apply. Apply when the user works with pods, deployments, services, namespaces, events, or cluster debugging from a shell.---# kubectl (`kubectl`)## When to use- List, describe, create, update, or delete API resources (pods, deployments, services, configmaps, secrets, CRDs, etc.).- Stream logs, run commands in containers (`exec`), or port-forward to workloads.- Inspect rollouts, scale workloads, or diff/apply manifests.- Troubleshoot with events, `describe`, metrics (`top`), or debug sessions.## Prerequisites- `kubectl` installed (`kubectl version --client`). Documentation: [kubectl reference](https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/kubectl/).- **Cluster access**: valid kubeconfig (default `~/.kube/config`, or `KUBECONFIG` with one or more files).- **Context**: `kubectl config current-context`; switch with `kubectl config use-context` or pass `--context` per command.- **Namespace**: use `-n <namespace>` or `-A` / `--all-namespaces` when not using `default`.## Patterns- **Help**: `kubectl --help`, `kubectl <cmd> --help`, `kubectl explain <resource>[.<fieldPath>]`.- **Output**: `-o wide`, `-o yaml`, `-o json`, `-o jsonpath='...'` for scripts; `--show-labels` when labels matter.- **Selection**: `-l key=value`, resource/name arguments, `-f file` or `-k dir` (kustomize).- **Dry run**: `kubectl apply --dry-run=server|client` (and `kubectl delete`/`create` dry-run flags per command help) before destructive changes.- **Imperative vs declarative**: quick edits with `kubectl edit` / `kubectl patch`; repeatable changes with manifests + `kubectl apply`.## Core commands (orienting)| Area | Examples ||------|----------|| Discovery | `kubectl api-resources`, `kubectl get ns`, `kubectl get pods -n <ns>` || Inspect | `kubectl describe <type> <name> -n <ns>`, `kubectl get all -n <ns>` || Logs | `kubectl logs <pod> -n <ns>`, `kubectl logs -f ...`, `kubectl logs <pod> -c <container>` || Exec | `kubectl exec -it <pod> -n <ns> -- <cmd>` || Port forward | `kubectl port-forward svc/<name> <local>:<remote> -n <ns>` || Apply | `kubectl apply -f manifest.yaml`, `kubectl apply -k overlays/prod` || Rollout | `kubectl rollout status deployment/<name> -n <ns>`, `kubectl rollout undo ...` || Cluster | `kubectl cluster-info`, `kubectl top nodes`, `kubectl top pods -n <ns>` |## Safety- **Secrets**: avoid printing secret contents in logs; redact tokens in command output shared with users.- **Destructive**: `delete`, `drain`, `replace --force`, and some `apply`/`patch` operations can disrupt workloads—match intent to the user’s request.- **Production**: prefer explicit `--context` and `-n` in shared scripts to avoid the wrong cluster or namespace.## References- **Official documentation:** [kubectl reference](https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/kubectl/)- **Local help:** `kubectl help`, `kubectl <cmd> --help`, `kubectl explain <resource>` (authoritative for your installed `kubectl` version)

Frequently asked questions