# `kubectx` + `kubens`: Power tools for kubectl
[/badge.svg)](https://github.com/ahmetb/kubectx/actions?query=workflow%3A"Go+implementation+(CI)")
This repository provides both `kubectx` and `kubens` tools.
[Install →](#installation)
## What are `kubectx` and `kubens`?
**kubectx** is a tool to switch between contexts (clusters) on kubectl
faster.
**kubens** is a tool to switch between Kubernetes namespaces (and
configure them for kubectl) easily.
Here's a **`kubectx`** demo:
...and here's a **`kubens`** demo:
### Examples
```sh
# switch to another cluster that's in kubeconfig
$ kubectx minikube
Switched to context "minikube".
# switch back to previous cluster
$ kubectx -
Switched to context "oregon".
# rename context
$ kubectx dublin=gke_ahmetb_europe-west1-b_dublin
Context "gke_ahmetb_europe-west1-b_dublin" renamed to "dublin".
# change the active namespace on kubectl
$ kubens kube-system
Context "test" set.
Active namespace is "kube-system".
# go back to the previous namespace
$ kubens -
Context "test" set.
Active namespace is "default".
# change the active namespace even if it doesn't exist
$ kubens not-found-namespace --force
Context "test" set.
Active namespace is "not-found-namespace".
---
$ kubens not-found-namespace -f
Context "test" set.
Active namespace is "not-found-namespace".
```
If you have [`fzf`](https://github.com/junegunn/fzf) installed, you can also
**interactively** select a context or cluster, or fuzzy-search by typing a few
characters. To learn more, read [interactive mode →](#interactive-mode)
Both `kubectx` and `kubens` support Tab completion on bash/zsh/fish
shells to help with long context names. You don't have to remember full context
names anymore.
-----
## Installation
Stable versions of `kubectx` and `kubens` are small bash scripts that you
can find in this repository.
Starting with v0.9.0, `kubectx` and `kubens` **are now rewritten in Go**. They
should work the same way (and we'll keep the bash-based implementations around)
but the new features will be added to the new Go programs. Please help us test
this new Go implementation by downloading the binaries from the [**Releases page
→**](https://github.com/ahmetb/kubectx/releases)
**Installation options:**
- [as kubectl plugins (macOS & Linux)](#kubectl-plugins-macos-and-linux)
- [with Homebrew (macOS & Linux)](#homebrew-macos-and-linux)
- [with MacPorts (macOS)](#macports-macos)
- [with apt (Debian)](#apt-debian)
- [with pacman (Arch Linux)](#pacman-arch-linux)
- [with Chocolatey (Windows)](#windows-installation-using-chocolatey)
- [Windows Installation (using Scoop)](#windows-installation-using-scoop)
- [with winget (Windows)](#windows-installation-using-winget)
- [manually (macOS & Linux)](#manual-installation-macos-and-linux)
If you like to add context/namespace information to your shell prompt (`$PS1`),
you can try out [kube-ps1].
[kube-ps1]: https://github.com/jonmosco/kube-ps1
### Kubectl Plugins (macOS and Linux)
You can install and use the [Krew](https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/krew/) kubectl
plugin manager to get `kubectx` and `kubens`.
**Note:** This will not install the shell completion scripts. If you want them,
*choose another installation method
or install the scripts [manually](#manual-installation-macos-and-linux).
```sh
kubectl krew install ctx
kubectl krew install ns
```
After installing, the tools will be available as `kubectl ctx` and `kubectl ns`.
### Homebrew (macOS and Linux)
If you use [Homebrew](https://brew.sh/) you can install like this:
```sh
brew install kubectx
```
This command will set up bash/zsh/fish completion scripts automatically. Make sure you [configure your shell](https://docs.brew.sh/Shell-Completion) to load completions for installed Homebrew formulas.
### MacPorts (macOS)
If you use [MacPorts](https://www.macports.org) you can install like this:
```sh
sudo port install kubectx
```
### apt (Debian)
``` bash
sudo apt install kubectx
```
Newer versions might be available on repos like
[Debian Buster (testing)](https://packages.debian.org/buster/kubectx),
[Sid (unstable)](https://packages.debian.org/sid/kubectx)
(_if you are unfamiliar with the Debian release process and how to enable
testing/unstable repos, check out the
[Debian Wiki](https://wiki.debian.org/DebianReleases)_):
### pacman (Arch Linux)
Available as official Arch Linux package. Install it via:
```bash
sudo pacman -S kubectx
```
### Windows Installation (using Chocolatey)
Available as packages on [Chocolatey](https://chocolatey.org/why-chocolatey)
```pwsh
choco install kubens kubectx
```
### Windows Installation (using Scoop)
Available as packages on [Scoop](https://scoop.sh/)
```pwsh
scoop bucket add main
scoop install main/kubens main/kubectx
```
### Windows Installation (using winget)
Available as packages on [winget](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/package-manager/)
```pwsh
winget install --id ahmetb.kubectx
winget install --id ahmetb.kubens
```
### Manual Installation (macOS and Linux)
Since `kubectx` and `kubens` are written in Bash, you should be able to install
them to any POSIX environment that has Bash installed.
- Download the `kubectx`, and `kubens` scripts.
- Either:
- save them all to somewhere in your `PATH`,
- or save them to a directory, then create symlinks to `kubectx`/`kubens` from
somewhere in your `PATH`, like `/usr/local/bin`
- Make `kubectx` and `kubens` executable (`chmod +x ...`)
Example installation steps:
``` bash
sudo git clone https://github.com/ahmetb/kubectx /opt/kubectx
sudo ln -s /opt/kubectx/kubectx /usr/local/bin/kubectx
sudo ln -s /opt/kubectx/kubens /usr/local/bin/kubens
```
If you also want to have shell completions, pick an installation method for the
[completion scripts](completion/) that fits your system best: [`zsh` with
`antibody`](#completion-scripts-for-zsh-with-antibody), [plain
`zsh`](#completion-scripts-for-plain-zsh),
[`bash`](#completion-scripts-for-bash) or
[`fish`](#completion-scripts-for-fish).
#### Completion scripts for `zsh` with [antibody](https://getantibody.github.io)
Add this line to your [Plugins File](https://getantibody.github.io/usage/) (e.g.
`~/.zsh_plugins.txt`):
```
ahmetb/kubectx path:completion kind:fpath
```
Depending on your setup, you might or might not need to call `compinit` or
`autoload -U compinit && compinit` in your `~/.zshrc` after you load the Plugins
file. If you use [oh-my-zsh](https://github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh), load the
completions before you load `oh-my-zsh` because `oh-my-zsh` will call
`compinit`.
#### Completion scripts for plain `zsh`
The completion scripts have to be in a path that belongs to `$fpath`. Either
link or copy them to an existing folder.
Example with [`oh-my-zsh`](https://github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh):
```bash
mkdir -p ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/completions
chmod -R 755 ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/completions
ln -s /opt/kubectx/completion/_kubectx.zsh ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/completions/_kubectx.zsh
ln -s /opt/kubectx/completion/_kubens.zsh ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/completions/_kubens.zsh
echo "fpath=($ZSH/custom/completions $fpath)" >> ~/.zshrc
```
If completion doesn't work, add `autoload -U compinit && compinit` to your
`.zshrc` (similar to
[`zsh-completions`](https://github.com/zsh-users/zsh-completions/blob/master/README.md#oh-my-zsh)).
If you are not using [`oh-my-zsh`](https://github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh), you
could link to `/usr/share/zsh/functions/Completion` (might require sudo),
depending on the `$fpath` of your zsh installation.
In case of errors, calling `compaudit` might help.
#### Completion scripts for `bash`
```bash
git clone https://github.com/ahmetb/kubectx.git ~/.kubectx
COMPDIR=$(pkg-config --variable=completionsdir bash-completion)
ln -sf ~/.kubectx/completion/kubens.bash $COMPDIR/kubens
ln -sf ~/.kubectx/completion/kubectx.bash $COMPDIR/kubectx
cat << EOF >> ~/.bashrc
#kubectx and kubens
export PATH=~/.kubectx:\$PATH
EOF
```
#### Completion scripts for `fish`
```fish
mkdir -p ~/.config/fish/completions
ln -s /opt/kubectx/completion/kubectx.fish ~/.config/fish/completions/
ln -s /opt/kubectx/completion/kubens.fish ~/.config/fish/completions/
```
-----
### Interactive mode
If you want `kubectx` and `kubens` commands to present you an interactive menu
with fuzzy searching, you just need to [install
`fzf`](https://github.com/junegunn/fzf) in your `$PATH`.
If you have `fzf` installed, but want to opt out of using this feature, set the
environment variable `KUBECTX_IGNORE_FZF=1`.
If you want to keep `fzf` interactive mode but need the default behavior of the
command, you can do it by piping the output to another command (e.g. `kubectx |
cat `).
-----
### Customizing colors
If you like to customize the colors indicating the current namespace or context,
set the environment variables `KUBECTX_CURRENT_FGCOLOR` and
`KUBECTX_CURRENT_BGCOLOR` (refer color codes
[here](https://linux.101hacks.com/ps1-examples/prompt-color-using-tput/)):
```sh
export KUBECTX_CURRENT_FGCOLOR=$(tput setaf 6) # blue text
export KUBECTX_CURRENT_BGCOLOR=$(tput setab 7) # white background
```
Colors in the output can be disabled by setting the
[`NO_COLOR`](https://no-color.org/) environment variable.
-----
If you liked `kubectx`, you may like my
[`kubectl-aliases`](https://github.com/ahmetb/kubectl-aliases) project, too. I
recommend pairing kubectx and kubens with [fzf](#interactive-mode) and
[kube-ps1].
#### Stargazers over time
[](https://starchart.cc/ahmetb/kubectx)
