/cheatsheets /kubernetes/kubectl-cheat-sheet

kubectl cheat sheet: everyday Kubernetes commands

updated 2026-10-20

tool: Kubernetes
versions: kubectl 1.30+
os: any

The kubectl commands used every day, grouped by task. Add -n NAMESPACE to any command to target a namespace other than the current one, or -A to list across all namespaces.

Context and namespace

Command	Does
kubectl config get-contexts	list clusters/users in your kubeconfig
kubectl config use-context NAME	switch cluster
kubectl config set-context --current --namespace=NS	change the default namespace
kubectl cluster-info	show the API server address

Inspect

Command	Does
kubectl get pods -o wide	pods with node and IP
kubectl get all	common resources in the namespace
kubectl describe pod NAME	details and recent events (why a pod is Pending or crashing)
kubectl get events --sort-by=.lastTimestamp	events, newest last
kubectl logs NAME [-c CONTAINER] [-f] [--previous]	container logs; --previous for the crashed instance
kubectl top pods	CPU and memory (needs metrics-server)
kubectl explain deployment.spec.strategy	field documentation from the API server

Change

Command	Does
kubectl apply -f FILE_OR_DIR	create or update from manifests
kubectl diff -f FILE	show what apply would change
kubectl scale deployment NAME --replicas=3	scale
kubectl set image deployment/NAME CONTAINER=IMG:TAG	update an image
kubectl rollout status deployment/NAME	wait for a rollout
kubectl rollout undo deployment/NAME	roll back to the previous revision
kubectl rollout restart deployment/NAME	restart all pods
kubectl delete -f FILE	delete what a manifest created

Debug

Command	Does
kubectl exec -it NAME -- sh	shell in a running container
kubectl port-forward svc/NAME 8080:80	reach a service from localhost:8080
kubectl debug -it NAME --image=busybox --target=CONTAINER	ephemeral debug container
kubectl cp NAME:/path ./local	copy files from a pod

Generate manifests offline

bash

kubectl create deployment web --image=nginx:1.29 --dry-run=client -o yaml | head -12
kubectl create cronjob backup --image=busybox:1.37 --schedule="0 3 * * *" --dry-run=client -o yaml | grep -E 'kind|schedule'

Output

apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  labels:
    app: web
  name: web
spec:
  replicas: 1
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: web
  strategy: {}
kind: CronJob
  schedule: 0 3 * * *

Output formats

-o yaml, -o json, -o name, -o wide, -o jsonpath='{.items[*].metadata.name}', and -o custom-columns=NAME:.metadata.name,NODE:.spec.nodeName.

Sources

commands · kubernetesGenerate Kubernetes YAML with kubectl create --dry-run=client -o yamlkubectl create deployment, service, configmap or secret with --dry-run=client -o yaml prints a ready manifest without a cluster. Save it with > file.yaml.compat · kuberneteskubectl version skew: which kubectl works with which clusterKubernetes supports kubectl within one minor version of the API server: kubectl 1.37 works with clusters 1.36 to 1.38. Skew rules for kubelet and the rest.glossary · kubernetesWhat is a Pod in Kubernetes?A Pod is the smallest deployable unit in Kubernetes: one or more containers that share a network namespace, IP address and volumes, always on the same node.