Kubectl Plugins

Plugins extend kubectl with new sub-commands, allowing for new and custom features not included in the main distribution of kubectl.

A plugin is a standalone executable file, whose name begins with kubectl-.

kubectl provides a command kubectl plugin list that searches your PATH for valid plugin executables. Executing this command causes a traversal of all files in your PATH. Any files that are executable, and begin with kubectl- will show up in the order in which they are present in your PATH in this command’s output.

A warning will be included for any files beginning with kubectl- that are not executable. A warning will also be included for any valid plugin files that overlap each other’s name.

(base) pradeep:~$kubectl plugin list
error: unable to find any kubectl plugins in your PATH
(base) pradeep:~$

Writing kubectl plugins

You can write a plugin in any programming language or script that allows you to write command-line commands.

There is no plugin installation or pre-loading required. Plugin executables receive the inherited environment from the kubectl binary. A plugin determines which command path it wishes to implement based on its name. For example, a plugin named kubectl-demo provides a command kubectl demo. You must install the plugin executable somewhere in your PATH.

(base) pradeep:~$cat kubectl-demo 
#!/bin/bash

# optional argument handling
if [[ "$1" == "version" ]]
then
    echo "1.0.0"
    exit 0
fi

# optional argument handling
if [[ "$1" == "config" ]]
then
    echo "$KUBECONFIG"
    exit 0
fi

echo "I am a plugin named kubectl-demo"
(base) pradeep:~$

(base) pradeep:~$chmod +x ./kubectl-demo 

(base) pradeep:~$mv ./kubectl-demo /usr/local/bin 

(base) pradeep:~$kubectl demo
I am a plugin named kubectl-demo
(base) pradeep:~$

(base) pradeep:~$kubectl demo version
1.0.0
(base) pradeep:~$

(base) pradeep:~$export KUBECONFIG=~/.kube/config
(base) pradeep:~$kubectl demo config             
/Users/pradeep/.kube/config
(base) pradeep:~$

(base) pradeep:~$kubectl plugin list
The following compatible plugins are available:

/usr/local/bin/kubectl-demo
(base) pradeep:~$