List of kubectl Commands with Examples

Kubernetes has become the de facto standard for container orchestration, and mastering the command-line tool, kubectl, is essential for efficiently managing and interacting with Kubernetes clusters. In this article, we will explore a comprehensive list of kubectl commands along with examples to empower you in your Kubernetes journey.

Installation and Configuration:

Before diving into the plethora of kubectl commands, it's crucial to ensure you have kubectl installed and configured properly. If not, follow these simple steps:

# Install kubectl on Linux
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y kubectl

# Install kubectl on macOS using Homebrew
brew install kubectl

# Install kubectl on Windows using Chocolatey
choco install kubernetes-cli

Once installed, configure kubectl to connect to your Kubernetes cluster:

# Set the cluster context
kubectl config use-context <your-cluster-name>

Basic Commands:
Now, let's explore some fundamental kubectl commands:
- View the current context:
```
kubectl config current-context
```
- List all pods in the current namespace:
```
kubectl get pods
```
- Describe a specific pod:
```
kubectl describe pod <pod-name>
```

Managing Resources:

Kubernetes resources can be manipulated using kubectl. Here are some essential commands:

Create a deployment:

kubectl create deployment <deployment-name> --image=<image-name>

Scale a deployment:

kubectl scale deployment <deployment-name> --replicas=<replica-count>

Delete a resource:

kubectl delete <resource-type> <resource-name>

Interacting with Pods:
Pods are the basic building blocks in Kubernetes. Here are some commands to interact with them:
- Execute a command in a running pod:
```
kubectl exec -it <pod-name> -- /bin/bash
```
- Stream pod logs:
```
kubectl logs -f <pod-name>
```
Network and Services:
Managing networking and services is crucial in a Kubernetes cluster. Here are some relevant commands:
- Expose a deployment as a service:
```
kubectl expose deployment <deployment-name> --type=NodePort --port=<port>
```
- List all services:
```
kubectl get services
```
Advanced Topics:
For advanced users, kubectl provides commands for more intricate operations:
- Apply a configuration file:
```
kubectl apply -f <filename.yaml>
```
- Generate YAML for an existing resource:
```
kubectl get <resource-type> <resource-name> -o yaml > output.yaml
```
Troubleshooting:
When things go wrong, kubectl helps you troubleshoot:
- View events in the cluster:
```
kubectl get events
```
- Check the status of nodes:
```
kubectl get nodes
```
Security and Authorization:
Kubernetes security is paramount. Here are commands related to security and authorization:
- List roles in a namespace:
```
kubectl get roles --namespace=<namespace>
```
- Get a token for authentication:
```
kubectl get secret <secret-name> -o jsonpath="{.data.token}" | base64 --decode
```