Kubernetes Cheat Sheet

Kubernetes has become the go-to platform for managing containerized applications at scale. However, mastering Kubernetes requires understanding its extensive command-line interface (CLI) to efficiently manage resources. In this article, we’ll provide a comprehensive command cheat sheet with examples to help you navigate Kubernetes like a pro.

1. Pod Commands:

• Create a Pod:

$ kubectl create -f <pod-definition.yaml>

• List Pods:

$ kubectl get pods

• Describe a Pod:

$ kubectl describe pod <pod-name>

• Delete a Pod:

$ kubectl delete pod <pod-name>

• Exec into a Pod:

$ kubectl exec -it <pod-name> - /bin/bash

2. Deployment Commands:

• Create a Deployment:

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

• List Deployments:

$ kubectl get deployments

• Scale a Deployment:

$ kubectl scale deployment <deployment-name> - replicas=<number-of-replicas>

• Rollout Status:

$ kubectl rollout status deployment/<deployment-name>

• Rollout History:

$ kubectl rollout history deployment/<deployment-name>

3. Service Commands:

• Create a Service:

$ kubectl expose deployment <deployment-name> - type=NodePort - port=<port-number>

• List Services:

$ kubectl get services

• Describe a Service:

$ kubectl describe service <service-name>

• Delete a Service:

$ kubectl delete service <service-name>

4. Namespace Commands:

• Create a Namespace:

$ kubectl create namespace <namespace-name>

• List Namespaces:

$ kubectl get namespaces

• Describe a Namespace:

$ kubectl describe namespace <namespace-name>

• Delete a Namespace:

$ kubectl delete namespace <namespace-name>

5. ConfigMap and Secret Commands:

• Create a ConfigMap:

$ kubectl create configmap <configmap-name> - from-literal=<key1>=<value1> - from-literal=<key2>=<value2>

• List ConfigMaps:

$ kubectl get configmaps

• Describe a ConfigMap:

$ kubectl describe configmap <configmap-name>

• Delete a ConfigMap:

$ kubectl delete configmap <configmap-name>

• Create a Secret:

$ kubectl create secret generic <secret-name> - from-literal=<key1>=<value1> - from-literal=<key2>=<value2>

• List Secrets:

$ kubectl get secrets

• Describe a Secret:

$ kubectl describe secret <secret-name>

• Delete a Secret:

$ kubectl delete secret <secret-name>

6. Other Useful Commands:

• Apply Changes to Resources:

$ kubectl apply -f <resource-definition.yaml>

• Access Kubernetes Dashboard:

$ kubectl proxy

• Get Logs of a Pod:

$ kubectl logs <pod-name>

• Port Forwarding:

$ kubectl port-forward <pod-name> <local-port>:<pod-port>

• Export YAML Manifest of a Resource:

$ kubectl get <resource-type> <resource-name> -o yaml > <resource-definition.yaml>

This cheat sheet covers the fundamental commands for managing Kubernetes resources efficiently. Always refer to the official documentation or specific tutorials for deeper understanding and advanced usage.

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