Krew Plugin Usage

If you’re using KubeTidy via Krew as a kubectl plugin (Linux/macOS), this guide will help you clean up, manage, and optimize your kubeconfig files.

Available Commands

The following table provides a quick reference for KubeTidy commands when used as a Krew plugin:

Action	Command Example
Remove unreachable clusters	kubectl kubetidy -kubeconfig "$HOME/.kube/config" -exclusionlist "cluster1,cluster2"
Merge kubeconfig files	kubectl kubetidy -mergeconfigs "config1.yaml" "config2.yaml" -destinationconfig "$HOME/.kube/config"
List clusters	kubectl kubetidy -kubeconfig "$HOME/.kube/config" -listclusters
List contexts	kubectl kubetidy -kubeconfig "$HOME/.kube/config" -listcontexts
Export specific contexts	kubectl kubetidy -exportcontexts "context1,context2" -destinationconfig "$HOME/.kube/filtered-config"
Run in dry-run mode	kubectl kubetidy -kubeconfig "$HOME/.kube/config" -dryrun
Enable verbose logging	kubectl kubetidy -kubeconfig "$HOME/.kube/config" -verbose

1. Backup and Restore

KubeTidy automatically creates a backup before modifying your kubeconfig file unless -dryrun is enabled. If you need to restore the original kubeconfig, locate the backup file:

$HOME/.kube/config.backup

You can also create a manual backup before running KubeTidy:

cp "$HOME/.kube/config" "$HOME/.kube/config.backup"

2. Cleaning Up Unreachable Clusters

If your kubeconfig contains outdated or unreachable clusters, KubeTidy can remove them automatically. The following command will clean up all unreachable clusters while keeping those listed in -exclusionlist:

kubectl kubetidy -kubeconfig "$HOME/.kube/config" -exclusionlist "cluster1,cluster2"

By default, KubeTidy will create a backup of your kubeconfig before making changes. If you only want to preview the changes, use the -dryrun option.

3. Handling Current Context

If the cluster associated with your current-context is removed during cleanup, KubeTidy will unset it. If this happens, set a new context manually:

kubectl config use-context <new-context>

To check your current context before running KubeTidy:

kubectl config current-context

4. Merging Multiple Kubeconfig Files

If you manage multiple Kubernetes environments, you may need to merge several kubeconfig files into one. Use the following command to combine them:

kubectl kubetidy -mergeconfigs "config1.yaml" "config2.yaml" -destinationconfig "$HOME/.kube/config"

To preview the merge process without making changes:

kubectl kubetidy -mergeconfigs "config1.yaml" "config2.yaml" -destinationconfig "$HOME/.kube/config" -dryrun

5. Exporting Specific Contexts

You might need to extract specific contexts from a large kubeconfig file to create a smaller, focused configuration. The following command exports only the specified contexts:

kubectl kubetidy -kubeconfig "$HOME/.kube/config" -exportcontexts "context1,context2" -destinationconfig "$HOME/.kube/filtered-config"

This is useful when sharing configuration files without exposing unnecessary clusters.

6. Using Dry Run Mode

Use the -dryrun option to simulate the cleanup process without making changes. This helps you understand what will be removed before running the actual cleanup:

kubectl kubetidy -kubeconfig "$HOME/.kube/config" -exclusionlist "cluster1" -dryrun

Dry Run Mode also applies to merging kubeconfig files. Run the following command to preview a merge:

kubectl kubetidy -mergeconfigs "config1.yaml" "config2.yaml" -destinationconfig "$HOME/.kube/config" -dryrun

7. Listing Clusters

To display all clusters in your kubeconfig without modifying it:

kubectl kubetidy -kubeconfig "$HOME/.kube/config" -listclusters

8. Listing Contexts

To see all available contexts in your kubeconfig:

kubectl kubetidy -kubeconfig "$HOME/.kube/config" -listcontexts

9. Enabling Verbose Logging

For detailed logging, use the -verbose flag:

kubectl kubetidy -kubeconfig "$HOME/.kube/config" -verbose

This provides additional details on each step, such as cluster reachability checks and file modifications.

For more information on logging and output, refer to the Logging and Output page.