# MCP Server Kubernetes [![CI](https://github.com/Flux159/mcp-server-kubernetes/actions/workflows/ci.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/yourusername/mcp-server-kubernetes/actions/workflows/ci.yml) [![Language](https://img.shields.io/github/languages/top/Flux159/mcp-server-kubernetes)](https://github.com/yourusername/mcp-server-kubernetes) [![Kubernetes](https://img.shields.io/badge/kubernetes-%23326ce5.svg?style=flat&logo=kubernetes&logoColor=white)](https://kubernetes.io/) [![Docker](https://img.shields.io/badge/docker-%230db7ed.svg?style=flat&logo=docker&logoColor=white)](https://www.docker.com/) [![Stars](https://img.shields.io/github/stars/Flux159/mcp-server-kubernetes)](https://github.com/Flux159/mcp-server-kubernetes/stargazers) [![Issues](https://img.shields.io/github/issues/Flux159/mcp-server-kubernetes)](https://github.com/Flux159/mcp-server-kubernetes/issues) [![PRs Welcome](https://img.shields.io/badge/PRs-welcome-brightgreen.svg)](https://github.com/Flux159/mcp-server-kubernetes/pulls) [![Last Commit](https://img.shields.io/github/last-commit/Flux159/mcp-server-kubernetes)](https://github.com/Flux159/mcp-server-kubernetes/commits/main)

MCP Server that can connect to a Kubernetes cluster and manage it. Supports loading kubeconfig from multiple sources in priority order. https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/f25f8f4e-4d04-479b-9ae0-5dac452dd2ed ## Installation & Usage ### Prerequisites Before using this MCP server with any tool, make sure you have: 1. kubectl installed and in your PATH 2. A valid kubeconfig file with contexts configured 3. Access to a Kubernetes cluster configured for kubectl (e.g. minikube, Rancher Desktop, GKE, etc.) 4. Helm v3 installed and in your PATH (no Tiller required). Optional if you don't plan to use Helm. You can verify your connection by running `kubectl get pods` in a terminal to ensure you can connect to your cluster without credential issues. By default, the server loads kubeconfig from `~/.kube/config`. For additional authentication options (environment variables, custom paths, etc.), see [ADVANCED_README.md](ADVANCED_README.md). ### Claude Code Add the MCP server to Claude Code using the built-in command: ```bash claude mcp add kubernetes -- npx mcp-server-kubernetes ``` This will automatically configure the server in your Claude Code MCP settings. ### Codex Add the MCP server to [Codex CLI](https://developers.openai.com/codex/cli/) using the built-in command: ```bash codex mcp add kubernetes -- npx mcp-server-kubernetes ``` This registers the server globally in `~/.codex/config.toml` and makes its tools available in all Codex sessions. ### Claude Desktop Add the following configuration to your Claude Desktop config file: ```json { "mcpServers": { "kubernetes": { "command": "npx", "args": ["mcp-server-kubernetes"] } } } ``` ### Claude Desktop Connector via mcpb MCP Server Kubernetes is also available as a [mcpb](https://github.com/anthropics/mcpb) (formerly dxt) extension. In Claude Desktop, go to Settings (`Cmd+,` on Mac) -> Extensions -> Browse Extensions and scroll to find mcp-server-kubernetes in the modal. Install it & it will install & utilize kubectl via command line & your kubeconfig. To manually install, you can also get the .mcpb by going to the latest [Release](https://github.com/Flux159/mcp-server-kubernetes/releases) and downloading it. ### VS Code [![Install Kubernetes MCP in VS Code](https://img.shields.io/badge/Install%20Kubernetes%20MCP%20in%20VS%20Code-blue?logo=visualstudiocode)](vscode:mcp/install?%7B%22name%22%3A%20%22kubernetes%22%2C%20%22type%22%3A%20%22stdio%22%2C%20%22command%22%3A%20%22npx%22%2C%20%22args%22%3A%20%5B%22mcp-server-kubernetes%22%5D%7D) For VS Code integration, you can use the MCP server with extensions that support the Model Context Protocol: 1. Install a compatible MCP extension (such as Claude Dev or similar MCP clients) 2. Configure the extension to use this server: ```json { "mcpServers": { "kubernetes": { "command": "npx", "args": ["mcp-server-kubernetes"], "description": "Kubernetes cluster management and operations" } } } ``` ### Cursor Cursor supports MCP servers through its AI integration. Add the server to your Cursor MCP configuration: ```json { "mcpServers": { "kubernetes": { "command": "npx", "args": ["mcp-server-kubernetes"] } } } ``` The server will automatically connect to your current kubectl context. You can verify the connection by asking the AI assistant to list your pods or create a test deployment. ## Usage with mcp-chat [mcp-chat](https://github.com/Flux159/mcp-chat) is a CLI chat client for MCP servers. You can use it to interact with the Kubernetes server. ```shell npx mcp-chat --server "npx mcp-server-kubernetes" ``` Alternatively, pass it your existing Claude Desktop configuration file from above (Linux should pass the correct path to config): Mac: ```shell npx mcp-chat --config "~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json" ``` Windows: ```shell npx mcp-chat --config "%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json" ``` ## Features - [x] Connect to a Kubernetes cluster - [x] Unified kubectl API for managing resources - Get or list resources with `kubectl_get` - Describe resources with `kubectl_describe` - List resources with `kubectl_get` - Create resources with `kubectl_create` - Apply YAML manifests with `kubectl_apply` - Delete resources with `kubectl_delete` - Get logs with `kubectl_logs` - Manage kubectl contexts with `kubectl_context` - Explain Kubernetes resources with `explain_resource` - List API resources with `list_api_resources` - Scale resources with `kubectl_scale` - Update field(s) of a resource with `kubectl_patch` - Manage deployment rollouts with `kubectl_rollout` - Execute any kubectl command with `kubectl_generic` - Verify connection with `ping` - [x] Advanced operations - Scale deployments with `kubectl_scale` (replaces legacy `scale_deployment`) - Port forward to pods and services with `port_forward` - Run Helm operations - Install, upgrade, and uninstall charts - Support for custom values, repositories, and versions - Template-based installation (`helm_template_apply`) to bypass authentication issues - Template-based uninstallation (`helm_template_uninstall`) to bypass authentication issues - Pod cleanup operations - Clean up problematic pods (`cleanup_pods`) in states: Evicted, ContainerStatusUnknown, Completed, Error, ImagePullBackOff, CrashLoopBackOff - Node management operations - Cordoning, draining, and uncordoning nodes (`node_management`) for maintenance and scaling operations - [x] Troubleshooting Prompt (`k8s-diagnose`) - Guides through a systematic Kubernetes troubleshooting flow for pods based on a keyword and optional namespace. - [x] Non-destructive mode for read and create/update-only access to clusters - [x] Secrets masking for security (masks sensitive data in `kubectl get secrets` commands, does not affect logs) - [x] **OpenTelemetry Observability** (opt-in) - Distributed tracing for all tool calls - Export to Jaeger, Tempo, Grafana, or any OTLP backend - Configurable sampling strategies - Rich span attributes (tool name, duration, K8s context, errors) - See [docs/OBSERVABILITY.md](docs/OBSERVABILITY.md) for details ## Observability The MCP Kubernetes server includes optional **OpenTelemetry integration** for comprehensive observability. This feature is disabled by default and can be enabled via environment variables or Helm configuration. ### Quick Start Enable observability with environment variables: ```bash export ENABLE_TELEMETRY=true export OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT=http://localhost:4317 npx mcp-server-kubernetes ``` ### What Gets Traced - **All tool calls**: kubectl_get, kubectl_apply, kubectl_logs, etc. - **Execution duration**: How long each operation takes - **Success/failure status**: Automatic error tracking - **Kubernetes context**: Namespace, context, resource type - **Rich metadata**: Host, process, and custom attributes ### Backends Supported Works with any OTLP-compatible backend: - **Jaeger** (open source) - **Grafana Tempo** (open source) - **Grafana Cloud** (commercial) - **Datadog**, **New Relic**, **Honeycomb**, **Lightstep**, **AWS X-Ray** ### Configuration See **[docs/OBSERVABILITY.md](docs/OBSERVABILITY.md)** for comprehensive documentation including: - Configuration options - Deployment examples (Kubernetes, Helm, Claude Code) - Sampling strategies - Production best practices - Troubleshooting guide ### Example with Jaeger ```bash # Start Jaeger docker run -d --name jaeger \ -e COLLECTOR_OTLP_ENABLED=true \ -p 16686:16686 \ -p 4317:4317 \ jaegertracing/all-in-one:latest # Enable telemetry export ENABLE_TELEMETRY=true export OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT=http://localhost:4317 export OTEL_TRACES_SAMPLER=always_on # Run server npx mcp-server-kubernetes # View traces: http://localhost:16686 ``` ## Prompts The MCP Kubernetes server includes specialized prompts to assist with common diagnostic operations. ### /k8s-diagnose Prompt This prompt provides a systematic troubleshooting flow for Kubernetes pods. It accepts a `keyword` to identify relevant pods and an optional `namespace` to narrow the search. The prompt's output will guide you through an autonomous troubleshooting flow, providing instructions for identifying issues, collecting evidence, and suggesting remediation steps. ## Local Development Make sure that you have [bun installed](https://bun.sh/docs/installation). Clone the repo & install dependencies: ```bash git clone https://github.com/Flux159/mcp-server-kubernetes.git cd mcp-server-kubernetes bun install ``` ### Development Workflow 1. Start the server in development mode (watches for file changes): ```bash bun run dev ``` 2. Run unit tests: ```bash bun run test ``` 3. Build the project: ```bash bun run build ``` 4. Local Testing with [Inspector](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/inspector) ```bash npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector node dist/index.js # Follow further instructions on terminal for Inspector link ``` 5. Local testing with Claude Desktop ```json { "mcpServers": { "mcp-server-kubernetes": { "command": "node", "args": ["/path/to/your/mcp-server-kubernetes/dist/index.js"] } } } ``` 6. Local testing with [mcp-chat](https://github.com/Flux159/mcp-chat) ```bash bun run chat ``` ## Contributing See the [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) file for details. ## Advanced ### Non-Destructive Mode You can run the server in a non-destructive mode that disables all destructive operations (delete pods, delete deployments, delete namespaces, etc.): ```shell ALLOW_ONLY_NON_DESTRUCTIVE_TOOLS=true npx mcp-server-kubernetes ``` For Claude Desktop configuration with non-destructive mode: ```json { "mcpServers": { "kubernetes-readonly": { "command": "npx", "args": ["mcp-server-kubernetes"], "env": { "ALLOW_ONLY_NON_DESTRUCTIVE_TOOLS": "true" } } } } ``` ### Commands Available in Non-Destructive Mode All read-only and resource creation/update operations remain available: - Resource Information: `kubectl_get`, `kubectl_describe`, `kubectl_logs`, `explain_resource`, `list_api_resources` - Resource Creation/Modification: `kubectl_apply`, `kubectl_create`, `kubectl_scale`, `kubectl_patch`, `kubectl_rollout` - Helm Operations: `install_helm_chart`, `upgrade_helm_chart`, `helm_template_apply`, `helm_template_uninstall` - Connectivity: `port_forward`, `stop_port_forward` - Context Management: `kubectl_context` ### Commands Disabled in Non-Destructive Mode The following destructive operations are disabled: - `kubectl_delete`: Deleting any Kubernetes resources - `uninstall_helm_chart`: Uninstalling Helm charts - `cleanup`: Cleanup of managed resources - `cleanup_pods`: Cleaning up problematic pods - `node_management`: Node management operations (can drain nodes) - `kubectl_generic`: General kubectl command access (may include destructive operations) For additional advanced features, see the [ADVANCED_README.md](ADVANCED_README.md) and also the [docs](https://github.com/Flux159/mcp-server-kubernetes/tree/main/docs) folder for specific information on `helm_install`, `helm_template_apply`, node management & pod cleanup. ## Architecture See this [DeepWiki link](https://deepwiki.com/Flux159/mcp-server-kubernetes) for a more indepth architecture overview created by Devin. This section describes the high-level architecture of the MCP Kubernetes server. ### Request Flow The sequence diagram below illustrates how requests flow through the system: ```mermaid sequenceDiagram participant Client participant Transport as Transport Layer participant Server as MCP Server participant Filter as Tool Filter participant Handler as Request Handler participant K8sManager as KubernetesManager participant K8s as Kubernetes API Note over Transport: StdioTransport or
SSE Transport Client->>Transport: Send Request Transport->>Server: Forward Request alt Tools Request Server->>Filter: Filter available tools Note over Filter: Remove destructive tools
if in non-destructive mode Filter->>Handler: Route to tools handler alt kubectl operations Handler->>K8sManager: Execute kubectl operation K8sManager->>K8s: Make API call else Helm operations Handler->>K8sManager: Execute Helm operation K8sManager->>K8s: Make API call else Port Forward operations Handler->>K8sManager: Set up port forwarding K8sManager->>K8s: Make API call end K8s-->>K8sManager: Return result K8sManager-->>Handler: Process response Handler-->>Server: Return tool result else Resource Request Server->>Handler: Route to resource handler Handler->>K8sManager: Get resource data K8sManager->>K8s: Query API K8s-->>K8sManager: Return data K8sManager-->>Handler: Format response Handler-->>Server: Return resource data end Server-->>Transport: Send Response Transport-->>Client: Return Final Response ``` See this [DeepWiki link](https://deepwiki.com/Flux159/mcp-server-kubernetes) for a more indepth architecture overview created by Devin. ## Publishing new release Go to the [releases page](https://github.com/Flux159/mcp-server-kubernetes/releases), click on "Draft New Release", click "Choose a tag" and create a new tag by typing out a new version number using "v{major}.{minor}.{patch}" semver format. Then, write a release title "Release v{major}.{minor}.{patch}" and description / changelog if necessary and click "Publish Release". This will create a new tag which will trigger a new release build via the cd.yml workflow. Once successful, the new release will be published to [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/mcp-server-kubernetes). Note that there is no need to update the package.json version manually, as the workflow will automatically update the version number in the package.json file & push a commit to main. ## Not planned Adding clusters to kubectx. ## Star History

## 🖊️ Cite If you find this repo useful, please cite: ``` @software{Patel_MCP_Server_Kubernetes_2024, author = {Patel, Paras and Sonwalkar, Suyog}, month = jul, title = {{MCP Server Kubernetes}}, url = {https://github.com/Flux159/mcp-server-kubernetes}, version = {2.5.0}, year = {2024} } ```

mcp-server-kubernetes

by Flux159

Summary

Available Actions(18)

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语言

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mcp-server-kubernetes

by Flux159

Summary

Available Actions(18)

kubectl_get

kubectl_describe

kubectl_create

kubectl_apply

kubectl_delete

kubectl_logs

kubectl_context

explain_resource

list_api_resources

kubectl_scale

kubectl_patch

kubectl_rollout

kubectl_generic

ping

port_forward

cleanup_pods

node_management

k8s-diagnose