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Using the KubeOps CLI

The KubeOps CLI is a command-line tool that helps you manage your operator development workflow. It provides commands for generating Kubernetes resources, managing CRDs, and checking cluster information.

Installation​

Install the CLI globally:

dotnet tool install --global KubeOps.Cli

Or locally in your project:

dotnet new tool-manifest
dotnet tool install --local KubeOps.Cli

Development Workflow​

During local development, you'll primarily use the install and uninstall commands to manage your operator's CRDs in your development cluster.

Installing CRDs​

To install your operator's CRDs into your development cluster:

dotnet kubeops install ./MyOperator.csproj

This command:

  • Analyzes your project for custom resources
  • Generates the necessary CRDs
  • Installs them into your current Kubernetes context
Production Usage

The install and uninstall commands are primarily intended for development purposes. In production, you should use the generated Kubernetes manifests and your preferred deployment method (e.g., Helm, Kustomize, or GitOps).

Uninstalling CRDs​

To remove your operator's CRDs from the development cluster:

dotnet kubeops uninstall ./MyOperator.csproj

This is useful when:

  • Testing different versions of your CRDs
  • Cleaning up after development
  • Troubleshooting CRD-related issues

Resource Generation​

The generate command creates all necessary Kubernetes resources for your operator:

dotnet kubeops generate operator MyOperator ./MyOperator.csproj

This generates:

  • RBAC rules
  • Dockerfile
  • Deployment configuration
  • CRDs
  • Namespace configuration
  • Kustomization files
Build Integration

The resource generation is automatically included in the build process. You don't need to run the generate command manually unless you want to customize the output location or format. See Build Customization for details on configuring the build process.

Generation Options​

The generate command supports several options:

dotnet kubeops generate operator MyOperator ./MyOperator.csproj --out ./k8s --format yaml

Common options:

  • --out: Specify output directory
  • --format: Choose output format (yaml/json)
  • --clear-out: Clear output directory before generation
  • --docker-image: Specify Docker image name
  • --docker-image-tag: Specify Docker image tag

Cluster Information​

The version command shows information about your current Kubernetes cluster:

dotnet kubeops version

This displays:

  • Git version
  • Major version
  • Minor version
  • Platform information

This is useful for:

  • Verifying cluster connectivity
  • Checking compatibility
  • Troubleshooting issues

Command Reference​

Global Options​

All commands support these options:

  • --force or -f: Skip confirmation prompts
  • --project: Regex pattern to filter projects in a solution
  • --target-framework: Specify target framework for solution projects

Common Use Cases​

  1. Development Setup:

    # Install CRDs for development
    dotnet kubeops install ./MyOperator.csproj

    # Generate resources for deployment
    dotnet kubeops generate operator MyOperator ./MyOperator.csproj

  2. Testing Different Versions:

    # Uninstall current version
    dotnet kubeops uninstall ./MyOperator.csproj

    # Install new version
    dotnet kubeops install ./MyOperator.csproj

  3. Custom Resource Generation:

    # Generate resources with custom output
    dotnet kubeops generate operator MyOperator ./MyOperator.csproj --out ./k8s --format yaml