kdash
Manage Kubernetes dashboards
TLDR
Show dashboard
Show dashboard in debug mode and write logs to a file in the current directory
Set the tick rate
Set the polling rate (must be a multiple of the tick rate)
SYNOPSIS
kdash [OPTIONS]
PARAMETERS
-k, --kubeconfig PATH
Path to kubeconfig file
-n, --namespace NAME
Namespace to use (default: all)
-c, --context NAME
Kubernetes context
--refresh-rate DURATION
Refresh interval (default: 2s)
--log-level LEVEL
Log level: debug|info|warn|error (default: info)
--version
Print version and exit
-h, --help
Show help
DESCRIPTION
kdash is a modern, fast terminal-based dashboard for managing Kubernetes clusters. It provides an intuitive TUI (Text User Interface) to browse and interact with resources like pods, deployments, services, nodes, and more. Users can view logs, exec into pods, port-forward, scale replicas, and delete resources directly from the interface.
Key features include multi-cluster support, customizable views, real-time updates, and keyboard shortcuts for efficient navigation. It's written in Go for speed and cross-platform compatibility (Linux, macOS, Windows). Ideal for developers and operators preferring terminal over web UIs like Kubernetes Dashboard.
kdash fetches data via the Kubernetes API, requiring valid kubeconfig access. It supports filtering by namespace and labels, with a dashboard layout showing cluster overview, workloads, network, and storage. Configuration is via flags or ~/.kdash/config.yaml. It's lightweight, with no external dependencies beyond kubectl-compatible tools.
CAVEATS
Requires kubectl-compatible kubeconfig and cluster access.
Performance depends on cluster size; large clusters may lag.
Not suitable for production management without backups.
INSTALLATION
Via Go: go install github.com/corneliusweig/kdash@latest
Or binaries from GitHub releases; add to PATH.
KEY SHORTCUTS
:q to quit, :l for logs, / to search, ? for help.
Mouse support optional.
HISTORY
Developed by Cornelius Weig starting 2021 as an alternative to k9s. Open-sourced on GitHub, actively maintained with v2.x releases adding themes, multi-cluster, and Helm support. Gained popularity for its simplicity and speed.
SEE ALSO
kubectl(1), k9s(1), lazydocker(1)
