kind

Create a local Kubernetes cluster

$ kind create cluster --name [cluster_name]

$ kind delete clusters [cluster_name]

$ kind get [clusters|nodes|kubeconfig]

$ kind export [kubeconfig|logs]

kind [global-options] <command> [<args>]

build
    Builds Docker images for use with kind clusters

completion
    Generates shell completion scripts (bash, zsh, fish)

create
    Creates one or more Kubernetes clusters (e.g., kind create cluster)

delete
    Deletes one or more clusters by name or all

export
    Exports kubeconfig from a cluster to a directory

get
    Lists existing clusters

load
    Loads Docker images into cluster nodes

--help, -h
    Shows help for any command

--loglevel string
    Sets log level (panic|fatal|error|warn|info|debug|trace)

--verbosity int
    Log verbosity level (default 1, max 9)

kind is a zero-config CLI tool designed for running local Kubernetes clusters using Docker container "nodes". It creates lightweight, fast-starting clusters ideal for development, testing, and CI/CD workflows.

Unlike heavier alternatives like Minikube, kind leverages Docker to simulate Kubernetes nodes as containers, enabling multi-node clusters on a single machine. This approach minimizes resource overhead and startup time (often under a minute).

Key features include support for custom cluster configurations via YAML files, image loading from local Docker registries, kubeconfig export, and compatibility with standard Kubernetes tools like kubectl. It's widely used by developers for local experimentation, end-to-end testing, and as a gateway to Kubernetes without cloud dependencies.

kind requires a running Docker daemon and works on Linux, macOS, and Windows (with WSL2). Clusters are isolated, ephemeral by default, and easily deletable. It's officially supported by the Kubernetes project and integrates seamlessly with tools like Helm and Skaffold.

Requires Docker daemon; Linux/macOS preferred (Windows via WSL2); no built-in persistence—use kind delete to clean up; limited to Docker provider currently.

Uses YAML files for advanced setups: nodes, networking, extra mounts. See kind create cluster --config config.yaml.

kind create cluster — creates default single-node cluster.
kubectl cluster-info — verifies.kind delete cluster — removes.

Developed in 2018 by Kubernetes contributors (initially @aojea), first stable release v0.1.0 in 2019. Now maintained by Kubernetes SIGs/Clusters, with v0.22.0 in 2024 adding IPv6 and improved networking support.

docker(1), kubectl(1), minikube(1), k3d(1)