kubectl-cluster-info

Show basic cluster information

$ kubectl cluster-info

$ kubectl cluster-info dump

$ kubectl cluster-info dump --output-directory [path/to/directory]

$ kubectl cluster-info --context [context_name]

kubectl cluster-info [-o, --output=format] [--context=name]

--context string
    Name of the kubeconfig context to use

-o, --output string
    Output format: name|json|yaml|go-template|... (default "name")

-h, --help
    Help for cluster-info

The kubectl cluster-info command provides a quick overview of the Kubernetes cluster's control plane status and core service endpoints. It shows the addresses of the master (control plane) nodes, typically the API server URL, and lists available services like CoreDNS, scheduler, controller-manager, and the Kubernetes dashboard if deployed.

This is invaluable for verifying cluster accessibility post-setup or during troubleshooting. For instance, it confirms if the control plane is reachable and provides direct URLs for web interfaces without needing kubectl proxy or port-forwarding.

Output is human-readable by default (name format), but supports JSON, YAML, or templates for automation. It uses the current kubeconfig context unless specified otherwise. If the cluster is unreachable or no services are exposed, it reports errors clearly.

Common use cases include initial cluster validation, scripting cluster health checks, or obtaining dashboard URLs. Note it only shows cluster-wide services, not namespace-specific ones.

Requires valid kubeconfig and cluster access; fails silently on unreachable clusters or missing services. Global flags like --kubeconfig and --request-timeout also apply.

kubectl cluster-info
kubectl cluster-info --context my-cluster --output json