Kubectl user preferences (kuberc)

A Kubernetes kuberc configuration file allows you to define preferences for kubectl, such as default options and command aliases. Unlike the kubeconfig file, a kuberc configuration file does not contain cluster details, usernames or passwords.

The default location of this configuration file is $HOME/.kube/kuberc. You can instruct kubectl to look at a custom path for this configuration using the --kuberc command line argument.

aliases

Within a kuberc configuration, aliases allow you to define custom shortcuts for kubectl commands, optionally with preset command line arguments.

name

Alias name must not collide with the built-in commands.

command

Specify the underlying built-in command that your alias will execute. This includes support for subcommands like create role.

flags

Specify default values for command line arguments (which the kuberc format terms flags). If you explicitly specify a command line argument when you run kubectl, the value you provide takes precedence over the default one defined in kuberc.

Example

apiVersion: kubectl.config.k8s.io/v1alpha1
kind: Preference
aliases:
- name: getn
  command: get
  flags:
   - name: output
     default: json

With this alias, running kubectl getn pods will default JSON output. However, if you execute kubectl getn pods -oyaml, the output will be in YAML format.

prependArgs

Insert arbitrary arguments immediately after the kubectl command and its subcommand (if any).

Example

apiVersion: kubectl.config.k8s.io/v1alpha1
kind: Preference
aliases:
  - name: getn
    command: get
    prependArgs:
      - namespace
    flags:
      - name: output
        default: json

kubectl getn test-ns will be translated to kubectl get namespace test-ns --output json.

appendArgs

Append arbitrary arguments to the end of the kubectl command.

Example

apiVersion: kubectl.config.k8s.io/v1alpha1
kind: Preference
aliases:
- name: runx
  command: run
  flags:
    - name: image
      default: busybox
    - name: namespace
      default: test-ns
  appendArgs:
    - --
    - custom-arg

kubectl runx test-pod will be translated to kubectl run test-pod --namespace test-ns --image busybox -- custom-arg.

Command overrides

Within a kuberc configuration, command overrides let you specify custom values for command line arguments.

command

Specify the built-in command. This includes support for subcommands like create role.

flags

Within a kuberc, configuration, command line arguments are termed flags (even if they do not represent a boolean type). You can use flags to set the default value of a command line argument.

If you explicitly specify a flag on your terminal, explicit value will always take precedence over the value you defined in kuberc using overrides.

Example

apiVersion: kubectl.config.k8s.io/v1alpha1
kind: Preference
overrides:
- command: delete
  flags:
    - name: interactive
      default: "true"

With this override, running kubectl delete pod/test-pod will default to prompting for confirmation. However, kubectl delete pod/test-pod --interactive=false will bypass the confirmation.

The kubectl maintainers encourage you to adopt kuberc with the given defaults:

apiVersion: kubectl.config.k8s.io/v1alpha1
kind: Preference
overrides:
  - command: apply
    flags:
      - name: server-side
        default: "true"
  - command: delete
    flags:
      - name: interactive
        default: "true"

Disable kuberc

To temporarily disable the kuberc functionality, simply export the environment variable KUBERC with the value off:

export KUBERC=off

or disable the feature gate:

export KUBECTL_KUBERC=false