Kubernetes

Context Commands

Switch between clusters and namespaces seamlessly. Learn to manage kubeconfig contexts, set default namespaces, and work efficiently across multiple Kubernetes environments.

9 commands

Pro Tips

Use kubectx and kubens tools for faster context/namespace switching than kubectl commands.

Set a default namespace with 'kubectl config set-context --current --namespace=myns' to avoid typing -n every time.

Use 'KUBECONFIG=~/.kube/config:~/.kube/other' to merge multiple kubeconfig files.

Common Mistakes

Always verify your context before running destructive commands. 'kubectl config current-context' shows where you are.

Production contexts should be clearly named to prevent accidental operations on production clusters.

Commands

Show current context

$ kubectl config current-context

Display the current kubectl context.

List all contexts

$ kubectl config get-contexts

List all available contexts.

Switch context

$ kubectl config use-context <context-name>

Switch to a different cluster context.

Set default namespace

$ kubectl config set-context --current --namespace=<ns>

Set default namespace for current context.

View kubeconfig

$ kubectl config view

Show merged kubeconfig settings.

View kubeconfig with secrets

$ kubectl config view --raw

Show kubeconfig with certificate data.

Get current namespace

$ kubectl config view --minify -o jsonpath='{..namespace}'

Show the current default namespace.

Delete context

$ kubectl config delete-context <context-name>

Remove a context from kubeconfig.

Rename context

$ kubectl config rename-context <old> <new>

Rename a context in kubeconfig.