kind
A command-line tool that runs local Kubernetes clusters using Docker containers as the cluster nodes.
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1 more ways to get kind
Package managers
- Homebrew
brew install kind
About kind
kind (Kubernetes in Docker) creates Kubernetes clusters where each node is a container, bootstrapped with kubeadm. It was built mainly for testing Kubernetes itself, but it also suits local development and CI pipelines. It needs Docker, Podman or nerdctl installed.
Installation can be a single go install command followed by kind create cluster. The documentation covers configuration, ingress, load balancers, local and private registries, rootless mode, WSL2 and working offline. The project describes itself as still a work in progress toward a 1.0 release.
Strengths
- Creates a full Kubernetes cluster with one command
- Works with Docker, Podman or nerdctl
- Well suited to CI pipelines
- Documented offline and rootless use
Limitations
- Designed for testing and development, not production clusters
- Still pre-1.0 according to the project
Details
- Pricing
- FreeFree to use.
- License
- Open source, license not stated
- Developer
- Kubernetes SIGs
- Platforms
- Command line
- How it runs
- Downloadable app
- Account
- Not required
- Works offline
- Yes
- Best suited for
- Developers who need a throwaway Kubernetes cluster on their own machine or in CI
- Categories
- Container tools, Developer tools
- Last verified
- Added
- Provenance
- Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.
Alternatives to kind
Compare allSoftware that can replace kind for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.
minikube
Run a local Kubernetes cluster for development and testing.
minikube runs a local Kubernetes cluster for development and testing through a supported runtime or driver, and is available on Windows, macOS and Linux.
k3d
A command-line tool for running lightweight K3s Kubernetes clusters inside Docker containers.
k3d runs lightweight K3s clusters inside Docker for development and CI, requiring Docker specifically rather than supporting Podman or nerdctl.
MicroK8s
Canonical's low-footprint Kubernetes for workstations, edge sites and CI.
MicroK8s is Canonical's low-footprint Kubernetes for workstations and CI with one-command add-ons, installed through snap rather than running nodes as Docker containers.
K3s
Certified lightweight Kubernetes distribution packaged as a single binary.
K3s installs a certified lightweight cluster from a single binary directly on the host, and unlike kind it is also suited to production on small hosts.
k0s
Zero-dependency Kubernetes distribution shipped as one self-contained binary.
k0s is a zero-dependency Kubernetes single binary that installs the same way on any distribution, rather than using Docker, Podman or nerdctl containers as nodes.
OpenShift Local
A tool that runs a small OpenShift, MicroShift or Podman environment in a local virtual machine.
OpenShift Local runs a local OpenShift, MicroShift or Podman environment in a managed virtual machine and needs substantial local resources for full OpenShift.
Similar software
Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.
Skaffold
A command-line tool that automates building, pushing and deploying applications during Kubernetes development.
Tilt
An open-source tool that rebuilds and live-updates multi-service apps during development, locally or in Kubernetes.
Helm
A package manager for Kubernetes that installs, upgrades and rolls back applications described as charts.
kubectx
Two command-line tools, kubectx and kubens, for switching Kubernetes contexts and namespaces quickly.
vCluster
A tool that creates virtual Kubernetes clusters running inside namespaces of a host cluster.
Docker Engine
The container runtime that builds, packages and runs applications in Docker containers.
