website/content/en/docs/reference/tools.md

---
reviewers:
- janetkuo
title: Tools
content_type: concept
---

<!-- overview -->
Kubernetes contains several built-in tools to help you work with the Kubernetes system.


<!-- body -->
## Kubectl

[`kubectl`](/docs/tasks/tools/install-kubectl/) is the command line tool for Kubernetes. It controls the Kubernetes cluster manager.

## Kubeadm

[`kubeadm`](/docs/setup/production-environment/tools/kubeadm/install-kubeadm/) is the command line tool for easily provisioning a secure Kubernetes cluster on top of physical or cloud servers or virtual machines (currently in alpha).

## Minikube

[`minikube`](https://minikube.sigs.k8s.io/docs/) is a tool that makes it
easy to run a single-node Kubernetes cluster locally on your workstation for
development and testing purposes.

## Dashboard

[`Dashboard`](/docs/tasks/access-application-cluster/web-ui-dashboard/), the web-based user interface of Kubernetes, allows you to deploy containerized applications
to a Kubernetes cluster, troubleshoot them, and manage the cluster and its resources itself.

## Helm

[`Kubernetes Helm`](https://github.com/kubernetes/helm) is a tool for managing packages of pre-configured
Kubernetes resources, aka Kubernetes charts.

Use Helm to:

* Find and use popular software packaged as Kubernetes charts
* Share your own applications as Kubernetes charts
* Create reproducible builds of your Kubernetes applications
* Intelligently manage your Kubernetes manifest files
* Manage releases of Helm packages

## Kompose

[`Kompose`](https://github.com/kubernetes/kompose) is a tool to help Docker Compose users move to Kubernetes.

Use Kompose to:

* Translate a Docker Compose file into Kubernetes objects
* Go from local Docker development to managing your application via Kubernetes
* Convert v1 or v2 Docker Compose `yaml` files or [Distributed Application Bundles](https://docs.docker.com/compose/bundles/)
Add Tools top nav and move 3rd party doc under it 2016-09-27 23:06:18 +00:00			`---`
Last batch change approvers to reviewers (#8644) This is meant to be the last change for issue #7432. Closes:# 7432 2018-05-21 15:55:51 +00:00			`reviewers:`
Remove third-party page and make one page for all tools 2016-10-05 21:24:14 +00:00			`- janetkuo`
add explicit titles to docs 2016-12-15 20:16:54 +00:00			`title: Tools`
add en pages 2020-05-30 19:10:23 +00:00			`content_type: concept`
Add Tools top nav and move 3rd party doc under it 2016-09-27 23:06:18 +00:00			`---`
Remove third-party page and make one page for all tools 2016-10-05 21:24:14 +00:00
add en pages 2020-05-30 19:10:23 +00:00			`<!-- overview -->`
apply a template to tools (#9176) 2018-06-25 19:35:22 +00:00			`Kubernetes contains several built-in tools to help you work with the Kubernetes system.`
Update index.md 2016-12-28 23:14:23 +00:00
add en pages 2020-05-30 19:10:23 +00:00
			`<!-- body -->`
Move tools to reference section. (#8936) * Move tools to reference section. * Adjust heading levels. 2018-06-07 19:30:24 +00:00			`## Kubectl`
Remove third-party page and make one page for all tools 2016-10-05 21:24:14 +00:00
apply a template to tools (#9176) 2018-06-25 19:35:22 +00:00			[`kubectl`](/docs/tasks/tools/install-kubectl/) is the command line tool for Kubernetes. It controls the Kubernetes cluster manager.
Remove third-party page and make one page for all tools 2016-10-05 21:24:14 +00:00
Restructure the left navigation pane of setup (#14826) * restructure left nav * Restructure setup left navigation * Update _redirects * Incorporated all the changes suggested * removed the Thumbs.db file 2019-06-12 11:57:29 +00:00			`## Kubeadm`
Added kubeadm to list of tools under kubectl. Updated _data/tools.yml to reflect kubeadm. 2016-12-30 20:22:58 +00:00
Restructure the left navigation pane of setup (#14826) * restructure left nav * Restructure setup left navigation * Update _redirects * Incorporated all the changes suggested * removed the Thumbs.db file 2019-06-12 11:57:29 +00:00			[`kubeadm`](/docs/setup/production-environment/tools/kubeadm/install-kubeadm/) is the command line tool for easily provisioning a secure Kubernetes cluster on top of physical or cloud servers or virtual machines (currently in alpha).
Added kubeadm to list of tools under kubectl. Updated _data/tools.yml to reflect kubeadm. 2016-12-30 20:22:58 +00:00
Move tools to reference section. (#8936) * Move tools to reference section. * Adjust heading levels. 2018-06-07 19:30:24 +00:00			`## Minikube`
tools: list minikube as a Native Tool Fixes #2491. Signed-off-by: Ahmet Alp Balkan <ahmetalpbalkan@gmail.com> 2017-04-05 04:41:39 +00:00
Fix links in reference section 2020-10-22 07:19:30 +00:00			[`minikube`](https://minikube.sigs.k8s.io/docs/) is a tool that makes it
tools: list minikube as a Native Tool Fixes #2491. Signed-off-by: Ahmet Alp Balkan <ahmetalpbalkan@gmail.com> 2017-04-05 04:41:39 +00:00			`easy to run a single-node Kubernetes cluster locally on your workstation for`
			`development and testing purposes.`

Restructure the left navigation pane of setup (#14826) * restructure left nav * Restructure setup left navigation * Update _redirects * Incorporated all the changes suggested * removed the Thumbs.db file 2019-06-12 11:57:29 +00:00			`## Dashboard`
Remove third-party page and make one page for all tools 2016-10-05 21:24:14 +00:00
apply a template to tools (#9176) 2018-06-25 19:35:22 +00:00			[`Dashboard`](/docs/tasks/access-application-cluster/web-ui-dashboard/), the web-based user interface of Kubernetes, allows you to deploy containerized applications
Restructure the left navigation pane of setup (#14826) * restructure left nav * Restructure setup left navigation * Update _redirects * Incorporated all the changes suggested * removed the Thumbs.db file 2019-06-12 11:57:29 +00:00			`to a Kubernetes cluster, troubleshoot them, and manage the cluster and its resources itself.`
Remove third-party page and make one page for all tools 2016-10-05 21:24:14 +00:00
Move tools to reference section. (#8936) * Move tools to reference section. * Adjust heading levels. 2018-06-07 19:30:24 +00:00			`## Helm`
Remove third-party page and make one page for all tools 2016-10-05 21:24:14 +00:00
apply a template to tools (#9176) 2018-06-25 19:35:22 +00:00			[`Kubernetes Helm`](https://github.com/kubernetes/helm) is a tool for managing packages of pre-configured
Remove third-party page and make one page for all tools 2016-10-05 21:24:14 +00:00			`Kubernetes resources, aka Kubernetes charts.`

Removed helm and kompose from third party tooling section (#7650) * Removed helm and kompose from third party tooling section * Removed unnescessary headers * Added back the heading 2018-04-03 02:19:05 +00:00			`Use Helm to:`
Add Tools top nav and move 3rd party doc under it 2016-09-27 23:06:18 +00:00
Remove third-party page and make one page for all tools 2016-10-05 21:24:14 +00:00			`* Find and use popular software packaged as Kubernetes charts`
			`* Share your own applications as Kubernetes charts`
			`* Create reproducible builds of your Kubernetes applications`
			`* Intelligently manage your Kubernetes manifest files`
			`* Manage releases of Helm packages`
Add Tools top nav and move 3rd party doc under it 2016-09-27 23:06:18 +00:00
Move tools to reference section. (#8936) * Move tools to reference section. * Adjust heading levels. 2018-06-07 19:30:24 +00:00			`## Kompose`
Add Tools top nav and move 3rd party doc under it 2016-09-27 23:06:18 +00:00
update kubernetes-incubator references 2020-10-17 22:21:20 +00:00			[`Kompose`](https://github.com/kubernetes/kompose) is a tool to help Docker Compose users move to Kubernetes.
Add missing information and new link on Kompose Adds a new to Kompose on the Kubernetes Incubator More information on Kompose / better formatting to reflect other tools on the page 2016-10-18 15:49:34 +00:00
			`Use Kompose to:`

			`* Translate a Docker Compose file into Kubernetes objects`
			`* Go from local Docker development to managing your application via Kubernetes`
			* Convert v1 or v2 Docker Compose `yaml` files or [Distributed Application Bundles](https://docs.docker.com/compose/bundles/)
add en pages 2020-05-30 19:10:23 +00:00