--- title: Generating Reference Documentation for kubectl Commands content_template: templates/task --- {{% capture overview %}} This page shows how to automatically generate reference pages for the commands provided by the `kubectl` tool. {{< note >}} **Note:** This topic shows how to generate reference documentation for [kubectl commands](/docs/reference/generated/kubectl/kubectl-commands) like [kubectl apply](/docs/reference/generated/kubectl/kubectl-commands#apply) and [kubectl taint](/docs/reference/generated/kubectl/kubectl-commands#taint). This topic does not show how to generate the [kubectl](/docs/reference/generated/kubectl/kubectl/) options reference page. For instructions on how to generate the kubectl options reference page, see [Generating Reference Pages for Kubernetes Components and Tools](/docs/home/contribute/generated-reference/kubernetes-components/). {{< /note >}} {{% /capture %}} {{% capture prerequisites %}} * You need to have [Git](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Getting-Started-Installing-Git) installed. * You need to have [Golang](https://golang.org/doc/install) version 1.9.1 or later installed, and your `$GOPATH` environment variable must be set. * You need to have [Docker](https://docs.docker.com/engine/installation/) installed. * You need to know how to create a pull request to a GitHub repository. Typically, this involves creating a fork of the repository. For more information, see [Creating a Documentation Pull Request](/docs/home/contribute/create-pull-request/) and [GitHub Standard Fork & Pull Request Workflow](https://gist.github.com/Chaser324/ce0505fbed06b947d962). {{% /capture %}} {{% capture steps %}} ## Getting three repositories If you don't already have the kubernetes/kubernetes repository, get it now: ```shell mkdir $GOPATH/src cd $GOPATH/src go get github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes ``` Determine the base directory of your clone of the [kubernetes/kubernetes](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes) repository. For example, if you followed the preceding step to get the repository, your base directory is `$GOPATH/src/github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes.` The remaining steps refer to your base directory as ``. If you don't already have the kubernetes/website repository, get it now: ```shell mkdir $GOPATH/src cd $GOPATH/src go get github.com/kubernetes/website ``` Determine the base directory of your clone of the [kubernetes/website](https://github.com/kubernetes/website) repository. For example, if you followed the preceding step to get the repository, your base directory is `$GOPATH/src/github.com/kubernetes/website.` The remaining steps refer to your base directory as ``. If you don't already have the kubernetes-incubator/reference-docs repository, get it now: ```shell mkdir $GOPATH/src cd $GOPATH/src go get github.com/kubernetes-incubator/reference-docs ``` Determine the base directory of your clone of the [kubernetes-incubator/reference-docs](https://github.com/kubernetes-incubator/reference-docs) repository. For example, if you followed the preceding step to get the repository, your base directory is `$GOPATH/src/github.com/kubernetes-incubator/reference-docs.` The remaining steps refer to your base directory as ``. In your local kubernetes/kubernetes repository, check out the branch of interest, and make sure it is up to date. For example, if you want to generate docs for Kubernetes 1.9, you could use these commands: ```shell cd git checkout release-1.9 git pull https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes release-1.9 ``` ## Editing the kubectl source code The reference documentation for the kubectl commands is automatically generated from kubectl source code. If you want to change the reference documentation, the first step is to change one or more comments in the kubectl source code. Make the change in your local kubernetes/kubernetes repository, and then submit a pull request to the master branch of [github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes). [PR 56673](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/56673/files) is an example of a pull request that fixes a typo in the kubectl source code. Monitor your pull request, and respond to reviewer comments. Continue to monitor your pull request until it is merged into the master branch of the kubernetes/kubernetes repository. ## Cherry picking your change into a release branch Your change is now in the master branch, which is used for development of the next Kubernetes release. If you want your change to appear in the docs for a Kubernetes version that has already been released, you need to propose that your change be cherry picked into the release branch. For example, suppose the master branch is being used to develop Kubernetes 1.10, and you want to backport your change to the release-1.9 branch. For instructions on how to do this, see [Propose a Cherry Pick](https://github.com/kubernetes/community/blob/master/contributors/devel/cherry-picks.md). Monitor your cherry-pick pull request until it is merged into the release branch. {{< note >}} **Note:** Proposing a cherry pick requires that you have permission to set a label and a milestone in your pull request. If you don’t have those permissions, you will need to work with someone who can set the label and milestone for you. {{< /note >}} ## Editing Makefile Go to ``, and open `Makefile` for editing: Set `K8SROOT` to the base directory of your local kubernetes/kubernetes repository. Set `WEBROOT` to the base directory of your local kubernetes/website repository. Set `MINOR_VERSION` to the minor version of the docs you want to build. For example, if you want to build docs for Kubernetes 1.9, set `MINOR_VERSION` to 9. Save and close `Makefile`. ## Building the brodocs image The doc generation code requires the `pwittrock/brodocs` Docker image. This command creates the `pwittrock/brodocs` Docker image. It also tries to push the image to DockerHub, but it's OK if that step fails. As long as you have the image locally, the code generation can succeed. ```shell make brodocs ``` Verify that you have the brodocs image: ```shell docker images ``` The output shows `pwittrock/brodocs` as one of the available images: ```shell REPOSITORY TAG IMAGE ID CREATED SIZE pwittrock/brodocs latest 999d34a50d56 5 weeks ago 714MB ``` ## Creating a version directory In the `gen-kubectldocs/generators` directory, if you do not already have a directory named `v1_MINOR_VERSION`, create one now by copying the directory for the previous version. For example, suppose you want to generate docs for Kubernetes 1.9, but you don't already have a `v1_9` directory. Then you could create and populate a `v1_9` directory by running these commands: ```shell mkdir gen-kubectldocs/generators/v1_9 cp -r gen-kubectldocs/generators/v1_8/* gen-kubectldocs/generators/v1_9 ``` ## Checking out a branch in kubernetes/kubernetes In you local kubernetes/kubernetes repository, checkout the branch that has the version of Kubernetes that you want to document. For example, if you want to generate docs for Kubernetes 1.9, checkout the release-1.9 branch. Make sure you local branch is up to date. ## Running the doc generation code In you local kubernetes-incubator/reference-docs repository, build and run the doc generation code. You might need to run the command as root: ```shell cd make cli ``` ## Locate the generated files These two files are the primary output of a successful build. Verify that they exist: * `/gen-kubectldocs/generators/build/index.html` * `/gen-kubectldocs/generators/build/navData.js` ## Copying files to the kubernetes/website repository Copy the generated files from your local kubernetes-incubator/reference-docs repository to your local kubernetes/website repository. ```shell cd make copycli ``` ## Adding and committing changes in kubernetes/website List the files that were generated and copied to the `kubernetes/website` repository: ``` cd git status ``` The output shows the new and modified files. For example, the output might look like this: ```shell modified: docs/reference/generated/kubectl/kubectl-commands.html modified: docs/reference/generated/kubectl/navData.js ``` Run `git add` and `git commit` to commit the files. ## Creating a pull request Create a pull request to the `kubernetes/website` repository. Monitor your pull request, and respond to review comments as needed. Continue to monitor your pull request until it is merged. A few minutes after your pull request is merged, your updated reference topics will be visible in the [published documentation](/docs/home). {{% /capture %}} {{% capture whatsnext %}} * [Generating Reference Documentation for Kubernetes Components and Tools](/docs/home/contribute/generated-reference/kubernetes-components/) * [Generating Reference Documentation for the Kubernetes API](/docs/home/contribute/generated-reference/kubernetes-api/) * [Generating Reference Documentation for the Kubernetes Federation API](/docs/home/contribute/generated-reference/federation-api/) {{% /capture %}}