---
reviewers:
- bgrant0607
- mikedanese
title: Install and Set Up kubectl
content_template: templates/task
weight: 10
card:
  name: tasks
  weight: 20
  title: Install kubectl
---

{{% capture overview %}}
The Kubernetes command-line tool, [kubectl](/docs/user-guide/kubectl/), allows you to run commands against Kubernetes clusters. You can use kubectl to deploy applications, inspect and manage cluster resources, and view logs. For a complete list of kubectl operations, see [Overview of kubectl](/docs/reference/kubectl/overview/).
{{% /capture %}}

{{% capture prerequisites %}}
You must use a kubectl version that is within one minor version difference of your cluster. For example, a v1.2 client should work with v1.1, v1.2, and v1.3 master. Using the latest version of kubectl helps avoid unforeseen issues.
{{% /capture %}}

{{% capture steps %}}

## Install kubectl on Linux

### Install kubectl binary with curl on Linux

1. Download the latest release with the command:

    ```
    curl -LO https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/$(curl -s https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/stable.txt)/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl
    ```

    To download a specific version, replace the `$(curl -s https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/stable.txt)` portion of the command with the specific version.

    For example, to download version {{< param "fullversion" >}} on Linux, type:
    
    ```
    curl -LO https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/{{< param "fullversion" >}}/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl
    ```

2. Make the kubectl binary executable.

    ```
    chmod +x ./kubectl
    ```

3. Move the binary in to your PATH.

    ```
    sudo mv ./kubectl /usr/local/bin/kubectl
    ```
4. Test to ensure the version you installed is up-to-date:

    ```
    kubectl version
    ```

### Install using native package management

{{< tabs name="kubectl_install" >}}
{{< tab name="Ubuntu, Debian or HypriotOS" codelang="bash" >}}
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y apt-transport-https
curl -s https://packages.cloud.google.com/apt/doc/apt-key.gpg | sudo apt-key add -
echo "deb https://apt.kubernetes.io/ kubernetes-xenial main" | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/kubernetes.list
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y kubectl
{{< /tab >}}
{{< tab name="CentOS, RHEL or Fedora" codelang="bash" >}}cat <<EOF > /etc/yum.repos.d/kubernetes.repo
[kubernetes]
name=Kubernetes
baseurl=https://packages.cloud.google.com/yum/repos/kubernetes-el7-x86_64
enabled=1
gpgcheck=1
repo_gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=https://packages.cloud.google.com/yum/doc/yum-key.gpg https://packages.cloud.google.com/yum/doc/rpm-package-key.gpg
EOF
yum install -y kubectl
{{< /tab >}}
{{< /tabs >}}


### Install with snap

If you are on Ubuntu or another Linux distribution that support [snap](https://snapcraft.io/docs/core/install) package manager, kubectl is available as a [snap](https://snapcraft.io/) application.

1. Switch to the snap user and run the installation command:

    ```
    sudo snap install kubectl --classic
    ```

2. Test to ensure the version you installed is up-to-date:

    ```
    kubectl version
    ```

## Install kubectl on macOS

### Install kubectl binary with curl on macOS

1. Download the latest release:

    ```		 
    curl -LO https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/$(curl -s https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/stable.txt)/bin/darwin/amd64/kubectl
    ```

    To download a specific version, replace the `$(curl -s https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/stable.txt)` portion of the command with the specific version.

    For example, to download version {{< param "fullversion" >}} on macOS, type:
		  
    ```
    curl -LO https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/{{< param "fullversion" >}}/bin/darwin/amd64/kubectl
    ```

2. Make the kubectl binary executable.

    ```
    chmod +x ./kubectl
    ```

3. Move the binary in to your PATH.

    ```
    sudo mv ./kubectl /usr/local/bin/kubectl
    ```
4. Test to ensure the version you installed is up-to-date:

    ```
    kubectl version
    ```

### Install with Homebrew on macOS

If you are on macOS and using [Homebrew](https://brew.sh/) package manager, you can install kubectl with Homebrew.

1. Run the installation command:

    ```
    brew install kubernetes-cli
    ```

2. Test to ensure the version you installed is up-to-date:

    ```
    kubectl version
    ```

### Install with Macports on macOS

If you are on macOS and using [Macports](https://macports.org/) package manager, you can install kubectl with Macports.

1. Run the installation command:

    ```
    sudo port selfupdate
    sudo port install kubectl
    ```
    
2. Test to ensure the version you installed is up-to-date:

    ```
    kubectl version
    ```

## Install kubectl on Windows

### Install kubectl binary with curl on Windows

1. Download the latest release {{< param "fullversion" >}} from [this link](https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/{{< param "fullversion" >}}/bin/windows/amd64/kubectl.exe).

    Or if you have `curl` installed, use this command:

    ```
    curl -LO https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/{{< param "fullversion" >}}/bin/windows/amd64/kubectl.exe
    ```

    To find out the latest stable version (for example, for scripting), take a look at [https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/stable.txt](https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/stable.txt).

2. Add the binary in to your PATH.
3. Test to ensure the version you installed is up-to-date:

    ```
    kubectl version
    ```

### Install with Powershell from PSGallery

If you are on Windows and using [Powershell Gallery](https://www.powershellgallery.com/) package manager, you can install and update kubectl with Powershell.

1. Run the installation commands (making sure to specify a `DownloadLocation`):

    ```
    Install-Script -Name install-kubectl -Scope CurrentUser -Force
    install-kubectl.ps1 [-DownloadLocation <path>]
    ```
    
    {{< note >}}If you do not specify a `DownloadLocation`, `kubectl` will be installed in the user's temp Directory.{{< /note >}}
    
    The installer creates `$HOME/.kube` and instructs it to create a config file

2. Test to ensure the version you installed is up-to-date:

    ```
    kubectl version
    ```

    {{< note >}}Updating the installation is performed by rerunning the two commands listed in step 1.{{< /note >}}

### Install on Windows using Chocolatey or Scoop

To install kubectl on Windows you can use either [Chocolatey](https://chocolatey.org) package manager or [Scoop](https://scoop.sh) command-line installer.
{{< tabs name="kubectl_win_install" >}}
{{% tab name="choco" %}}

    choco install kubernetes-cli

{{% /tab %}}
{{% tab name="scoop" %}}

    scoop install kubectl

{{% /tab %}}
{{< /tabs >}}
2. Test to ensure the version you installed is up-to-date:

    ```
    kubectl version
    ```

3. Navigate to your home directory:

    ```
    cd %USERPROFILE%
    ```
4. Create the `.kube` directory:

    ```
    mkdir .kube
    ```

5. Change to the `.kube` directory you just created:

    ```
    cd .kube
    ```

6. Configure kubectl to use a remote Kubernetes cluster:

    ```
    New-Item config -type file
    ```
    
    {{< note >}}Edit the config file with a text editor of your choice, such as Notepad.{{< /note >}}

## Download as part of the Google Cloud SDK

You can install kubectl as part of the Google Cloud SDK.

1. Install the [Google Cloud SDK](https://cloud.google.com/sdk/).
2. Run the `kubectl` installation command:

    ```
    gcloud components install kubectl
    ```
    
3. Test to ensure the version you installed is up-to-date:

    ```
    kubectl version
    ```

## Verifying kubectl configuration 

In order for kubectl to find and access a Kubernetes cluster, it needs a [kubeconfig file](/docs/tasks/access-application-cluster/configure-access-multiple-clusters/), which is created automatically when you create a cluster using `kube-up.sh` or successfully deploy a Minikube cluster. By default, kubectl configuration is located at `~/.kube/config`.

Check that kubectl is properly configured by getting the cluster state:

```shell
kubectl cluster-info
```
If you see a URL response, kubectl is correctly configured to access your cluster.

If you see a message similar to the following, kubectl is not configured correctly or is not able to connect to a Kubernetes cluster.

```shell
The connection to the server <server-name:port> was refused - did you specify the right host or port?
```

For example, if you are intending to run a Kubernetes cluster on your laptop (locally), you will need a tool like Minikube to be installed first and then re-run the commands stated above.

If kubectl cluster-info returns the url response but you can't access your cluster, to check whether it is configured properly, use:

```shell
kubectl cluster-info dump
```

## Optional kubectl configurations

### Enabling shell autocompletion

kubectl provides autocompletion support for Bash and Zsh, which can save you a lot of typing.

Below are the procedures to set up autocompletion for Bash (including the difference between Linux and macOS) and Zsh.

{{< tabs name="kubectl_autocompletion" >}}

{{% tab name="Bash on Linux" %}}

### Introduction

The kubectl completion script for Bash can be generated with the command `kubectl completion bash`. Sourcing the completion script in your shell enables kubectl autocompletion.

However, the completion script depends on [**bash-completion**](https://github.com/scop/bash-completion), which means that you have to install this software first (you can test if you have bash-completion already installed by running `type _init_completion`).

### Install bash-completion

bash-completion is provided by many package managers (see [here](https://github.com/scop/bash-completion#installation)). You can install it with `apt-get install bash-completion` or `yum install bash-completion`, etc.

The above commands create `/usr/share/bash-completion/bash_completion`, which is the main script of bash-completion. Depending on your package manager, you have to manually source this file in your `~/.bashrc` file.

To find out, reload your shell and run `type _init_completion`. If the command succeeds, you're already set, otherwise add the following to your `~/.bashrc` file:

```shell
source /usr/share/bash-completion/bash_completion
```

Reload your shell and verify that bash-completion is correctly installed by typing `type _init_completion`.

### Enable kubectl autocompletion

You now need to ensure that the kubectl completion script gets sourced in all your shell sessions. There are two ways in which you can do this:

- Source the completion script in your `~/.bashrc` file:

    ```shell
    echo 'source <(kubectl completion bash)' >>~/.bashrc
    ```

- Add the completion script to the `/etc/bash_completion.d` directory:

    ```shell
    kubectl completion bash >/etc/bash_completion.d/kubectl
    ```

{{< note >}}
bash-completion sources all completion scripts in `/etc/bash_completion.d`.
{{< /note >}}

Both approaches are equivalent. After reloading your shell, kubectl autocompletion should be working.

{{% /tab %}}


{{% tab name="Bash on macOS" %}}

{{< warning>}}
macOS includes Bash 3.2 by default. The kubectl completion script requires Bash 4.1+ and doesn't work with Bash 3.2. A possible way around this is to install a newer version of Bash on macOS (see instructions [here](https://itnext.io/upgrading-bash-on-macos-7138bd1066ba)). The below instructions only work if you are using Bash 4.1+.
{{< /warning >}}

### Introduction

The kubectl completion script for Bash can be generated with the command `kubectl completion bash`. Sourcing the completion script in your shell enables kubectl autocompletion.

However, the completion script depends on [**bash-completion**](https://github.com/scop/bash-completion), which means that you have to install this software first (you can test if you have bash-completion already installed by running `type _init_completion`).

### Install bash-completion

You can install bash-completion with Homebrew:

```shell
brew install bash-completion
```

As stated in the output of `brew install` ("Caveats" section), add the following lines to your `~/.bashrc` or `~/.bash_profile` file:

```shell
[ -f /usr/local/etc/bash_completion ] && . /usr/local/etc/bash_completion
```

Reload your shell.

### Enable kubectl autocompletion

If you installed kubectl with Homebrew (as explained [here](#install-with-homebrew-on-macos)), then the completion script was automatically installed to `/usr/local/etc/bash_completion.d/kubectl`. In that case, you don't need to do anything.

If you didn't install through Homebrew you now need to ensure that the kubectl completion script gets sourced in all your shell sessions as follows:

- Add the completion script to `/usr/local/etc/bash_completion.d`:

    ```shell
    kubectl completion bash >/usr/local/etc/bash_completion.d/kubectl
    ```


{{< note >}}
bash-completion (if installed with Homebrew) sources all the completion scripts in the directory.
{{< /note >}}

After reloading your shell, kubectl autocompletion should be working.
{{% /tab %}}

{{% tab name="Zsh" %}}

The kubectl completion script for Zsh can be generated with the command `kubectl completion zsh`. Sourcing the completion script in your shell enables kubectl autocompletion.

To do so in all your shell sessions, add the following to your `~/.zshrc` file:

```shell
source <(kubectl completion zsh)
```

After reloading your shell, kubectl autocompletion should be working.

If you get an error like `complete:13: command not found: compdef`, then add the following to the beginning of your `~/.zshrc` file:

```shell
autoload -Uz compinit
compinit
```
{{% /tab %}}
{{< /tabs >}}

{{% /capture %}}

{{% capture whatsnext %}}
* [Install Minikube](/docs/tasks/tools/install-minikube/)
* See the [getting started guides](/docs/setup/) for more about creating clusters. 
* [Learn how to launch and expose your application.](/docs/tasks/access-application-cluster/service-access-application-cluster/)
* If you need access to a cluster you didn't create, see the [Sharing Cluster Access document](/docs/tasks/access-application-cluster/configure-access-multiple-clusters/).
* Read the [kubectl reference docs](/docs/reference/kubectl/kubectl/)
{{% /capture %}}