k3d

K3d is a command-line tool used for managing local Kubernetes clusters. It allows you to quickly spin up lightweight, single-node Kubernetes clusters for local development and testing purposes.

With K3d, you can easily create, delete, and switch between different Kubernetes clusters on your local machine. It uses containerd to power the underlying container runtime, making cluster creation and management fast and efficient.

K3d provides seamless integration with Docker, making it easy to deploy containerized applications to your local clusters. It also supports customizing cluster configuration options such as the number of worker nodes, port bindings, network settings, and more.

The tool offers a simple and intuitive command-line interface, allowing you to perform various actions like creating clusters, modifying configurations, and scaling nodes with ease. It also supports features like load balancing, automatic cluster naming, and automatic cluster environment variable injection for containerized applications.

K3d can be used for local development, CI/CD pipelines, and testing purposes, providing a way to closely mimic production cluster environments. It offers fast cluster provisioning, easy configuration management, and efficient resource utilization.

The tool is written in Go and is available as an open-source project on GitHub, allowing for community contributions and improvements. It is actively maintained and supported by Rancher Labs, a company focused on Kubernetes and container management solutions.

K3d simplifies the process of setting up and managing local Kubernetes clusters, making it a valuable tool for developers and DevOps teams working with Kubernetes. It brings the power of Kubernetes to your local machine, enabling easier testing, development, and deployment of containerized applications.