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Overview

What is k13d?

k13d (pronounced "k-thirteen-d") is a comprehensive Kubernetes management tool that combines:

  • 🖥 k9s-style TUI - Fast terminal dashboard with Vim keybindings
  • 🤖 kubectl-ai Intelligence - Agentic AI that actually executes kubectl commands
  • 🌐 Modern Web UI - Browser-based dashboard with real-time streaming

The name follows the numeronym pattern like k8s (k + 8 letters + s = kubernetes):

k**ube**a**i**d**ashboard = **k + 13 letters + d = k13d

Why k13d?

The Problem

Managing Kubernetes clusters requires:

  1. Expert Knowledge - Complex YAML, kubectl commands, resource relationships
  2. Context Switching - Jumping between terminal, dashboards, and documentation
  3. Manual Investigation - Debugging issues requires multiple commands and mental correlation

The Solution

k13d solves these problems by:

Challenge k13d Solution
Complex kubectl commands AI understands natural language and executes for you
Multiple tools needed Single tool for TUI, Web, and AI assistance
Context switching Integrated AI with full cluster context (YAML + Events + Logs)
Learning curve Beginner mode with simple explanations

Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                              k13d                                        │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                          │
│  ┌────────────────┐    ┌────────────────┐    ┌────────────────┐        │
│  │   TUI Layer    │    │   Web Layer    │    │  AI/Agent Layer │        │
│  │  (tview/tcell) │    │  (net/http)    │    │  (OpenAI API)   │        │
│  └───────┬────────┘    └───────┬────────┘    └───────┬────────┘        │
│          │                     │                     │                  │
│          └─────────────────────┼─────────────────────┘                  │
│                                │                                         │
│                    ┌───────────▼───────────┐                            │
│                    │   Core Services       │                            │
│                    │  • K8s Client         │                            │
│                    │  • Config Manager     │                            │
│                    │  • Audit Logger       │                            │
│                    └───────────────────────┘                            │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Feature Comparison

Feature k13d k9s kubectl-ai K8s Dashboard
TUI Interface ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌
Web Interface ✅ ❌ ❌ ✅
AI Assistant ✅ ❌ ✅ ❌
Tool Execution ✅ ❌ ✅ ❌
MCP Support ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌
Embedded LLM ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌
RBAC Authorization ✅ ❌ ❌ ⚠
Audit Logging ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌

Use Cases

DevOps Engineers

  • Quickly diagnose pod issues with AI assistance
  • Execute complex kubectl operations via natural language
  • Generate cluster health reports

Platform Teams

  • Provide self-service Kubernetes access with RBAC controls
  • Audit all AI-assisted operations
  • Integrate with existing LDAP/SSO

Developers

  • Understand Kubernetes resources without memorizing kubectl
  • Get beginner-friendly explanations
  • Access cluster from browser without terminal

Getting Started

Ready to try k13d? Start with the Installation Guide.