50+ Useful Kubernetes Tools
A curated collection of Kubernetes tools across deployment, monitoring, security, testing, and development categories. Everything you need to run Kubernetes in production.
“In just two relatively short years, Kubernetes has laid waste to its fellow competitors in the battlefield of container orchestration.” Docker Swarm and AWS have both conceded to Kubernetes’ dominance by pledging support for K8s integration.
This compilation presents an extensive collection of tools designed to enhance and complement Kubernetes deployments across various operational domains.
Kube Cluster Deployment Tools
- Kubespray
- Minikube
- Kubeadm
- Kops
- Bootkube
- Kubernetes on AWS (Kube-AWS)
- SimpleKube
- Juju
- Conjure-up
- Amazon EKS
Monitoring Tools
- Kubebox
- Kubernetes Operational View (Kube-ops-view)
- Kubetail
- Kubewatch
- Weave Scope
- Searchlight
- Heapster
Testing
- Kube-monkey
- K8s-testsuite
- Test-infra
- Sonobuoy
- PowerfulSeal
Security
- Trireme
- Aporeto
- Twistlock
- Sysdig Falco
- Sysdig Secure
- Kubesec.io
Helpful CLI Tools
- Cabin
- Kubectx/Kubens
- Kube-shell
- Kail
Development Tools
- Telepresence
- Helm
- Keel
- Apollo
- Draft
- Deis Workflow
- Kel
- Cloud 66
Serverless / Function Tools
- Kubeless
- Fission
- Funktion
- IronFunction
- OpenWhisk
- OpenFaaS
- Nuclio
- Virtual-Kubelet
- Fnproject
Native Service Discovery
- CoreDNS
Native Visualization & Control
- Kubernetes Dashboard
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best tool for deploying a Kubernetes cluster from scratch?
Kubeadm is the most widely adopted tool for bootstrapping production-grade Kubernetes clusters, while Minikube is ideal for local development. For AWS-specific deployments, Kops and Amazon EKS are popular choices that automate much of the cluster provisioning process.
How do I monitor what is happening inside my Kubernetes cluster in real time?
Kubebox and Weave Scope both provide real-time visibility into cluster activity. Kubetail lets you tail logs from multiple pods simultaneously, while Kubewatch sends alerts when cluster resources change. Combining a log aggregator with a metrics tool gives the most complete picture.
Which Kubernetes security tools should I use in production?
Production clusters typically pair Sysdig Falco for runtime threat detection with Kubesec.io for static manifest security scoring. Tools like Twistlock and Sysdig Secure add vulnerability scanning for container images, helping teams catch risks before they reach production.
Is Helm the right tool for managing Kubernetes application deployments?
Yes — Helm is the de facto standard for packaging and deploying Kubernetes applications. It lets teams version-control their deployments as reusable charts and simplifies upgrades and rollbacks. For teams also doing local code-change workflows, pairing Helm with a development tool like Telepresence reduces friction further.
Can I run serverless functions on Kubernetes without a managed cloud service?
Yes. Several open-source frameworks — including OpenFaaS, Kubeless, Fission, and Nuclio — let you run serverless functions directly on any Kubernetes cluster. This approach avoids cloud-provider lock-in and keeps functions running alongside your existing containerized workloads.
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