---
title: "Introduction to kubectl"
content_type: concept
weight: 1
---

kubectl is a command-line tool for interacting with Kubernetes clusters, using the Kubernetes API.
Use it to deploy applications, inspect resources, and manage workloads.

While this Book is focused on using kubectl to declaratively manage applications in Kubernetes, it
also covers other kubectl functions.

## Command Families

Most kubectl commands typically fall into one of a few categories:

| Type                                   | Used For                   | Description                                        |
|----------------------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| Declarative Resource Management        | Deployment and operations (e.g. GitOps)   | Declaratively manage Kubernetes workloads using resource configuration     |
| Imperative Resource Management         | Development Only           | Run commands to manage Kubernetes workloads using Command Line arguments and flags |
| Printing Workload State | Debugging  | Print information about workloads |
| Interacting with Containers | Debugging  | Exec, attach, cp, logs |
| Cluster Management | Cluster operations | Drain and cordon Nodes |

## Declarative Application Management

The preferred approach for managing resources is through
declarative files called resource configuration used with the kubectl *Apply* command.
This command reads a local (or remote) file structure and modifies cluster state to
reflect the declared intent.

{{< alert color="success" title="Apply" >}}
Apply is the preferred mechanism for managing resources in a Kubernetes cluster.
{{< /alert >}}

## Printing State about Workloads

Users will need to view workload state.

- Printing summarize state and information about resources
- Printing complete state and information about resources
- Printing specific fields from resources
- Query resources matching labels

## Debugging Workloads

kubectl supports debugging by providing commands for:

- Printing Container logs
- Printing cluster events
- Exec or attaching to a Container
- Copying files from Containers in the cluster to a user's filesystem

## Cluster Management

On occasion, users may need to perform operations to the Nodes of cluster. kubectl supports
commands to drain workloads from a Node so that it can be decommissioned or debugged.

## Porcelain

Users may find using resource configuration overly verbose for *development* and prefer to work with
the cluster *imperatively* with a shell-like workflow. kubectl offers porcelain commands for
generating and modifying resources.

- Generating + creating resources such as Deployments, StatefulSets, Services, ConfigMaps, etc.
- Setting fields on resources
- Editing (live) resources in a text editor

{{< alert color="warning" title="Porcelain for Dev Only" >}}
Porcelain commands are time saving for experimenting with workloads in a dev cluster, but shouldn't
be used for production.
{{< /alert >}}