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Kubernetes MCP Server

MCP server connecting to Kubernetes

Installation

Add the following to your MCP client configuration file.

Configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "strowk-mcp-k8s-go": {
      "command": "mcp-k8s-go",
      "args": [],
      "env": {
        "KUBECONFIG": "${KUBECONFIG_PATH:-~/.kube/config}"
      }
    }
  }
}

You run an MCP server that you connect to Kubernetes to browse, retrieve, and manage cluster resources from any MCP client. This Go-based MCP K8S server lets you list contexts, namespaces, nodes, pods, events, and much more, while also enabling you to run commands inside pods. It bridges your Kubernetes cluster with MCP-enabled clients so you can orchestrate and observe clusters from a single, consistent interface.

How to use

You access the MCP K8S Go server from an MCP client (such as Claude Desktop or Inspector) by configuring the client to point to the MCP server and then issuing actions like listing contexts, namespaces, or Kubernetes resources, or executing commands inside pods.

Practical usage patterns include: 1) listing available Kubernetes contexts, namespaces, and core resources; 2) listing Kubernetes nodes and pods; 3) retrieving events and pod logs; 4) running commands inside a Kubernetes pod. You can also restrict which contexts are accessible and enable read-only mode to prevent changes to the cluster. The server supports masking of secrets in outputs by default for safer sharing.

How to install

Prerequisites: you need a supported runtime to run the MCP server. Choose one of the following installation flows based on your preference for manual setup, Docker usage, or seamless client integration.

Docker usage

docker run -i -v ~/.kube/config:/home/nonroot/.kube/config --rm mcpk8s/server:latest

Windows users might need to replace ~/.kube/config with //c/Users/<username>/.kube/config in Git Bash.

Additional configuration and usage notes

Environment variables and command-line options supported by the MCP server include:

Environment variable - KUBECONFIG: Path to your Kubernetes configuration file (optional, defaults to ~/.kube/config)

Command-line options - --allowed-contexts=<ctx1,ctx2,...>: Comma-separated list of allowed Kubernetes contexts. If not specified, all contexts are allowed - --readonly: Disables any write-capable tools to protect the cluster - --help: Display help information - --version: Display version information - --mask-secrets: Mask secrets in the output (default: true). Use --mask-secrets=false to disable masking

If you configure a client like Claude Desktop, you can specify how the MCP server starts. For example, you can limit contexts and enable read-only mode by passing relevant flags in the client configuration.

Recommended startup configurations for Claude Desktop

To run the MCP server via a local binary, you can use the following start command in Claude Desktop configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp_k8s_go": {
      "command": "mcp-k8s-go",
      "args": []
    }
  }
}

Available tools

listContexts

List Kubernetes contexts available from your cluster and filter by allowed contexts if configured.

listNamespaces

List all Kubernetes namespaces accessible in the selected context.

manageResources

List, get, create, and modify Kubernetes resources including core and custom resources.

listNodes

List Kubernetes nodes in the cluster.

listPods

List Kubernetes pods across namespaces.

getEvents

Get Kubernetes events for debugging and auditing.

getPodLogs

Retrieve logs from a specific Kubernetes pod.

runCommandInPod

Execute a command inside a Kubernetes pod and return output.