kubectl-mcp-server for Claude Code: Setup & Config

What you can do with kubectl-mcp-server in Claude Code

A broad Kubernetes operations surface for assistant-led diagnostics, Helm work, and resource analysis.

• Inspect Helm releases and manage chart installations.
• Review RBAC and secret-security findings.
• Identify idle workloads and oversized resource requests.

Before you start: kubectl-mcp-server in Claude Code

• Node.js 14+ for the npx method
• kubectl installed and configured
• Access to a Kubernetes cluster

The README recommends this npx launch for MCP clients. Python installation instead requires Python 3.9+. Optional UI features have a separate dependency extra. Docker can use stdio or --transport sse. The tool list here is a selection of explicitly named README operations, not the entire catalog.

kubectl-mcp-server Claude Code configuration

1. Choose Claude Code configuration scope

   For kubectl-mcp-server, open Project scope: .mcp.json at the repository root. Project JSON: merge into mcpServers; user scope: use the CLI.

2. Add kubectl-mcp-server to Claude Code

   Use the kubectl-mcp-server entry below in mcpServers. Keep kubectl-mcp-server's documented stdio connection fields and your other Claude Code entries.

3. Check kubectl-mcp-server in Claude Code

   kubectl-mcp-server: Inspect claude mcp list and /mcp status.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kubectl-mcp-server": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "kubectl-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

claude mcp add-json --scope project 'kubectl-mcp-server' '{"type":"stdio","command":"npx","args":["-y","kubectl-mcp-server"],"env":{}}'

kubectl-mcp-server tools available to Claude Code

kubectl-mcp-server's stored tool list documents 23 tools; compare it with Claude Code's connected tool list, because the stored list is not a live check.

get_pods

For kubectl-mcp-server's get_pods, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

get_logs

For kubectl-mcp-server's get_logs, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

get_pod_events

For kubectl-mcp-server's get_pod_events, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Inspect events associated with a pod.

diagnose_pod_crash

For kubectl-mcp-server's diagnose_pod_crash, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Investigate pod failures using diagnostic information.

create_deployment

For kubectl-mcp-server's create_deployment, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Create a Kubernetes deployment.

scale_deployment

For kubectl-mcp-server's scale_deployment, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Change the replica count of a deployment.

kubectl_rollout

For kubectl-mcp-server's kubectl_rollout, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Manage deployment rollout operations.

diagnose_network_connectivity

For kubectl-mcp-server's diagnose_network_connectivity, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Investigate service and workload connectivity problems.

check_dns_resolution

For kubectl-mcp-server's check_dns_resolution, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

audit_rbac_permissions

For kubectl-mcp-server's audit_rbac_permissions, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

check_secrets_security

For kubectl-mcp-server's check_secrets_security, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

helm_list

For kubectl-mcp-server's helm_list, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

install_helm_chart

For kubectl-mcp-server's install_helm_chart, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Install an application from a Helm chart.

helm_rollback

For kubectl-mcp-server's helm_rollback, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

get_current_context

For kubectl-mcp-server's get_current_context, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

switch_context

For kubectl-mcp-server's switch_context, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

list_contexts

For kubectl-mcp-server's list_contexts, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

get_resource_recommendations

For kubectl-mcp-server's get_resource_recommendations, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

get_idle_resources

For kubectl-mcp-server's get_idle_resources, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Find resources that appear idle.

get_cost_analysis

For kubectl-mcp-server's get_cost_analysis, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Analyze cluster resource costs.

get_overprovisioned_resources

For kubectl-mcp-server's get_overprovisioned_resources, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Identify workloads with excessive resource allocation.

delete_resource

For kubectl-mcp-server's delete_resource, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Delete a selected Kubernetes resource.

show_cluster_overview_ui

For kubectl-mcp-server's show_cluster_overview_ui, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Present an optional interactive cluster overview.

kubectl-mcp-server: full stored tool descriptions

Troubleshooting kubectl-mcp-server in Claude Code

• If kubectl-mcp-server fails to start, check npx kubectl-mcp-server (Node.js/npm), the working directory, and Claude Code's selected scope; inspect claude mcp list and /mcp.
• kubectl-mcp-server uses stdio here: Claude Code must keep the configured process running; protocol output belongs on stdout and diagnostics on stderr.
• Known limitation: Needs kubectl configuration and working cluster access.
• Known limitation: The tool catalog includes destructive resource operations.
• Known limitation: Interactive dashboards require optional dependencies.
• General Claude Code troubleshooting lives in the /clients/claude-code guide.

Frequently asked questions