MCP Server Kubernetes for Claude Desktop: Setup & Config

What you can do with MCP Server Kubernetes in Claude Desktop

An existing-context Kubernetes bridge spanning diagnostics, resource changes, Helm, and tracing.

• Inspect pods and logs while diagnosing workload failures.
• Apply manifests and manage deployment rollouts from an assistant.

Before you start: MCP Server Kubernetes in Claude Desktop

• Node.js and npx
• kubectl on PATH
• A valid kubeconfig with cluster access
• Helm v3 on PATH for Helm operations

Loads the standard kubeconfig and current kubectl context by default. Set ALLOW_ONLY_NON_DESTRUCTIVE_TOOLS to true to disable designated destructive operations; this still permits creation and updates. Telemetry is optional and off by default.

MCP Server Kubernetes Claude Desktop configuration

1. Choose Claude Desktop configuration scope

   For MCP Server Kubernetes, open macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json. Merge under mcpServers via Settings → Developer → Edit Config when available.

2. Add MCP Server Kubernetes to Claude Desktop

   Use the mcp-server-kubernetes entry below in mcpServers. Keep MCP Server Kubernetes's documented stdio connection fields and your other Claude Desktop entries.

3. Check MCP Server Kubernetes in Claude Desktop

   MCP Server Kubernetes: Fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop; check developer diagnostics.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-server-kubernetes": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-server-kubernetes"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

MCP Server Kubernetes tools available to Claude Desktop

MCP Server Kubernetes's stored tool list documents 26 tools; compare it with Claude Desktop's connected tool list, because the stored list is not a live check.

cleanup

When Claude Desktop requests cleanup from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

Remove resources managed by the server.

kubectl_get

When Claude Desktop requests kubectl_get from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

Retrieve Kubernetes objects by type, name, and optional namespace.

kubectl_describe

When Claude Desktop requests kubectl_describe from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

Inspect detailed information about selected Kubernetes objects.

kubectl_apply

When Claude Desktop requests kubectl_apply from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

Apply a YAML manifest supplied as text or a file.

kubectl_delete

When Claude Desktop requests kubectl_delete from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

Delete resources selected by name, labels, type, or manifest.

kubectl_create

When Claude Desktop requests kubectl_create from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

Create resources from files or supported creation subcommands.

kubectl_logs

When Claude Desktop requests kubectl_logs from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

Read logs from workloads such as pods, deployments, and jobs.

kubectl_scale

When Claude Desktop requests kubectl_scale from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

Adjust deployment replica counts.

kubectl_patch

When Claude Desktop requests kubectl_patch from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

Change resource fields through supported patch formats.

kubectl_rollout

When Claude Desktop requests kubectl_rollout from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

Control rollouts for supported workload resources.

kubectl_context

When Claude Desktop requests kubectl_context from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

List, inspect, or change the current Kubernetes context.

kubectl_reconnect

When Claude Desktop requests kubectl_reconnect from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

Rebuild API clients to refresh network connections and DNS after cluster changes.

explain_resource

When Claude Desktop requests explain_resource from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

Read documentation for a Kubernetes resource or field.

install_helm_chart

When Claude Desktop requests install_helm_chart from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

upgrade_helm_chart

When Claude Desktop requests upgrade_helm_chart from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

uninstall_helm_chart

When Claude Desktop requests uninstall_helm_chart from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

node_management

When Claude Desktop requests node_management from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

port_forward

When Claude Desktop requests port_forward from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

stop_port_forward

When Claude Desktop requests stop_port_forward from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

exec_in_pod

When Claude Desktop requests exec_in_pod from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

list_api_resources

When Claude Desktop requests list_api_resources from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

kubectl_generic

When Claude Desktop requests kubectl_generic from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

ping

When Claude Desktop requests ping from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

cleanup_pods

When Claude Desktop requests cleanup_pods from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

helm_template_apply

When Claude Desktop requests helm_template_apply from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

helm_template_uninstall

When Claude Desktop requests helm_template_uninstall from MCP Server Kubernetes, review the action before approving it.

MCP Server Kubernetes: full stored tool descriptions

Troubleshooting MCP Server Kubernetes in Claude Desktop

• Fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop for MCP Server Kubernetes. If npx mcp-server-kubernetes (Node.js/npm) is missing, check the desktop process's PATH, which may differ from your terminal.
• MCP Server Kubernetes uses stdio here: Claude Desktop must keep the configured process running; protocol output belongs on stdout and diagnostics on stderr.
• Known limitation: Requires working cluster credentials and local kubectl.
• Known limitation: Non-destructive mode still allows resource changes.
• Known limitation: Secret masking does not cover log output.
• General Claude Desktop troubleshooting lives in the /clients/claude-desktop guide.

Frequently asked questions