# Install kops with Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, scoop Production Grade K8s Installation, Upgrades, and Management. Version 1.35.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-28. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:kops ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install kops ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install kops ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: devel/kops/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#kops ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: kops from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix ### Windows - Scoop (92%): ```sh scoop install main/kops ``` Evidence: Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/kops.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:kops - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.35.1 - **Source summary:** Production Grade K8s Installation, Upgrades, and Management - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** Apache-2.0 - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-05-28T18:47:52Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - kops (cli) - kops (alias) ## Dependencies - kubernetes-cli ## Build dependencies - go ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 1.35.1 - Package-manager updated: 2026-05-28 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/kubernetes/kops - Upstream latest detected: v1.35.1 (current) ## Project history and usage kOps, short for Kubernetes Operations, is one of the long-running Kubernetes cluster lifecycle tools. It is best known as a command-line way to create, upgrade, and maintain production-grade Kubernetes clusters while also provisioning the needed cloud infrastructure. ### Project history The kOps repository was created under the Kubernetes GitHub organization on 2016-06-27, during the period when Kubernetes operators were still building practical tooling around cluster creation and upgrades. The README describes kOps as `kubectl` for clusters, reflecting its role as a higher-level administrative CLI rather than an application deployment tool. Early release metadata shows v1.4.0-alpha.1 on 2016-09-08, with 1.4-era releases following in late 2016. The project then tracked Kubernetes minor versions closely enough that official docs describe a release cadence tied to Kubernetes releases, typically about a month later, after Kubernetes issues from a new version have had time to settle. ### Adoption history kOps became important because it filled a gap before managed Kubernetes offerings covered every common operational need. Its official support matrix grew around cloud targets including AWS and GCP, with additional providers such as DigitalOcean, Hetzner, OpenStack, and Azure documented at different support levels. GitHub repository metadata observed on 2026-07-01 reported 16,632 stars and 4,710 forks, unusually high for an infrastructure lifecycle CLI. Its presence in Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix, and Scoop reflects a user base split across workstation operators and automation hosts. ### How it is used kOps is commonly used to create cluster specifications, store cluster state, provision cloud infrastructure, and perform Kubernetes upgrades. It also writes or relies on kubeconfig credentials, so package users tend to pair it with `kubectl` and cloud provider credentials. For package-manager users, the value is that installing one CLI gives access to a whole cluster lifecycle workflow rather than only a client for an already-existing control plane. ### Why package nerds care kOps is a classic Homebrew infrastructure formula: a single statically distributed CLI that hides a lot of distributed-systems machinery behind repeatable commands. It also marks an era of Kubernetes packaging before every cloud had a polished managed-cluster console. Package indexes that carried kOps made serious Kubernetes cluster creation available from a developer laptop with one install command. ### Timeline - 2016-06-27: GitHub repository created under kubernetes/kops. - 2016-09-08: v1.4.0-alpha.1 appears in GitHub release metadata. - 2016-12-21: v1.4.4 release published. - 2026-07-01: GitHub repository metadata reported more than 16,000 stars and more than 4,700 forks. ### Related projects - kOps is closely related to Kubernetes, kubectl, cloud provider CLIs, Terraform and CloudFormation workflows, and managed Kubernetes services. - Within Kubernetes tooling culture, it sits beside kubeadm, Cluster API, eksctl, and cloud-specific cluster provisioning tools. ### Sources - - - - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Configuration and credential file locations These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval. ## Configuration files - Unix: {state store}/config ## Credential files - Unix: ~/.kube/config ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** kops - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - kops: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: kops from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix - MacPorts - kops: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: devel/kops/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Scoop - main/kops: normalized package name match | Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/kops.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Cloud CLI packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/cloud-clis/) - Belongs to a cloud or infrastructure command family. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [kubernetes-cli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/kubernetes-cli/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/go/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [clusterctl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/clusterctl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, cluster-management, kubernetes. - [k9s](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/k9s/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, cluster-management, kubernetes. - [mcp-server-kubernetes](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mcp-server-kubernetes/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, cluster-management, kubernetes. - [rke](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rke/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, cluster-management, kubernetes. - [talosctl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/talosctl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, cluster-management, kubernetes. - [cdk8s](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cdk8s/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, kubernetes. - [chaoskube](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/chaoskube/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, kubernetes. - [click](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/click/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cloud-infrastructure, kubernetes. - [vcluster](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/vcluster/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, cloud, cloud-infrastructure, cluster, infrastructure. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/kops.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/kops.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph