install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install ktop

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#ktop

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/kt/ktop/package.nix · source: api.github.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install ktop

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · ktop · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Top-like tool for your Kubernetes clusters

Project links

Commands and aliases

ktop

history

Project history and usage

ktop is a terminal dashboard for Kubernetes clusters, explicitly modeled after Unix top-style tools. It continuously displays node, pod, and container metrics and lets users drill from cluster overview into workload details and logs.

Project history

The GitHub repository was created on 2016-12-29. The project documentation describes ktop as a local, single-binary tool that connects through the Kubernetes API using the same kubeconfig credentials that kubectl uses.

The project evolved around a specific gap in the Kubernetes CLI experience: `kubectl top` gives a snapshot, while ktop keeps an interactive terminal display open and supports hierarchical navigation through nodes, pods, containers, and logs.

Adoption history

ktop is distributed through Kubernetes-native and general package-manager channels: the documentation lists installation as a kubectl plugin through krew, through Homebrew, through `go install`, through Docker, and through GitHub release binaries.

Its adoption path is tied to operators and developers who want live cluster inspection without installing agents or server-side components.

How it is used

ktop uses `$KUBECONFIG` or `~/.kube/config`, supports context and namespace selection, and can use Prometheus scraping, Kubernetes Metrics Server, or a no-metrics fallback that shows resource requests and limits.

Why package nerds care

ktop is package-nerd notable as a Kubernetes-era reinterpretation of a classic Unix admin interface. It also shows how kubectl plugins, Go single binaries, Homebrew formulae, and container images can all distribute the same cluster-ops tool.

Timeline

2016-12-29: vladimirvivien/ktop repository created on GitHub.
2026-06-24: GitHub repository metadata recorded ongoing updates to the project.
2026: Project documentation described krew, Homebrew, Docker, Go install, and binary-release installation paths.

Related projects

ktop is related to kubectl top, the krew plugin manager, Kubernetes Metrics Server, Prometheus, cAdvisor/kubelet metrics endpoints, and other terminal cluster dashboards.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: orange

infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal.

Risk classifier

orange risk · medium confidence · infrastructure

Why

infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal

Signals

text:kubernetes,cluster

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

local files

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.

Credential files

Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.

Unix: $KUBECONFIG~/.kube/config

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`ktop`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version0.5.3

manager updated2026-06-15

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv0.5.3

https://github.com/vladimirvivien/ktop

okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:ktop
Version	0.5.3
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/ktop
Homepage	https://ktop.app/
Repository	https://github.com/vladimirvivien/ktop
Upstream docs	https://vladimirvivien.github.io/ktop
License	Apache-2.0
Source archive	https://github.com/vladimirvivien/ktop/archive/refs/tags/v0.5.3.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-06-15T10:20:19-04:00
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	go
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	ktop
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

ktop

nix profile install nixpkgs#ktop

normalized package name match
Matched by: Ktop

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/kt/ktop/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

zypper95%

ktop 0.5.3-1.4

A top-like tool for your Kubernetes clusters

https://github.com/vladimirvivien/ktop

sudo zypper install ktop

License: Apache-2.0
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: ktop
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ktop

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: ktop from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/ktop.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install ktop with Homebrew, Nix, zypper