agent safety

Agent safety answer

kubernetes-cli provides kubectl, which controls Kubernetes clusters and workloads.

Credential access

Reads kubeconfig, exec credentials, cluster tokens, and namespace context.

Remote mutation

Can create, patch, delete, scale, and exec into cluster workloads.

Publish/artifact risk

Can apply manifests that deploy or expose application artifacts.

Recommended control

Gate kubectl apply, delete, patch, exec, port-forward, and context changes.

Agent-use guidance

Allow get/describe with safe contexts; require approval for cluster writes and secret reads.

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install kubernetes-cli

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install kubectl

MacPorts ports tree · sysutils/kubectl/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add kubectl

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · kubectl · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install kubectl

Debian stable package indexes · kubectl · source: deb.debian.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#kubectl

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

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S kubectl

Arch Linux sync databases · kubectl · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

Windows

Chocolateyverified · 92%

choco install kubernetes-cli

Chocolatey community package catalog · kubernetes-cli · source: community.chocolatey.org

Windows Package Managerverified · 92%

winget install --id Kubernetes.kubectl -e

Windows Package Manager source index · Kubernetes.kubectl · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install main/kubectl

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/kubectl.json · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Kubernetes command-line interface

Project links

Commands and aliases

kubectl

history

Project history and usage

kubectl is the Kubernetes command-line client and the binary packaged by Homebrew as kubernetes-cli. It is the standard local interface for sending requests to the Kubernetes control plane, reading and writing objects, inspecting resources, and driving day-to-day cluster operations.

Project history

Kubernetes began as an open source Google project in 2014 and reached version 1.0 on July 21, 2015, alongside Google's announcement that the project would be donated to the newly formed Cloud Native Computing Foundation. kubectl evolved with the project as the human-facing client for the Kubernetes API.

Adoption history

As Kubernetes became the common substrate for cloud-native infrastructure, kubectl became one of the most widely installed operations binaries in developer and platform-engineering toolchains. Its packaging across Homebrew, Linux distributions, Chocolatey, Scoop, winget, Nix, MacPorts, and other systems reflects that it is both a developer tool and an infrastructure administration tool.

How it is used

kubectl reads kubeconfig data to select a cluster, user, namespace, and context, then communicates with the API server. Kubernetes documentation says kubectl looks for config in $HOME/.kube/config by default, while KUBECONFIG and --kubeconfig allow explicit or merged configuration files.

Why package nerds care

The kubernetes-cli package is significant because it decouples the local client from a full Kubernetes installation. Package managers let users pin or upgrade the client, match cluster version-skew policy, and keep scripts using a predictable kubectl binary without installing control-plane components.

Timeline

2014: Kubernetes was released as an open source project.
2015-07-21: Kubernetes 1.0 was released and the project was donated to the CNCF.
2023-08-15: Kubernetes documented pkgs.k8s.io as community-owned package repositories for Kubernetes packages.
2025-04-23: Kubernetes v1.33 was released.
2025-08-27: Kubernetes v1.34 was released.

Related projects

kubectl is related to the Kubernetes API server, kubeconfig, client-go, kubeadm, kustomize, Helm, kubectl plugins, and the broader SIG CLI tooling ecosystem.

Sources

protected-tool coverage

Plain Text Kubeconfig Secrets

`kubectl` reads kubeconfig files that commonly contain bearer tokens or embedded client private keys. Our isotope stores supported user credentials in the macOS keychain, rewrites kubeconfig user entries to Kubernetes exec credential plugins, and exposes credentials through `av credential-helper kubernetes` only while `kubectl` runs.

Risk classifier

orange risk · high confidence · infrastructure

Why

cluster orchestration infrastructure

Signals

override:kubernetes-cli

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Build metadata lists 3 build dependencies.

Local README excerpt

kubernetes-cli Protected-tool coverage

kubectl reads kubeconfig files that commonly contain bearer tokens, passwords, client key paths, or embedded client key data.

This protected-tool coverage migrates the default kubeconfig into the Automic Vault keychain and rewrites supported user entries to Kubernetes exec credential plugins that call av credential-helper kubernetes. The wrapper provides a short-lived approval token while kubectl is running.

Caveats

We currently migrate the default ~/.kube/config file only.
Multi-file KUBECONFIG setups must be migrated manually.
Only bearer-token and embedded client-certificate user credentials are

migrated to the exec helper.

Passwords, auth-provider refresh credentials, and client-key file paths must

be migrated manually.

Kubeconfigs that rely entirely on exec auth plugins may not contain

migratable secrets.

Source: local coverage notes

Coverage source

Local secret-handling manifest

Caveats

We currently migrate the default ~/.kube/config file only.
Multi-file KUBECONFIG setups must be migrated manually.
Passwords, auth-provider refresh credentials, and client-key file paths must be migrated manually.
Exec-plugin-only kubeconfigs may not contain migratable secrets.

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.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix: ~/.kube/config

Credential files

Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.

Unix: ~/.kube/config

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`kubectl`	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 generated2026-07-07

manager version1.36.2

manager updated2026-06-12

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes

infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetesnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:kubernetes-cli
Version	1.36.2
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/kubernetes-cli
Homepage	https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/kubectl/
Repository	https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes
Upstream docs	https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/configuration/organize-cluster-access-kubeconfig
License	Apache-2.0
Source archive	https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes.git
Last updated	2026-06-12T13:38:45Z
Pulse	updated
Build dependencies	bash, coreutils, 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	kubernetes-cli
Aliases	kubectl kubernetes-cli@1.36
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.

Chocolatey95%

kubernetes-cli

choco install kubernetes-cli

normalized package name match
Matched by: Kubernetes Cli

Chocolatey community package catalog · community.chocolatey.org · Chocolatey community package catalog: kubernetes-cli from http://community.chocolatey.org/api/v2/Packages?$filter=IsLatestVersion&$select=Id&$top=1000&$skiptoken='11','kubectx'

winget95%

Kubernetes.kubectl

winget install --id Kubernetes.kubectl -e

normalized package name match
Matched by: Kubernetes Cli

Windows Package Manager source index · cdn.winget.microsoft.com · Windows Package Manager source index: Kubernetes.kubectl from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix

MacPorts94%

kubectl

sudo port install kubectl

installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Kubectl

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/kubectl/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Debian apt92%

kubectl 1.32.3+ds-2

Command-line tool for controlling Kubernetes clusters

https://kubernetes.io/

sudo apt install kubectl

Section: admin
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: kubernetes
1 dependencies
installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Kubectl

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: kubectl from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Nix92%

kubectl

nix profile install nixpkgs#kubectl

installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Kubectl

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

apk92%

kubectl 1.36.1-r0

Kubernetes - kubectl

https://kubernetes.io/

sudo apk add kubectl

License: Apache-2.0
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: kubernetes
1 provides
installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Kubectl

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: kubectl from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

pacman92%

kubectl 1.36.1-1

A command line tool for communicating with a Kubernetes API server

https://kubernetes.io/

sudo pacman -S kubectl

License: Apache-2.0
Architecture: x86_64
1 dependencies
installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Kubectl

Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: kubectl from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz

Scoop92%

main/kubectl

scoop install main/kubectl

installed executable or alias match
Matched by: Kubectl

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · api.github.com · Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/kubectl.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1

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/kubernetes-cli.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated agent safety answer
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
local coverage README
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment
secret-handling manifest

Install kubernetes-cli with Homebrew, chocolatey, winget, apk, apt, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop

Agent safety answer

Credential access

Remote mutation

Publish/artifact risk

Recommended control

Agent-use guidance

Additional install commands

macOS

Linux

Windows

Package summary

Project links

Commands and aliases

Project history and usage

Project history

Adoption history

How it is used

Why package nerds care

Timeline

Related projects

Sources

Plain Text Kubeconfig Secrets

Risk classifier

Why

Signals

Install behavior

kubernetes-cli Protected-tool coverage

Caveats

Coverage source

Caveats

Configuration and credential file locations

Configuration files

Credential files

Installed executables

Version and freshness

Package metadata

Source database details

Other package-manager records

Internal package links

Topical hubs

Related tools

Same workflow

Agent security guides

Generated from repository data

Combined YAML source

Used sources