v1.0.0 · MIT · open source

The kubectl-aware TUI for Kubernetes & k3s.

k4s is a fast terminal UI for Kubernetes. Every keystroke prints the kubectl equivalent in the footer — build CLI muscle memory while you work. v1.0 is a full rewrite — new architecture, new design, kubeconfig auto-loaded from ~/.kube/config. Free, open-source, single binary, MIT-licensed.

View on GitHub
k4s — pods · k4s-demo
Recording of k4s, a TUI for Kubernetes, showing pod lists, log streaming, describe and top views.
Real recording. The footer shows ≈ kubectl logs -f -c spammer log-spammer-… -n k4s-demo --tail=100 while you stream logs.

features

What's in the box.

The MVP is shipped. Nothing on this list is on the roadmap — it's all already in the binary.

Multi-pod log streaming

Stream every replica at once with per-pod FNV colour tags, search, smart auto-follow, two-step clear.

Live filter

/ substring filter on any list view. Works in pods, namespaces, deployments, services, contexts.

kubectl footer hints

Every shortcut prints its CLI equivalent. Learn kubectl by osmosis.

Describe view

kubectl-style sections including events, scrollable, syntax-aware.

Exec

Press e, drop into the pod shell via tea.ExecProcess. No reconnect dance.

Top

kubectl top pods/nodes via the metrics.k8s.io REST API. No extra dependency on k8s.io/metrics.

Context switcher

:ctx jumps between kubeconfig contexts. Drops stale navigation history automatically.

Watch

5s auto-refresh on every list view. Footer shows --watch. Toggle with w.

Centred help popup

? lists global, view-specific and command bar bindings. No memorising the cheat sheet.

quickstart

Install & run.

One binary, no daemon, no agent in your cluster. Pick your platform.

go install github.com/LywwKkA-aD/k4s/cmd/k4s@latest
k4s
git clone https://github.com/LywwKkA-aD/k4s
cd k4s
make demo                    # local k3s + seed data
KUBECONFIG=$(pwd)/.kube/config make run
# brew install LywwKkA-aD/tap/k4s   # planned for v0.2

Try k4s now.

Single binary. No daemon. Works on any cluster reachable through kubeconfig — k3s, k8s, EKS, GKE, AKS, Kind, Rancher, OrbStack.

go install github.com/LywwKkA-aD/k4s/cmd/k4s@latest