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Run kubectl in a workspace

Use a setup-style kubectl provider when you want one Kubernetes client version pinned to the workspace while still installing the binary lazily.

This example uses the repository fixture in testdata/setup-kubectl, which models the current managed-install architecture:

  • kubectl is the default tool exposed to the workspace
  • setup-kubectl is the bundled installer tool
  • the first kubectl run downloads the requested client version into the provider store

Package the provider fixture​

Run these commands from the repository root:

./bin/tinx release \
	--manifest testdata/setup-kubectl/tinx.yaml \
	--dist testdata/setup-kubectl/dist \
	--output testdata/setup-kubectl/oci

Create a workspace​

./bin/tinx init cluster-admin -p testdata/setup-kubectl/oci as kubectl

Inspect the lazy state​

Before the first command runs, the provider is installed but the kubectl binary is still lazy:

./bin/tinx --workspace cluster-admin ls
./bin/tinx --workspace cluster-admin status

Run kubectl through tinx​

KUBECTL_VERSION=1.29 ./bin/tinx --workspace cluster-admin -- kubectl version --client
./bin/tinx --workspace cluster-admin -- kubectl get pods -A

The first command runs the setup-kubectl installer tool through the shim manager and writes the requested kubectl binary into the provider store.

Mix host credentials with the workspace tool​

tinx does not replace your kubeconfig flow. Keep using the normal Kubernetes environment variables and config files:

export KUBECONFIG=$HOME/.kube/config
./bin/tinx --workspace cluster-admin -- kubectl config current-context

Inspect the ready state​

After the first successful run, the tool inventory changes from lazy to ready:

./bin/tinx --workspace cluster-admin ls
./bin/tinx --workspace cluster-admin status

Use this approach when you want a team-wide kubectl version without asking every workstation to manage the same binary separately.