Cloud Native 6 min read

kubeman: A UI Alternative to kubectl for Real‑Time Kubernetes Debugging

kubeman is a lightweight UI tool that replaces kubectl for monitoring and managing Kubernetes clusters, offering streamlined operations such as cluster selection, namespace filtering, searchable recipes, output grouping, auto‑refresh, and command shortcuts, making complex debugging and Istio troubleshooting more accessible.

Programmer DD

Sep 18, 2019

kubeman: A UI Alternative to kubectl for Real‑Time Kubernetes Debugging

While browsing Twitter, I discovered kubeman, a tool that aims to become a UI‑based alternative to kubectl for real‑time monitoring and management of Kubernetes clusters, including Istio debugging.

Using only kubectl often requires many commands and cross‑referencing outputs, which makes troubleshooting cumbersome. kubeman hides this complexity behind a graphical interface, grouping common operations by resource type.

Installation is straightforward: download the appropriate binary from the release page and run it.

Run the kubeman binary.

Select a cluster via the “Select Cluster” menu and optionally limit the session to specific namespaces using the “NAMESPACES” dialog.

The chosen cluster context appears at the top of the UI.

The left panel groups operations by resource type; choose an operation from the menu.

Use the top search box to find operations quickly; results appear in the “Matching Recipes” menu.

Some operations further filter by namespace, service, pod, etc.

The right panel displays output for all operations, with additional features:

After an operation runs, you can search the output using keywords; press esc to clear the search.

Outputs are hierarchically grouped; clicking a top‑level line (deep blue) collapses or expands the group.

You can also collapse individual groups or sub‑groups.

Certain operations require input in the search box (e.g., “Find component by IP”). Prefix the input with / and separate multiple keywords with commas.

Operations that support re‑execution show a “ReRun” menu; you can also type /r in the search box to rerun.

To clear results, use the “Clear” menu or type /clear / /c.

Some operations can auto‑refresh; enable the “Auto Refresh” option and set a custom interval (default 15 s).

The search box also supports advanced syntax, such as or for logical OR and ! for NOT.

Overall, kubeman is a powerful Kubernetes debugging tool that supports multi‑window, maximization, and dark‑theme options, making cluster troubleshooting much more efficient.